THE BASICS OF FITNESS
"My dad used to say, 'You're known by the company you keep,' and I found my fit tribe" says Dustin Eckart, a dedicated member of CrossFit Nexus.
Surrounding yourself with fitness enthusiasts often results in adopting healthier habits. Taking up a fitness regimen is a direct route to becoming a fitter, healthier version of yourself.
To truly appreciate Functional Fitness and its fitness program, the best approach is to step into a gym and experience it firsthand. However, if you seek a preliminary understanding, here's an overview of the basics of Functional Fitness.
Defining Functional Fitness:
Functional Fitness is not about compromising technique for speed, taking shortcuts, or avoiding challenging movements. It steers clear of fad diets and special supplements. It is a robust strength and conditioning program aiming to unlock the broadest physical capacity. Results from our members over 20+ years affirm that it works for everyone, with benefits accumulating over the long term.
Every recommendation, whether in exercise or nutrition, is tailored to deliver results. In essence, everything is geared toward making you the fittest, healthiest individual so you can thrive, not just get by.
Ingredients for Elevated Fitness:
- Comprehensive functional movements
- An infinite variety of workout combinations
- Intensity
- Expert coaching
- Fundamental yet profoundly effective nutrition strategies
Functional Movements:
Functional movements involve multiple joints, contrasting with exercises isolating specific body parts. They enhance everyday activities and overall fitness. For instance, a deadlift trains picking up something heavy, and a squat improves standing from a seated position.
These movements replicate natural life motions, making them the safest exercises. Simultaneously, they excel in strengthening muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments while enhancing hormone and nervous-system function. Exclusively incorporating functional movements such as biking, running, rowing, push-ups, dips, pull-ups, squats, deadlifts, presses, cleans, snatches, and jumping in workouts.
Variety:
The programming stands out for its constant variance in movements and combinations from one workout to the next. This approach aims to prepare for any challenge life might present. Routines like daily treadmill runs won't equip us to carry kids from a burning building, and solely focusing on biceps curls won't aid in getting up from the ground after a fall in old age.
To attain a broad fitness level, We involve proficiency in various activities, including running, biking, rowing, and lifting light, moderate, and heavy weights. Creative combinations keep workouts diverse, echoing Greg Glassman's words that such training results in "the stuff of surviving fights and fires."
Intensity:
Functional Fitness is a high-intensity strength and conditioning program. Intensity is pivotal for achieving desired fitness results efficiently. Whether aiming for a faster mile, fat loss, or improved blood panels, higher workout intensity proves effective.
However, it's crucial to work out at one's relative intensity. What's intense for one person differs for another, even in the same workout. Functional Fitness doesn't make workouts easier but strives to challenge individuals slightly beyond their comfort zone for improvement. Intelligent navigation of this uncomfortable zone is vital for exceptional results, with coaches providing expertise and customized guidance.
Coaching:
In contrast to programs solely prioritizing speed or load, CrossFit emphasizes consistent, safe execution of exercises with proper technique before intensifying. Balancing skill mastery and technique with intensity is crucial for athletic development and long-term results. Coaches at a CrossFit gym play a pivotal role in teaching athletes how to move safely at the ideal intensity level for results. CrossFit fosters a culture of relentless coaching during workouts and maintains a rigorous educational curriculum for coaches.
Nutrition:
Nutrition relies on two basic principles: consuming whole, unprocessed foods like meats, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruit, and eating enough to support activity levels without leading to excess body fat. These principles guide the development of habits and a nutrition plan supporting health and fitness goals.
Developing a sustainable nutrition plan involves:
1. Setting up for success with weekend grocery shopping and meal prep.
2. Stocking the kitchen with whole, unprocessed foods.
3. Learning to prepare meals.
4. Ensuring adequate protein intake with each meal and snack, complemented by fruits, vegetables, and other high-quality staples.
5. Reading ingredient labels to understand food consumption better.
It's essential to acknowledge that diets evolve with changing goals and lives. Frustration due to deviations from the plan should be avoided, with long-term consistency prioritized over short-term perfection. Regardless of setbacks, everyone is only one meal away from getting back on track.
Choosing the Path to Results:
offering a secure and effective route to exceptional fitness. Workouts, nutritional advice, and coaching resources are accessible for implementation. However, individual commitment remains the critical success component. A daily choice to show up, work hard, and return the next day if off track is the key.
Make the daily decision for consistency in both exercise and diet. This commitment ensures tangible and enduring results.