It’s almost inevitable that you've scrolled past a sweaty selfie of a friend, co-worker, or high school classmate bragging about their WOD and professing their love for CrossFit. What is Crossfit exactly? CrossFit is a global exercise phenomenon that started in the US about 20 years ago and has since spread across the world. There are roughly 13,000 affiliated gyms in 120 countries with countless others offering "Functional Fitness" and with many conventional gyms offering similar classes and equipment.  It’s estimated that there are 4 million CrossFitters around the world, and its members are so devoted to the competitive approach to fitness that the community has been described as cult-like.

No doubt if you haven't tried it, you might be confused by what it is or perhaps intimidated, with many associating Crossfit with high risk of injury or training fad. With all this publicity, you may have wondered if Crossfit is for you or if all those Crossfitters (like our very own cohosts) are just plain crazy.

CrossFit is a functional fitness methodology that seeks to achieve comprehensive, measurable and high-level fitness for its "athletes". It is most often performed with a coach and in a group setting, and according to a training program that combines weightlifting, flexibility, body-weight gymnastic movements and a variety of aerobic activities.

 Is Crossfit for advanced or very fit athletes only or is it also accessible for beginners? Is it for men only or also for women? What about kids? Older adults? On this episode of Jewanced, we talk with Mark Samarsky, co-founder and head trainer of Rose Valley CrossFit in Nes Tziona, one of Israel’s premier CrossFit boxes, to talk fitness, the difference between functional fitness vs what most people are doing in conventional gyms, healthy living, longevity, fitness in Israel, and to dispel common myths and misconceptions about Crossfit, weightlifting and fitness in general.  

Links:

Rose Valley CrossFit website (Hebrew)

Rose Valley CrossFit on Facebook

Learn more about CrossFit and visit the official website

Find a local CrossFit box (gym) near you!

Official website of the CrossFit Games: The Open

מזון למחשבהMazon L’Machshava (Food for Thought) – a podcast produced by Mark and wife Lina (a leading nutritionist and trainer) about nutrition, sport, business, relationships, and everything in between (Hebrew).

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