How CrossFit Can Prepare you for Rockford Ninja Warrior

If you are working on your fitness already for next year's Rockford Ninja Warrior event, CrossFit is a great way to prepare.

Prestige

CrossFit is the main strength and conditioning program for police academies and tactical military teams, which tells you something about what you can get out of it. If you are looking for a really intense workout, CrossFit is the way to go!

Scalability for All Skill Levels

CrossFit is built on the principle of scalability regardless of prior experience, which means that instead of changing the program for different skill levels, only the intensity of each exercise is changed. This approach is beneficial for two reasons:
1. You do not have to learn all new exercises at each level as your fitness and strength increases.
2. You can workout with other CrossFit junkies even if you are not both at the same level of difficulty.
Being able to find a training partner is essential for Ninjas to hone their skills and stay motivated when it comes to regular workouts.

Widespread Accessibility

Many of the WODs ("Workouts Of the Day") take a minimalistic approach when it comes to workout equipment, so you do not necessarily need to go to a CrossFit gym specifically. You can go to a regular local gym or even just workout at home if you do not want to pay for a gym membership. This is good news for Ninjas that are on a budget.

Provides Non-Specialized Training

CrossFit is intentionally broad in its approach to avoid the pitfalls of overly specialized training. Since many of the people doing CrossFit are preparing themselves for dangerous real-life situations, they want an approach that will benefit them no matter what they are going up against.

This is helpful for aspiring Ninjas because it helps them adapt to the unique physical demands of each course obstacle. It is also helpful when you are competing on a course that has obstacles that you have never attempted before or in cold or wet conditions.

Functional Strength

Unlike bodybuilding routines that just create good-looking muscles, every WOD is designed to build functional strength that you can use to achieve your Ninja goals. Whether it is building stamina, increasing core strength, improving balance and agility or developing explosive power, CrossFit teaches your muscles  to be strong in all of the ways that you need.

Confidence

CrossFit workouts sometimes look a little bit insane - like when you see someone flipping a giant tire. However, these big intense workouts give you the confidence in your own abilities that you need to dominate the course.