Jump-start your workout routine with CrossFit

A workout routine that's been popular with soldiers and athletes for years has gained popularity in Southeast Missouri, drawing followers of all ages, sizes and fitness levels. CrossFit -- officially defined as "constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity," combines a variety of strength and cardio exercises into a powerful workout of an hour or less.

Blake Guilliams, owner of CrossFit 573 in Jackson, says CrossFit is somewhat "old school" when it comes to fitness. In fact, he says many people are surprised to walk into his gym and find none of the high-tech equipment that's become standard in most gyms. CrossFit uses mainly pullup bars, Olympic weights, kettle bells, medicine balls, rowers, jump ropes and the individual's own body weight. Squats, dead lifts, push-presses, bench-presses, sit-ups, push-ups and pullups are just a handful of the exercises employed in CrossFit.

Lance Ruebel looks towards the clock before the start of a Crossfit class Friday, Jan. 11, at Muddy Water Crossfit. (ADAM VOGLER)

"It's a full-body workout," says Charles Williams, owner of Muddy Water CrossFit in Cape Girardeau. "People today have busy lives. They can come in, and they're in and out in an hour. They leave feeling like they've actually done something and it doesn't take very long to do it."

Results are measured by inches, not the scale, and a healthy diet and community atmosphere are crucial parts of the system, he says.

"If you're not eating right you're not going to get anything out of your workout," he says. "If you eat right and do CrossFit, you're going to lose inches and get in shape. Back and knee pain will be alleviated -- all that just by having a really strong core."

Kandra Baker during a Crossfit class Friday, Jan. 11, at Muddy Water Crossfit, 749 Enterprise Drive, Cape Girardeau. The class is described as a “constantly varied, high intensity, functional movement," strength and conditioning program. (ADAM VOGLER)

Williams, a member of the Army National Guard for seven years, started doing CrossFit while stationed in Iraq in 2009.

"CrossFit is huge overseas because we don't have typical gyms and equipment, but we have a lot of free weights and pullups," he says. There were no CrossFit gyms nearby when Williams returned to the States, but he continued the system on his own. He later became an Army Master Physical Fitness Trainer and was sent to a weeklong CrossFit training course. He now uses CrossFit to train soldiers in his unit.

"I found this passion I didn't know I had for training and doing CrossFit," says Williams. He opened Muddy Water CrossFit on Sept. 4.

Guilliams has also spent time in the military and says CrossFit is similar to what he did while serving overseas. It wasn't until later -- after his father had died and he realized he had become overweight and out of shape -- that Guilliams returned to doing CrossFit seriously. He started on his own, with the goal of getting his CrossFit Level 1 Trainer certification. Guilliams dropped 40 pounds, got his certification and enjoyed CrossFit so much that he and his wife April -- also trained in CrossFit -- began training friends out of their garage. On March 1, the Guilliams opened their Jackson facility, and membership has grown "exponentially," says Guilliams. Why? It's due to factors of time, convenience and affordability, he says.

"You come into a structured environment where everything is laid out for you when you walk in the door. We take all the guesswork out of it. We program the workouts so everything is ready to go for them," says Guilliams.

CrossFit 573 also has 14 classes throughout the day to suit a variety of schedules -- thereby removing any excuses for not exercising.

"Time is a commodity. You can be in and out in under an hour," says Guilliams. "If you do it three days a week, you'll be in the best shape of your life."

Williams and Guilliams say the workouts can be tailored to suit each client's fitness levels. They each have a variety of clients, from children to senior citizens, men and women, and college athletes to people who are significantly overweight.

"They are side by side doing the exact same workout. Everything is scalable, so we can change the weights and movements," says Williams. "CrossFit is for everybody."

At CrossFit 573, Guilliams has new clients take a foundation class before entering an actual CrossFit class. In the foundation class, they learn the basic movements of CrossFit and go through basic workout routines to get in good general shape.

"Once you're in class there is no expectation that you're going to complete exactly what's prescribed on the board. We can scale and modify," he says. "The expectation is that there is no expectation, other than the instructor presenting the workout, teaching form and technique and making sure you're doing things safely."