Raising the bar: High-intensity interval training is the hot way to gain, maintain

  • Published
  • By Air Force Staff Sgt. Sheila deVera
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Inside Hangar 5 on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, service members and families will find random names such as 'Karen' or 'Jackie' written on a whiteboard.

They may find themselves scratching their heads trying to figure out what the names are and what they represent.
Hangar 5 is the home of Arctic CrossFit, and the whiteboard is where they post the "workout of the day."

Traditionally, the WODs are named for members of the armed forces, law enforcement and firefighter communities who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Recently, WODs started being named after hurricanes and females who made significant impacts in the CrossFit community.

These names can be a variation of different times and exercises.

For example, "Jackie" consists of rowing 1,000 meters, squatting with a 45-pound weight 50 times, and knocking out 30 pull-ups.

Arctic CrossFit Head Coach Bryan Murphy, who founded and currently owns the legal rights to "Arctic CrossFit," is a staff sergeant from the 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.

(Since CrossFit is a trademark, groups trademark an organization name; due to permanent change-of-station moves, Arctic CrossFit rights are passed to another coach or leader.)

Murphy started doing high-intensity interval training in February 2010, after a snowboard accident led him to have a shoulder reconstruction.

Upon his recovery, he has been able to play sports without his shoulder hindering his activities.

"I like CrossFit because it is so diverse. There is no one set that you have to do," the Paducah, Ky., native said. "There are a lot of different things you can try - power lifting, weight lifting, cardiovascular and muscular endurance. You can do everything and anything under this one program."

There are several forms of high-intensity interval training, like CrossFit, P90-X, and the "insanity workout."

"High-intensity interval training is usually done in an hour or less," Murphy said. "Some (workouts) are longer, but we try to keep it at the hour mark."

Workouts are scaled to an individual's fitness level, so the time spent can vary.

For a well-rounded beginner, concentrating on correct techniques, "Jackie" might take 25 minutes. At an intermediate level, it can be done in 15. And an elite athlete may aim to complete the whole thing in 6 and a half minutes.

Fortunately, beginners can get assistance in what to do and how to do it.

"We exist in order to provide a professional and team-oriented atmosphere to the men and women of Joint Base-Elmendorf-Richardson," said Arctic CrossFit Coach Dan Tebo. "We are dedicated to motivating local athletes to new heights - physically, mentally and emotionally."

For beginners, Murphy suggested attending a class and talking to the trainers.

"The Arctic CrossFit coaches are there to guide and help you with the proper forms and technique," he said.

Each Arctic CrossFit coach walks beginners through each exercise to ensure everyone is doing the routine correctly and gets full range of motion.

Michelle Nascimento, a stay-at-home mother of two children, started attending the class in February 2013.

"I started CrossFit because I wanted to be a fitter mom," Nascimento said. "I have two children that will constantly grow and I want to have the strength to continually keep up with them."

Nascimento said she also wanted to promote a healthier lifestyle by bringing her children to Hangar 5 to watch her work-out.

"My two-year-old wants to do what mommy does," Nascimento said. "She said she wanted to be 'strong like mommy.'"

Nascimento and her deployed husband use different fitness regimens, but they like to challenge each other to see who does more and progresses the most along the way.

While she inspired her family to join her in the fitness crusade, she has already seen a few major differences.

"I am happier all the time. Arctic CrossFit helped me mentally, physically and emotionally," Nascimento said, "I am stronger than ever."

Arctic CrossFit maintains regularly-updated information, including the WOD, on their Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Arctic-CrossFit and a website at www.arcticcrossfit.org.