The cult of fit

March 9, 2012

According to Will Gadd, the CrossFit world may be twisted, but it works - read this article to find out why and how, and what this new trend is all about.

It may all sound fully twisted, but here’s the thing: It works. I’d put the average CrossFitter up against the average gym rat in any real-life physical situation and expect the guy or girl with the ugly T-shirt and knee-high white tube socks (worn to prevent shin rash) to win. My wife, Kim, got into CrossFit to fight off the physical effects of being a mom. My garage and driveway are now regularly full of outrageously strong women doing stuff that freaks the neighbours out.

As for me, I still believe in sports-specific training for specific sports, but I now love clean-and-jerking my loaded kayak onto the six-foot-plus roof rack of my truck because I know how. I can lift large logs and small children without fearing for my back. My knees feel better than they have in years, and I am FORGED and ELITE! Well, not really, but I feel that way occasionally after a workout while I’m making a sweat angel on the floor.

There are already schisms within CrossFit (Gym Jones is one breakaway cult), but I fully believe CrossFit-style training is going to take over the general fitness world. It’s only a matter of time.

You will be assimilated.

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Will Gadd

Will Gadd strapped on crampons for the first time at age eight. He did his first major ski traverse when he was 12. He started kayaking at 14; too young to drive, he would call every paddler in Jasper until someone would tire of the calls and take him to the river. Yes, he's obsessive. More than 30 years later, Gadd continues to chase mountain sports with the same enthusiasm. He has won three X Games ice-climbing gold medals, the World Cup for ice climbing, set the world paragliding distance record (twice), won the US and Canadian Paragliding Nationals and put up the hardest mixed and ice routes in the world for more than 15 years. He has also written a best-selling ice climbing book and generally had a lot of fun while re-defining several different sports. He shares his adventures through his regular Explore magazine column, TV shows (more than 100), presentations and as a coach and guide. His motto is, "Move."