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Short, intense workouts spreading in popularity Date published: 9/13/2009
BY EMILY BATTLE
It's 9:30 a.m. on a recent Saturday, and in an industrial building in Spotsylvania County, fans blast, rowing machines hum and weight bars clank as they fall to the ground. More than 20 people are moving in groups from station to station. They're lifting, jumping, squatting and rowing. Meanwhile, out in the parking lot, two groups are working to flip a giant truck tire end over end across the lot. Are these a bunch of meat-heads practicing for one of those television strongman competitions? No, they're soccer moms trying to get in shape, triathletes trying to drop their times, married couples bored with other workouts and law enforcement officers looking for added strength. This is a typical Saturday at RARE CrossFit, one of three local workout facilities that have opened as part of a back-to-basics fitness trend that has spread across the nation. A NEW ROUTINE CrossFit was created by Greg Glassman, a former gymnast. The workout regime is different from almost anything you'll find in a typical commercial gym. It's a constantly varying combination of basic movements that focus on functional fitness--skills that will help you lift heavy things, for example--and that don't usually take longer than 20 minutes. These moves are performed in different combinations as a "workout of the day" in facilities that are usually no fancier than an industrial building equipped with weights, pull-up bars and padded floors. All the information you need to participate is online. People all over the country have created CrossFit gyms in their garages, but others pay to work out at CrossFit affiliate gyms, where they get access to equipment and advice from a trainer. Three such affiliates have opened in the Fredericksburg area. A NEW CHALLENGE Adam Eidson opened RARE CrossFit in the same facility where he and his business partner, Tony Rogers, were running soccer training. Eidson runs ultramarathons and stumbled upon CrossFit one day while reading another runner's training blog. Lisa Quinn, another affiliate owner, has been in the fitness industry for 20 years. The first time she tried a CrossFit workout, "I was smoked," she said. "I was so humbled, and angered that I was not in the shape I thought I was."
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 9/13/2009
I have been working out at CrossFit Spotsy since late January of this year. I am overweight and have a pre-existing issue with my back and hips. The trainers there have always worked with me so that I can do each workout scaled to my level. I will row instead of run. I used lighter weights when I first started and have worked up to heavier weights. If you are interested, do not let your current physical status keep you away - go meet with a CrossFit trainer and talk about your goals/limitations.
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