CrossFit in Wolfsburg

CrossFit, a fitness training method and competitive sport, is very popular again at the moment among Wolfsburg's nearly 125 thousand inhabitants. As a form of "modern circuit training", CrossFit, which has been around since the 1980s, is enjoying a real upswing.

CrossFitters are expected to bring endurance, coordination and strength. CrossFit may be known as the "toughest workout in the world", but it is nevertheless also well suited to fitness beginners.

We have gathered everything about CrossFit together for you in this article.

What Exactly Is CrossFit?

Strictly speaking, CrossFit is not a type of training but a brand, developed in 1980 by Greg and Lauren Glassman.

CrossFit is the most fun when you do it together

Aptly, this sport for hobby athletes and fitness professionals crosses different training styles (to cross). CrossFit suits those who want to do more with exercise than just build muscle.

Popular Exercises

CrossFit covers different skills such as speed, coordination and flexibility, as well as strength.

CrossFit consists mainly of many bodyweight exercises, for which only your own body weight is needed. Even so, items such as ropes or short and long barbells complete the training kit.

CrossFit not only helps with losing weight but also makes it easier to build muscle, thanks to its mix of endurance, strength and bodyweight training.

It is also meant to boost performance and at the same time minimise the risk of injury.

The CrossFit Session

A CrossFit session usually lasts an hour and starts with a warm-up. The "WOD" – "Workout of the Day" – follows.

Here, trainers such as those at CrossFit Wolfsburg mix various exercises with and without weights, which differ with every session in order to challenge the body in a new way each time. These exercises are either repeated a set number of times, aim for a maximum weight or must be completed within a set time frame.

With its unique training concept, CrossFit counts as functional training. This is the name for workouts that do not focus on particular parts of the body but train the whole body.

The workouts stabilise the musculoskeletal system and ensure better health in the long run. CrossFit classes can usually be attended in so-called CrossFit boxes, sports facilities geared specifically to it. Sometimes CrossFit is also offered in martial arts halls or gyms.

Bulgarian split squats, mountain climbers, burpees, box jumps, kettlebell swings – these are just some of the most popular CrossFit exercises.

For the burpee, you bend your knees, place your hands next to your feet and drop into a squat. You then support yourself on your hands and jump into the plank (press-up position), which is also a popular CrossFit exercise.

For the box jump, you need a stable box, which you jump onto with momentum, landing in a slight crouch. Then you stand up and jump back down backwards.

Squats can also be performed on one leg, which turns normal squats into Bulgarian split squats, which, besides working the fronts of the thighs hard, also aim to improve balance. For this, a dumbbell is used – it is held down at the side of the torso with a straight arm.

The back foot is placed on a training bench and the front leg is then bent until the thigh is parallel to the floor. After that, you straighten up again. Throughout the exercise the leg stays slightly bent and the knee points slightly outwards.

Alternatively, Bulgarian split squats can also be done with a weight held in front of the chest or without any equipment.

For the kettlebell swing you need a kettlebell, that is, a ball-shaped weight with a handle. To begin, you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. The kettlebell is then carefully lifted with both hands, swung through the legs and then raised above the head.

A piece of equipment for CrossFit

Finally come the mountain climbers. The starting position is the high plank, with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. With your gaze directed downwards, the head forms an extension of the back and the feet are set roughly hip-width apart. In a hurried movement, the knees are then drawn alternately and as fast as possible towards the middle of the body, in the direction of the elbows. While one leg is bent, the other always stays fully extended.

CrossFit Principles

Nutrition, intensity, consistency, recovery and technique are the five basic CrossFit principles. The training only pays off in the end if you pay attention to clean technique from the start. To be able to perform exercises with the same quality every time, it is important that they are repeated continuously over a longer period.

Only when the quality of execution is consistent may resistance become higher and training more intense. Lasting success is only possible if importance is placed on a healthy and balanced diet.

Recovery is, as always in sport, the most important thing of all. You should rest every other day so that body and muscles can recover. For beginners, two days of rest are even better.

CrossFit can also be done indoors

CrossFit: Pros and Cons

Several aspects speak in favour of CrossFit.

The workouts can be designed flexibly, so that they can be adapted to the capacity of a group or an individual. With such an abundance of exercises, boredom never sets in with CrossFit, and anyone who trains regularly can quickly see results.

Anyone wanting to start CrossFit should bring a certain stamina and basic fitness. If these requirements are not met, overload can happen quickly, especially at the beginning.

To spot mistakes early enough, you should not do the exercises on your own, especially at the beginning, and should always consult a trainer. Mistakes and overload can significantly increase the risk of injury.

Conclusion

CrossFit is seen not just as fitness training but as a cultivated lifestyle. The enthusiasm for this sport is meant to bring people together, and training alone in a gym is out.

As a CrossFitter, you are part of a community whose members support one another while training. We hope this article has made this style of training sound a little appealing, but of course we know that CrossFit is not right for everyone.

If you meet the requirements and CrossFit interests you, why not simply try it out at a CrossFit box near you.

We have searched out the best CrossFit boxes in Wolfsburg for you. And if CrossFit doesn't appeal to you so much, we have also listed gyms as well.