This core strength and conditioning programme is based on the principle of constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.

 

Typical sessions take about an hour and can combine sprinting, rowing, skipping, rope climbs, tyre flips, weightlifting and various bodyweight exercises using barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, pull-up bars, kettlebells, medicine balls and boxes for box jumps.

 

From the couch to the Box

 

For Cindy, a senior administrative assistant at Maintenance and Facilities, the CrossFit journey started in 2012. What motivated her was a serious reflection on her personal health and vitality, prompting her to set foot in a Box (the CrossFit equivalent of a gym) for the first time. “I heard about CrossFit over the radio and I was instantly curious. I made an appointment the very same day!”

 

Jackie’s first visit to the Box in 2016 was not as pleasant as Cindy’s. In fact, she put so much strain on her body that she was admitted to hospital a few days later.

 

“When I look back now, I know that I made the rookie mistake of overdoing it by not adhering to my – at that time – very unfit body’s endurance levels.” She persisted and today is a CrossFit die-hard.

 

It’s all in the mind

 

The CrossFit lifestyle has had a positive impact on them, they say. Apart from making new friends and getting into shape, the sessions are therapy after a challenging day at work.

 

“CrossFit changed my life,” says Jackie, who was battling with feelings of depression before starting out on her fitness journey. “After losing the weight, and enhancing my fitness levels, I came to realise that the brain is indeed the biggest, and most important muscle in the body.”

 

Trip of a lifetime

 

As a CrossFit senior, Cindy frequently takes part in competitions to better her personal record. Her dedication to the lifestyle saw her winning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to America in 2014 to attend the prestigious CrossFit International Games.

 

What makes Jackie smile is that she has lost over 30 kg since joining CrossFit. In 2018, Jackie was part of a novice team which took second place at the ACA Throwdown during the Arnold Classic Africa Sport Tournament in Sandton.