CrossFit: Becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable
CrossFit is a high intensity sport that combines weight lifting, sprinting and gymnastics.
LEIGH Hudson is grimacing, but there is a steely determination in her eyes as she pushes past the burn in her shoulders and legs and thrusts the weight above her head. She’s in the final set of a workout of clean and jerks, chins ups and push ups. She is watched and encouraged by coach and former strongman Russell Swanepoel and former SA canoeist Billy Pullen.
This isn’t just any workout; it’s a timed CrossFit workout of the day. CrossFit combines weight lifting, sprinting and gymnastics into ritualized routines that are posted each day at CrossFit.com and on whiteboards at thousands of boxes around the world.
The sport has grown from one fringe gym in a California industrial park to 10 000 independent boxes around the world and the CrossFit Games, which attracts 200 000 participants.
“When I started my CrossFit journey, I knew I was born for this. I’ve always been very sporty and when my friend asked me to try it out for the first time, I never knew it would change my life. I’ve been involved in CrossFit for only 10 months and my goal is to push into the individual women’s categories.
“The awesome part of the sport is it’s a real team effort. Everyone waits for the last person to finish their set and we are all waiting there supporting each other,” she said.
Hudson and Pullen recently returned from the Reebok CrossFit Games Africa Regional where their team finished eigth overall. Pullen finished ninth, a fantastic achievement for someone new to the sport but being the ultimate perfectionist, he wasn’t happy.
“I wasn’t pleased with my performances. I wanted to win and that’s my goal in any competition. This sport is about pushing yourself past your limits,” Pullen said.
Coach and CrossFit trainer Russell Swanepoel, a former strongman competitor said he felt he had reached a plateau in his strenght based career.
“In order to be successful in this sport you need to be an extremist. It’s about being comfortable with the uncomfortable. Its about pushing your body and at the same time increasing your strength and like Billy said, ultimately setting yourself new limits to push past,” he said.
The trio are now part of CrossFit Shumba, a new box which has opened its doors just behind Gateway on Meridian Drive. If you are interested in joining contact Russell on 082 544 8190.
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