HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM: A Crossfit testimonial

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By Stephen Jones, Xavier junior

CEDAR RAPIDS - Three-time Crossfit Games champion Rich Froning Jr. once called the workouts "constantly varied functional movements performed at a high intensity."

Crossfit recently passed 5,000 affiliates worldwide and is doubling every two years. It is clear there is a new era of fitness arriving and it is making people rethink the conventional way of working out - including me.

This summer, I walked into Cedar Rapids Crossfit for the first time to see trainer Justin Lowinski and member Mitch Schmit front-squatting more than 300 pounds. I was awestruck, and took a moment to ask myself "can I really do Crossfit?"

It has been six months and I really am able to do it.

"I wanted to stay in shape while lifting weights and getting good cardio," local crossfit member Dane Reiter said. "Crossfit seemed scary at first, but it was the best option.

"Reiter consistently has kicked my butt in every workout since I've started. Not necessarily because he's stronger than me, but because he is tougher mentally.

In Crossfit you're either growing stronger physically or mentally - there is never a plateau. Imagine performing 100 pull-ups in a single workout, on top of 2,000 meters of rowing and 50 squat cleans."

As a trainer, we know which combinations of movements make people hurt, in this case kettle bell clean and jerks," Lowinski said. "Coaches and other cross-fitters show each other the movements with proper form. It all about variation and community,"

Crossfit is like nothing I've ever done before. Through all the sweat, exhausted muscles and ripped, bloodied hands, it always keeps me coming back. I've been nicknamed "High School," but just because I'm in high school does not mean that I can not lift weights with "the big boys."