As a child, I played many sports that I not only loved but was gratefully gifted with. When I was a little girl, there were not many hockey teams for girls, and my mom was not a fan, so I did not get to play hockey like my boy cousin did. Although, that same cousin taught me how to play hockey, and we played a lot of pond hockey against the other kids in the neighborhood. And we won a lot!
The main sports that I played through middle school were:
- Softball (shortstop and third base)
- Track (I competed in the 100- and 50-yard hurdles as well as the two-mile relay as the anchor)
- Volleyball (voted most aggressive!)
- Swimming (freestyle)
- Basketball (defense)
Once I got to high school, I made the varsity team for our highly accredited softball team. I would have loved to continue running track, but the seasons were at the same time.
However, it was okay because I loved softball so much that I trained all year long until the season began with conditioning in mid-February and then continued weight training throughout the season in an effort to be a better offensive as well as defensive player.
Since those days, many new exercise routines and training techniques have been developed for which I am not educated. Let’s see what the experts have to say about what exercises are included in a CrossFit gym routine.
According to CrossFit, “At the top are CrossFit’s nine foundational movements. These will help you develop the skills you need to tackle the long list of functional movements listed alphabetically below.
A rotation of constantly varied functional movements in our workouts is an essential part of CrossFit. The more movements you adopt from the list, the greater the level of fitness you will ultimately forge. This should be looked at as a life-long pursuit and well worth the effort. Enjoy!
- The Squats
- The Air Squat
- The Front Squat
- The Overhead Squat
- The Presses
- The Shoulder Press
- The Push Press
- The Push Jerk
- The Deadlifts
- The Deadlift
- The Sumo Deadlift High Pull
- The Medicine-Ball Clean,”.
Furthermore, after high school, I went on to play in pick-up leagues into my late forties and kept up with the stretching and conditioning. Unfortunately, in my forties, I started to incur many injuries, which then took me out of the game altogether.
Since then, I have had many rounds of physical therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture sessions, and even dry needling to address those injuries. Recently, as I entered my fifties, becoming stiffer and less mobile, I found how true Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, also known as the law of inertia, is! This theory states that an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion. How true and apropos this is for an old, broken-down athlete such as myself!
Since my body must stay in motion, or I will freeze up, I have taken the lead of my sixteen-year-old son and have begun weight training again, looking to explore the CrossFit method.
What are the 10 things of CrossFit?
CrossFit recognizes the following ten areas in fitness:
- Agility
- Accuracy
- Balance
- Coordination
- Endurance
- Flexibility
- Power
- Speed
- Strength
- Stamina
Needless to say, I have had a lot of experience in exercise training, weight training, and conditioning as a result of playing many sports, but I have yet to attempt the CrossFit routine. A well-designed program will help an athlete such as myself develop capacity across all the above domains, as long as I keep my “body in motion,” as Newton would say.
Wikipedia notes this about what to expect in CrossFit gym classes, “CrossFit gyms use equipment from multiple disciplines, including barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, rope climbs, pull-up bars, jump ropes, kettlebells, medicine balls, plyo boxes, resistance bands, rowing machines, exercise bikes, SkiErg, and various mats. CrossFit is focused on “constantly varied high-intensity functional movement”, drawing on categories and exercises such as calisthenics, Olympic-style weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman-type events, plyometrics, bodyweight exercises, indoor rowing, aerobic exercise, running, and swimming,”.
What is the 80/20 rule in CrossFit?
As I do not know much about this type of training yet, I will defer to the experts. Again, from the official CrossFit website, they stated that, “The Pareto principle, commonly called the “80/20 rule,” suggests that 80% of outcomes result from 20% of inputs. By prioritizing our efforts on the 20% — the most impactful, critical factors for success in our chosen endeavor— we can achieve most of our desired results rather than getting bogged down in details that detract from the end goal.
In short, Pareto’s principle offers a method for working smarter, not harder, providing an efficient path to the most significant results. CrossFit is Pareto’s principle in action. In the words of Bruce Lee, we’ve “hacked away the unessential” to create a tremendously effective and efficient methodology for developing elite levels of fitness and health. We use intensity, functional movements, variance, mixed-modality workouts, and nutrition to reap maximum benefit in minimum time,”.
In addition to all the physical aspects, what draws many people to CrossFit is the strong sense of community and accountability it fosters. Unlike traditional gyms, where you might work out alone, CrossFit boxes (as the gyms are called) often operate with group classes that build camaraderie and motivation.
Coaches are usually very hands-on, helping participants scale workouts to fit their current fitness level while still encouraging progress. There’s also a culture of celebrating personal victories—whether it’s mastering a new movement, hitting a personal record, or simply showing up consistently. This atmosphere can be especially encouraging for someone like myself who is returning to fitness after injuries or long breaks.
Although, I should probably consult my healthcare professionals first before trying something new!
*Note: All content within this article is meant for informational purposes only and is in no way a replacement for professional medical or psychological advice or support. Seek immediate and appropriate care from a healthcare professional should you or a trusted loved one deem it necessary.
CrossFit exercise list
In conclusion, embracing CrossFit at this stage in life feels both challenging and invigorating. With its supportive community, scalable workouts, and emphasis on lifelong health, I’m excited to see how far this journey can take me—one rep, one day at a time.