CrossFit: Good for Moms?
January 30, 2012 at 6:41 pm
by Christine Mattheis
If you’ve seen this Reebok commercial on TV recently (and chances are, you have—it’s on constantly!), you may not believe that CrossFit is perfect for moms.
Yes, this ad is full of super-fit athletes who can whip out 20 pullups like it’s no big deal. And I’ve been a CrossFit evangelist ever since I started doing the workouts last spring, so I’m a little biased. But the reality is, CrossFit gyms across the United States are filled with busy women like you. Why?
- It’s fun. Goodbye, elliptical. At a CrossFit gym (they call them “boxes”), you’ll be doing a different workout every day that might include free weights, body weight exercises, running, rowing…and the list goes on.
- It’s quick. Most workouts last between 7 and 30 minutes.
- It’s effective. Most workouts involve high-intensity interval training, which means you do short bursts of exercise followed by a period of rest. Multiple studies show this is more effective for weight loss than long, slow cardio.
- Anyone can do it. Seriously. All moves can be modified to suit your ability level.
Paula Patton stretches before trying a set of box jumps. (Photo courtesy of Reebok)
Last week, I had the opportunity to go to Reebok’s “The sport of fitness has arrived” campaign launch and do a CrossFit workout along with celeb spokespeople Paula Patton (pictured), Elizabeth Banks, Chase Crawford and Ed Burns. Here’s the workout we did; try it at home and let us know what you think!
Do each of these moves continuously for 1 minute, then repeat the series 3 times.
Burpees
Crouch and place your hands on the ground in front of you. Jump your feet back so you’re in a pushup position and lower yourself to the floor. Raise your body back to the pushup position and hop your feet back to your hands. Stand up, jump and clap your hands overhead.
Scaling options:
- Jump your feet out to the pushup position, but don’t lower your body to the floor before jumping them back into your hands.
- Step your feet out and in instead of jumping.
Kettlebell swings
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a 5- to 20-pound kettlebell (or dumbbell) in front of you. Keeping your back straight and abs engaged, squat about 6 inches and as you stand up, use the momentum to swing the weight from in between your legs to up above your head. String reps together smoothly.
Scaling options:
- Use a lighter kettlebell.
- Swing the weight to chin-height.
Box jumps
Hop up and down from a 20″ step or box. Be sure to fully extend your hips before you jump back to the ground.
Scaling options:
- Use a shorter box or step.
- Instead of jumping, do step-ups, alternating your front leg for every 10 reps.
To learn more about CrossFit or to find an affiliate near you, go to Reebok.com/fitness.
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