A Warmup at CrossfitMNL Alabang

2 weeks ago, Ms. Jennifer Rabe invited me to bloggers' trial at CrossfitMNL Alabang. Since I have been exposed to the discipline a long time ago, I gave it a shot since my work prospects included a transfer to the south.

Crossfit was a fitness system that was conceptualized in 2002 by Greg Glassman and has since branched out to hundreds of countries worldwide. A gym is usually called a box where people learn the discipline in group classes. The system has its own unique terms for its activities. Exercises are not repeated every session. Instead, participants are given different sets of exercises for every meeting. A usual session lasts form 45 minutes to one hour, perfect for those who have cramped schedules. Also, a typical session is divided into three phases. The first is the warm up routine, while the second and third sets are usually composed of various strength and conditioning exercises that will surely test a person's limits and improve his well-being in general.

I found the system very educational and quite addictive as well. During my previous experience, I learned a lot about the proper forms of exercise routines and the right amount of reps for each routine. I also made a lot of new friends and acquaintances from there.

CFMNL is the official Crossfit brand that opened here in the Philippines. It has branches in Quezon Ave, Commonwealth, the Fort, Alabang, Makati, among others. It has been in operation for more than 5 years. The Alabang box is quite spacious, with a capacity more more than 30 people at any given time. Their facilities include dedicated comfort and shower rooms, a rope for climbing exercises, stationary bikes, free weights, barbells, dumbbells, steel bars, and kettlebells, They also have monkey bars for grab training. You can say that the gym is fully loaded. It is also fully airconditioned.

Upon entering, our trainer oriented us on the proper way of doing squats and basic warm up exercises. Our most intense part was the 200 meter run and the group exercise which consisted of 6 jumps, 3 squats, and a 10 m tag which left most of us exhausted. After the routine, we had a treat consisting of a paleo meal which was either composed of bacon with sweet potato and egg or a beef and veggies with rice meal.

CrossfitMNL's programs range from the bootcamp (beginner) and the Wod or Workout of the Day(advanced); and they have programs for 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. They have classes from Monday to Saturday and an open gym on Sunday.

Truly, Crossfit is a good start for those who want to make themselves, better, faster and stronger in a shorter amount of time.

CFMNL's gym is located at the La Fuerza Compound, Alabang, in front of Wilcon Builders. You can check out their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/CrossFitMNLSouth/?fref=ts