My Passion With Rachael Calvert

Rachael Calvert, marketing manager at Gratterpalm advertising agency in Leeds, talks about her new-found passion for CrossFit.

I FIRST heard about CrossFit when the agency pitched to work with a well-known international sports brand. From doing my homework I learnt that CrossFit is an intensive core strength and conditioning programme that focuses on stamina, agility, speed and endurance.

A fitness phenomenon that has swept through the States and is now gathering momentum in the UK, CrossFit combines body weight exercises, Olympic weightlifting, kettlebells, powerlifting and cardio.

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It is also the principal strength and conditioning programme for the police and fire services, military, martial artists and hundreds of other professional athletes worldwide. It’s definitely not for the fainthearted.

Although I’m certainly not any sort of athlete, I’m not a couch potato when it comes to fitness either. I work out about two or three times every week, splitting my time between cycling, running or going to the gym and am always keen to try out new activities. Finding out our nearest centre, CrossFit West Yorkshire, was just round the corner from our office, the pitch team decided we really had to give it a go.

Four months on and me and a colleague are still going back for more. What hooked me in was that each class is a completely different experience, but at the end of every workout you come out sweating, but with a real sense of achievement.

There’s also a great mix of people – of all ages and fitness levels – who encourage each other to get through the pain of each class.

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At the start of each session there is a warm-up to prepare your body for the workout ahead and then the instructor teaches you how to safely and effectively execute the exercises.

Then it’s the WOD (Workout of the Day), which is constantly varied so that you don’t get bored and your body is always stimulated, and developing the 10 general physical skills: strength, power, speed, cardiovascular, stamina, flexibility, co-ordination, agility, accuracy and balance.

On Remembrance Sunday, we did a workout in memory of those that have served our country, which involved 11 repetitions of 11 different exercises, 11 times through. This took me a gruelling two hours and I ached for days afterwards, but the pain was definitely worth it.

Taking a holistic approach to health and fitness, many CrossFitters believe in the Paleo diet, commonly referred to as the caveman diet, for its raw, natural hunter-gatherer approach to nutrition.

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Although I thoroughly enjoy CrossFit and wholeheartedly recommend it to others, I think I enjoy my food and wine too much to eat like a caveman. Having said that I’m getting married next summer and want to look my best for the big day so maybe I’ll give it a go.

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