Strongtown’s new Academy class can be the perfect introduction to CrossFit or the perfect class for someone not interested in the traditional programming. Check out the reasons why.
1. Knowing the workout. One of the things that many CrossFitters disdain is not knowing the WOD in advance. The entire purpose of CrossFit is to get comfortable with the unknown and the unknowable, so many gyms either wont post the WOD at all, or won’t post it until the day of the workout. The Academy WODs are never a surprise--they are always posted well in advance. Surprise-anxiety gone!
2. Nothing is “for time.” In an Academy class, no workouts are ever for time. Another daunting element of CrossFit that keeps some people away is that a “for time” workout means that someone has to finish last. Academy classes remove this concern because athletes always finish together with an EMOM, an AMRAP, or an Interval style workout.
3. No barbell. Many people stay away from CrossFit because of the barbell. Because Olympic weightlifting requires a large learning curve and is less familiar than running, rowing, or weight machines, its integration into CrossFit deters some athletes. Instead, the Academy brings weightlifting in by way of dumbbells and kettlebells.
4. Repetition. In a term of Academy programming, the WODs repeat cyclically. For those starting a workout program, changing to a new program, or starting CrossFit, the way the Academy workouts cycle lets athletes track progress clearly and systematically. CrossFit programming does repeat and retest (anything named after a hero or a woman, for example) but not immediately or in a systematic way. Academy workouts repeat within one month’s time making it easy to track immediate progress.
5. Workouts are short, sweet, and effective. A lot of people who have busy lives have difficulty finding time for the gym, or they may have children who will sit still, but certainly not for a whole hour. The Academy classes are short but intense; athletes are in and out in 45 minutes. There is always a short warm up and cool down, and the workout itself will not exceed 20 minutes. The good news is that workouts are intense enough to still produce results.
