CrossFit emerged in 2000 in the United States and has become one of the most popular physical training programs in the world.
Antonio Barrias is the co-owner of CrossFit XVI and CrossFit Cotai, the only CrossFit gyms in Macau. He is also the only competitive CrossFitter in the territory. In his opinion, CrossFit “is an experience unlike any other, where the fear of working out and the resentment and boredom of going to the gym disappear completely.”
“CrossFit is, by far, the best method to get you healthier and fitter,” he expresses.
A CrossFit session at Antonio’s gym usually lasts an hour and starts with a “general dynamic warm-up”. The warm-up is followed by a segment Antonio calls “mobility and bracing”. This is when the trainers teach clients how to use their core muscles to avoid injury when exercising. The training will then either enter a “strength phase” or a “gymnastic phase”. In this 10 – 15 minute period clients weightlift or practice gymnastic movements.
After that clients do “MetCon”, or “metabolic condition”, which is essentially a cardio phase and is the final part of the session. But instead of running on a treadmill, Antonio’s clients have to perform intensive movements during MetCon with tools such as barbells, dumbbells or boxes. This raises the heartbeat and breathing, which Antonio says will greatly contribute to the fitness of his clients.
The content of a CrossFit session will vary, depending on the goal of the client.
Moreover, Antonio suggests that CrossFit is different from other training programs because of its emphasis on “being a community”. “We have a saying in CrossFit: the workout isn’t done until everyone is finished. Even if you finished first, it means you had a great and awesome workout. But now you have the responsibility to rally for somebody else.”
He says that this sense of community also extends to outside the gym, when people training together become friends.
The program may not sound very intensive and demanding, but if you think CrossFit is merely another fancy exercise, it will definitely find a way to surprise you.
Antonio had his first CrossFit workout in 2014, back then he had been a personal trainer for a long time. One day he was encouraged by his now business partner Amanda Ho, to try CrossFit. While Antonio thought he could finish his first CrossFit workout, he ended up vomiting. “Whenever you think that you are very good at something, CrossFit tends to humble you,” he remarks. “That’s why I love this sport. You are never the best and you are never satisfied. You always want more and to move better.”
But the CrossFitter reassures people that CrossFit is not scary at all. “We have clients from 4 to 60. Some people are scared [of practicing CrossFit], and we often tell them that we have four-year-old kids doing CrossFit.”
A toned and defined body is a goal for many. But for some it is difficult to find a gym that suits them, or they simply want to train alone. This is when the suspension training program called TRX comes in handy.
TRX, short for “Total Resistance eXercise”, is a program that utilizes the body weight of the exerciser. It only requires an adjustable nylon strap with handles at both ends and a strong and secured anchor point to which you can attach he strap.
This exercising program was developed by a former team member of the United States Navy SEALs, Randy Hetrick. Since SEALs team members need to train in different environments, TRX does not require exercisers to carry too much equipment and there are very few restrictions on training venues. A person can basically train anywhere once they find a secured anchor point to safely attach the strap. As a result, many TRX exercisers like to train at home, or take the strap to outdoor areas like parks.
Serafim Lam is one of the TRX trainers in Macau. He has been working in the local bodybuilding industry for quite some time and began offering TRX training classes after acquiring the TRX training certification.
He reckons that one of the major differences between TRX and other types of exercises is the former’s emphasis on training the core of the body. “TRX training can deliver a very strong core, which is the strength of the abdominal muscles, and a good balancing skill. If a person can “correctly” perform the TRX exercise moves and control the nylon strap, they must have a strong core.”
Serafim’s TRX class usually lasts an hour and the content will differ, depending on the training frequency. For example, if a person trains once a week, then the training session will include all parts of the body. But for those who train every day, a training session will focus on one or two muscle groups to maximize the training outcome.
Although TRX can train different parts of your body, Serafim acknowledges that TRX training is still not as effective as training in a gym. He also warns that TRX is not suitable for those without training and exercise experience. “This is because TRX training is, to some extent, dangerous to one’s joints and spine. If the exercises are not done properly, it can cause injuries to the body.”
However, for those who are inexperienced but still very interested in TRX, Serafim says they can start from some very basic exercises like holding the nylon strap and doing squats before moving to higher level moves.
“In fact, the exerciser can decide how intense their training is. If they are not strong enough at the beginning, they can lower the intensity of the training by adjusting their posture, which is an advantage of TRX.”
Serafim also observes that many women are interested in TRX. “Some girls think that weightlifting is going to make them look bulky, which drives them to TRX. However, TRX also has the same effect [of training one’s muscles]. So we have to tell them that if they want a toned and defined body, they have to have muscle too and excessive fasting alone cannot deliver the result they want.”
Not eating less, however, does not mean ignoring diet. Serafim points out that to have a good body shape, one must “eat well, train well and sleep well.” Training is important, but diet and rest are crucial as well.
