New spot for personal training
Cardio, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy. Those are the 10 focuses of CrossFit, a workout training program that’s taking the nation by storm, and, thanks to CrossFit UAC, is now available in Cache Valley.
Since opening its doors in the beginning of March, the CrossFit United Athletic Club (UAC), located in North Logan, has already seen a lot success.
“The very first week, we had about 15 people, but now we get around 50 people per day,” says Ryan Busenbark, the trainer at CrossFit UAC.
What’s drawing the crowds is the uniqueness of the experience. Inspired by exercise regimens used for training police and military officers, CrossFit is a high-intensity exercise program aimed at achieving greater physical fitness with short, 20-minute workouts for five days a week. Each workout consists of a variety of different reps, from pull-ups to row machines to lifting weights, with the goal of increasing speed and intensity as the client progresses.
People involved in CrossFit work toward improving their personal fitness level, which means that while the program is intense, it is tailored to each person regardless of fitness level, making it a challenge at any level. While many professional athletes use CrossFit for training, the program isn’t just for athletes.
“You don’t have to be an elite athlete to do this,” Busenbark says. “We have students from age 12 to 65. Anyone is invited to join.”
Several different kinds of exercises are taught and the routines change with each session. According to Busenbark, the workouts are varied in order to ensure that the body is improving with the program.
“When you are doing the same exercise over and over again, eventually your body is going to be smart enough to get used to that exercise,” Busenbark says. “But when you change your routine every time you exercise, your body can’t get used to it.”
CrossFit can be more effective than exercising at the gym, Busenbark says, because it has a structured exercise routine.
“You walk in, and you don’t even have to think about what you’re going to do. It’s all planned out for you,” he says.
Another great feature of going to CrossFit, Busenbark says, is the sense of “family” that isn’t offered at any other gym.
“We really focus on creating a family here,” Busenbark says. “We’re all interacting with each other, working together. It also creates a competitive environment so that you can push yourself harder.”
One of the focuses of CrossFit is strengthening core muscles for movements that people use every day.
“We do things like squats, and we make sure that the form is correct,” Busenbark says. “This is important because we do that movement a lot, such as when we sit down at an office job, and you want to make sure that you have the right form so when you’re 80 you can still have a good back.”
Dustin Ard, sophomore in Spanish and CrossFit client, has been going to CrossFit UAC since it opened and loves the program.
“I’m obsessed with it,” Ard says. “I didn’t think I’d like it at first, but now I love it. It’s addicting.”
Ard attends CrossFit sessions five times a week and has seen improvement in areas such as strength and increasing the height of his jumps.
“I can slam-dunk without shoes now, which is cool,” he says.
Hailey Hodel, junior in management information systems and business Administration, says she was reluctant about joining the program at first.
“I was skeptical,” she said. “I didn’t think I would enjoy it. And the after first week of doing it, I was really sore. But now I’m really enjoying it. I still get sore from it, but not nearly as bad as when I started.”
“At CrossFit,” Hodel says, “you have people all around you and it pushes you to work harder. You don’t have that when you’re by yourself at the gym.”
CrossFit, Ard says, is an affordable option for people who want a great workout but don’t want to pay for a personal trainer.
“You go to CrossFit, and Ryan, (the trainer), is there telling you how to do each exercise,” Ard says. “You’d normally spend about $45 per session to have a personal trainer, but with CrossFit, for a little more than that, you can pay for a month of sessions.”
Classes are held Monday through Saturday, with around seven classes per day. The monthly rate of joining CrossFit is $50 for USU students. CrossFit has a free one-week offer for anyone interested in trying it out. But Busenbark warns that once people try it, they’ll want to join.
“Nine out of 10 people who try it like it so much that they end up joining CrossFit,” he says.
“Make no mistake,” he says. “It’s hard. You’ll sweat. It won’t get any easier. But you’ll love it.”
For more information about CrossFit, go to www.crossfituac.com.
– alison.ostler@aggiemail.usu.edu