John Wahman
Staff Reporter
A select group of students comprised mostly of ROTC cadets, as well as a few other students is hooked on a workout called CrossFit. CrossFit is a series of workouts designed to make the top athletes in the world push themselves to failure, or, until they can no longer move.
“CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that is defined by constantly varied and functional movements combined with high intensity,” said certified level 1 CrossFit trainer Dan Spurrier, who is also a senior at McDaniel College.
Many CrossFit junkies cite the movie “300” as the ultimate example of what a CrossFit workout can do for the body. Every Spartan in “300” is ripped.
“[CrossFit] progress is measured by physical fitness performance levels. With that being said, the natural (pleasant) bye-product of CrossFit is the athletic appearance so many people desire but never achieve on regular workout programs,” said Spurrier.
CrossFit itself is comprised of many individual workouts, which isolate and tone certain muscle groups. The workouts themselves have names like “Karen,” “Nicole” and “Fight Gone Bad.” The “Karen” workout calls for 150 wallball shots with a 20 pound ball as quickly as possible. The “Nicole” station calls for running 400 meters and max rep of pull ups as many times as you can in twenty minutes.
The workouts are “extremely challenging, yet at the same time, infinitely scalable,” said Spurrier. “What that means is that it is suitable for any committed individual, whether Olympic athlete, Terrorist hunter or 90 year old Grandmother rehabilitating from a recent surgery.
“ I do CrossFit because it helps prepare those of us going into the military for the unknown. Physically, as well as mentally, I know that I will be better prepared to face those conditions presented to me in a combat environment,” Spurrier added. “In CrossFit, routine is the enemy, which is why the workouts are constantly varied. This is similar to real life, where we cannot pick and choose the place and time of the challenges we face, but rather are confronted at random.”
“That is why the CrossFit program has always had its roots in the military, law enforcement and first responder communities,” continued Spurrier.
Students interested in participating in CrossFit can contact Dan Spurrier at dzs@mcdaniel.edu .