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ESSENTIALS

The CrossFit stimulus—constantly varied high-intensity functional movement coupled with meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar—prepares you for the demands of a healthy, functional, independent life and provides a hedge against chronic disease and incapacity. This stimulus is elegant in the mathematical sense of being marked by simplicity and efficacy. The proven elements of this broad, general, and inclusive fitness, in terms of both movement and nutrition, are what we term our CrossFit Essentials.

How Rory Edwards Quit Cocaine and Became a CrossFit Coach

Almost a year after his mother’s death, Rory Edwards bought “the top shelf of the bottom shelf of alcohol,” drank it all, and drove into a tree. He’d spent the previous year drinking and snorting cocaine on a daily basis, his girlfriend had left him, and he was struggling to get visitation rights to see his young son. Now, in jail and with a DUI on his record, he felt he’d lost it all. So Edwards called the only person he knew would answer: his CrossFit coach.

Read MoreHow Rory Edwards Quit Cocaine and Became a CrossFit Coach

What Is a Clean?

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The clean is used to lift a load from the ground to the shoulders, where frequently the object is being readied for lifting overhead. In the clean, the hips and legs launch a weight upward from the ground to belly-button height and then the lifter drops under the weight quickly to catch it. The full movement finishes with the hips and legs working by squatting the weight and standing up to full extension.

Read MoreWhat Is a Clean?

The CrossFit Coach: Kelly Kelly

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Kelly Kelly (CF-L3) was a competitive soccer player focused on sport-specific training for much of her athletic career. Kelly, who became a well-known coach and competitive CrossFit athlete under her maiden name Kelly Clark, says her fitness lacked balance before she found CrossFit.

Watch The CrossFit Coach: Kelly Kelly

What Is a Squat?

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The air squat is the cornerstone movement of CrossFit and represents one of the most functional ranges of motion a body can go through. To put it simply, a squat is standing from a seated position. It demands midline stabilization, posterior-chain engagement, and core-to-extremity movement, and it can be used to move your bodyweight or very large loads held in a variety of positions.

Read MoreWhat Is a Squat?

Air Squat to a Target

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CrossFit Seminar Staff trainer James Hobart demonstrates various ways to squat to a target. These options are helpful if an athlete is dealing with an ailment that prevents them from squatting to a full range of motion (crease of the hips below the top of the knees). Find an implement that allows you to squat without pain.

WatchAir Squat to a Target