Fitness fanatics join in a festive session of Crossfit craze
It is the latest exercise craze to hit the country, with people pitting their strength, speed and agility against each other – and now the Crossfit phenomenon has come to Staffordshire.
More than 100 fitness fanatics were put through their paces in Cannock in a special festive event.
Bosses at BC One Crossfit, a gym in Cannock that teaches the latest style of exercise training, hosted the contest at the weekend.
A total of 27 teams of four slogged it out across a variety of disciplines, including sprinting, rowing and weightlifting. Crossfit, originally from America, also covers ropework, flipping tyres, carrying heavy objects and many bodyweight exercises. Work-outs are typically short, about 20 minutes or less, and intense.
There are now 70 clubs in the UK, just five of them in the Midlands.
Ian Stanley, owner and head coach of the Cannock gym which opened in February, organised the throwdown – the name given to Crossfit competitions.
It attracted teams from Clitheroe, Nottingham and Northampton. The 41-year-old from Great Wyrley said: "More than half the entrants were members at Cannock but it was great to see so many people from other clubs turn up We held our first throwdown in the summer and organised this one on the back of that. It's a really popular event."
The aim of Crossfit is to provide a core-strength and conditioning programme which challenges the body in all areas using as many different exercises as possible.
It attempts to adapt or develop exercises which allow individuals to perform the activities of daily life more easily and without injuries.
Mr Stanley said it improves cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, co-ordination, agility and balance.
