Going Inside The World Of 'Crossfit'

If you haven't heard about CrossFit yet, chances are you will soon. It's the latest trend in the fitness world, and it's taking the District by storm.

Tom Brose, owner of CrossFitDC, was the first certified CrossFit trainer in the region. He describes the workout as constantly varied high intensity functional movement. Essentially, you build strength by doing movements you might actually do in real life--lifting, throwing, squatting, jumping and running. At the time Brose started teaching, back in 2005, there were only 12 studios like his in the world. Now, there are 4,000 and counting.

Daniel Samarov swam for Rutgers during college, and says he's in better shape now than during his years as a Division 1 collegiate athlete.

Ben Vineria and his fiancé Mary Catherine Starr attend CrossFit classes together a couple of times a week. Starr is a yoga teacher, and says CrossFit "gives [her] the strength aspect that [she doesn't] get in the same way from yoga."

CrossFit, the company, has grown nearly 40 percent per year since 2005. With trainings around the world, the company certifies roughly 300 new CrossFit instructors each weekend.

Vineria and Starr agree this is one of the best workouts a person can get, and Starr doesn't see the trend toward extreme fitness slowing down any time soon, unless something even crazier comes along. Leslie Nolen, president of fitness trend tracker The Radial Group, agrees.

"You've got more and more people in their 30s and 40s wondering 'have I done everything I can do? Have I pushed myself to the point where I've maximized my own physical talents?'"

CrossFit workouts answer those questions, and then some.

[Music: "Move Your Body" by Beyonce from Move Your Body / "Bust a Move (Karaoke Version)" by Stingray Music (Karaoke) from Karaoke - In the Style of Young MC - Vol. 1]

Photos: Crossfit