#Fitness Fridays: CrossFit

So it’s January, which means it’s post-Christmas-eats workout season. Whether you’re trying to get in shape for the spring that we’re told will eventually arrive or dreaming of the perfect bikini bod for your well-deserved February vacation to the Dominican, you’re probably thinking about getting in shape.

For me, workout season means calling on one of my best friends and certified personal trainer Yaw Attuah. Yaw has been involved in the CrossFit culture for years now and he’s the best trainer I’ve ever worked with, mostly because he doesn’t let me give up even when I beg to.

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning regimen that helps you improve muscle strength, cardio endurance, and flexibility through what sounds like an insane series of challenges. I’ve worked out with Yaw quite a few times now but for January I’m dedicated to getting in shape and finally committing to the CrossFit lifestyle; which means that I’m going to have to eat better, work out regularly, and make less excuses to avoid waking up early.

When we started working out, Yaw focused on air squats which means that I stand and squat and stand again, it sounds easy and it’s fun for the first 25 or so squats but eventually you start to feel the burn. We’ve worked on burpees, which I remembered hating in high school, it turns out I still hate them but they do work even if they suck. The squats, burpees, push-ups, sit-ups and running portions of CrossFit are easy enough to do at my condo gym with a trainer like Yaw, but in order to get the full CrossFit experience you really need to head to a gym.

In Toronto there are a lot of great CrossFit gyms – CrossFit was basically the Pilates of 2013 – but my trainer recommends Reebok CrossFit Liberty Village. RCLV offers a complimentary first training session for all those interested in really getting into CrossFit, which is a fantastic way to get started. Having been a rower in high school, I’d like to spend all of my time on the rowing machine, colloquially called an “erg” by rowers, but when it comes to CrossFit you get a little bit of everything and picking favourites isn’t encouraged.

In the end, CrossFit is basically an all-you-can-eat-health-buffet that pushes you to do things you didn’t know your body could, and the next day you’ll never want to do them again, but it’s worth it. I promise.