There is no doubt that a few of you reading this have trained in the classic body part split routine in the past. But what can bodybuilding techniques bring to our fitness? ~ James Molden First off when I say bodybuilding, I am sure the things that come to mind are tupperware full of chicken and broccoli, mirrors, and excessive biceps curls. Although this may be true in many cases, bodybuilding can actually offer us some benefits when it comes to health, stress management, and of course building strength and muscle capacity to cope with intensity. There are numerous reasons why the average per ..read more

The power in CrossFit isn’t just some strange alchemy. In truth, it’s a formula — a formula that works. It’s the formula for everything we do, from forging elite fitness to preventing and reversing chronic disease. It’s the inputs that give us the outcomes — the results that have revolutionized an industry and changed millions of lives across the world for the better. This formula is the CrossFit methodology plus our ethos. This is the authentic, no-bullshit heart of what we believe and stand upon — and this is all brought to life by our coaches and lived and reinforced by our community. This ..read more

Too busy to train? ~ James Molden Staying in shape when you are busy is hard work, it is a challenge. But we think the challenge is worth it. Whatever is holding you back or stopping your routine, with just 10 minutes a day, you can start to rebuild your fitness. Physical activity has lots of benefits to the body and the more consistently you work out, the more pronounced and long-lasting the benefits.  BRAIN Less susceptible to stroke Increased neural pathway conductivity Improved neuroplasticity Improved mood and sleep VEINS/ARTERIES Increased elasticity Improved circulat ..read more

Of course, as fitness professionals we are going to say that getting a coach is one of the best things you can do for your health and fitness. ~ James Molden But why? What does a Coach really do? If you have a goal that is related to your health, fitness, or vitality then a coach can help you achieve this, whether it is a short-term or long-term goal. Gone are the days of having PT for 1~2 hours a week standing next to you in the squat rack. Coaching is now about addressing all aspects of a client's deep health, behaviour, exercise, and nutrition. How does this work at CrossFit XI? The first p ..read more

“Cold, darker mornings, falling into shorter-lit days. A season to hibernate and self-soothe, right?” ~ Soph White This time of year doesn’t need to be written off and used as a time to only be merry and eat until we are stuffed to the brim. I’m here to tell you that you can still be a social elf and still stay on track in and out of the gym. Here are 5 tips to stay happy and healthy over the December Christmas period: Hydration.  Mulled wine, coffee, and hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows… yum. However, they are not sources of pure hydration. It’s a general rule that we mu ..read more

“What is your purpose, intention, and goal when training?  It's a difficult question to answer. One that takes frankness.” ~ Soph White Each individual has their own reasons for why they purposefully exercise. It might be to train for an event or race, to body recomp (burn fat, gain muscle), to exercise for their mental health, or even to move a little more than they did a month ago. It's important we establish this reason, so that exercise is purposeful and intentional. We must strive to progress strategically toward something rather than just turn up and ‘see what happens’. But more imp ..read more

“Tempos and Pauses in Weight lifting is a great way to blast past boredom, plateaus and shake up your training routine.” ~ James Molden You may have heard terms like tempo, concentric, eccentric and isometric thrown around by the coaching team or online from different fitness platforms, but what do they mean? Tempos and pauses are two of the best ways to not only build strength in all areas of your lifting, but can also help to push through those training plateaus and pack on some muscle along the way, win-win! Firstly, let's look at how tempo sets are written and how they should be read. When ..read more

“What is a calorie deficit and should I be in it?” ~ Laura Betts Calories are units of energy that we find in our food and drink, just like you would measure the temperature in an oven by Celsius or Fahrenheit, or the amount of fuel in your car by litres, we use calories to measure the energy in food.  Now a calorie is a calorie no matter what food it comes from, just like a ton of bricks weighs the same as a ton of feathers, 100 calories from chocolate is the same as 100 calories from broccoli, however the effect it will have on you will differ. Much like you would feel the ton of brick ..read more

“Too many ‘best diet’ advice out there, so let’s cut through the BS.” ~ James Molden It seems like everyone out there has the ‘best diet’ advice, people have strong opinions, and around the communal table there is always the possibility for a debate on whether keto is king, or paleo wins, or ‘I lost 3 stone just drinking smoothies!!  To be fair, out of all the possible debates it is not a bad one to have - which diet is best and what is the best way to eat. We all want to know the specific magical combination of foods to eat that will cure diseases, keep us young, give us a radiant glow ..read more

Does having the right correct shoe matter? ~ Sophie White In short, yes. Having the right shoes does matter when it comes to your sport. In CrossFit, you depend on a shoe that allows you to lift, run, climb, jump, and bounce without discomfort and helps avoid injuries. Why one shoe doesn’t fit all. Running shoes are created to cushion the whole midsole of the foot, reducing the stress placed on the heel, ankles, and toes during a run. They are not designed to hold your foot in place under heavy loads, meaning that your feet are not well supported if you're doing any heavy lifting. This could ..read more