CrossFit: Back to the Future of Fitness

Here at CrossFit 201, we’re passionate about functional fitness. We believe in training your body for all of life’s demands, and as a fantastic side effect, developing a physique you’ll be proud of. While CrossFit might seem like a relatively new phenomenon to some, its core principles actually echo the training philosophies of athletes from a bygone era – the early to mid-20th century.

Think about the "bodybuilders" of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Were they solely focused on bicep curls and leg extensions? Not likely. Many of the physiques we admire from that golden age were built on a foundation of athleticism in other disciplines. These were often gymnasts who developed incredible strength and body control through rings, parallel bars, and handstands. They were Olympic weightlifters, honing explosive power and coordination with the snatch and clean & jerk. They were powerlifters, building brute strength through squats, presses, and deadlifts.

Looking great was a natural consequence of their dedication to their sport and their well-rounded training. The iconic scene at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica through the early 60s wasn't just about posing; it was a vibrant community of elite athletes who openly mixed weightlifting, gymnastics, tumbling, and intense conditioning in a single outdoor gym—a perfect visual of this holistic approach.

Their training was a far cry from the isolation exercises and machine-based routines that became popular later on. These early physical culture enthusiasts understood the importance of a holistic approach to building a foundation of health, fitness, and athleticism, which naturally translated into impressive physiques. Their workouts often included:

• Olympic Weightlifting: Developing power, speed, coordination, and flexibility. Build a powerful engine and a strong, defined physique.

• Gymnastics & Body Control: Mastering bodyweight movements, building incredible relative strength, balance, and agility. Sculpt a lean and capable body from head to toe.

• Barbell & Dumbbell Complexes: Utilizing compound movements that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, building functional strength and conditioning.¹ Take a look back at the massively popular York Barbell courses from the 1930s to the 1960s. You'll find many of the same fundamental barbell and dumbbell movements we use in our classes today! These movements are incredibly effective and build real functional muscle.

  
  

General Conditioning: The Original METCON

Before the acronyms, there was circuit training. What we now call a WOD or METCON (metabolic conditioning) is the direct descendant of circuit training, which was formalized as a valuable and efficient training method in the early 1950s. This approach emphasized moving quickly through a series of exercises to build both strength and cardiovascular endurance simultaneously.

These sessions included:

• Running, rowing, biking, and jumping to build cardiovascular endurance.

• Bodyweight movements and resistance work.

A strong heart and lungs were always understood to be a key component for both performance and aesthetics.

This comprehensive approach started losing popularity as a new generation of steroid-enhanced athletes began integrating bodybuilding into mainstream culture. This shift aligned with the rapid increase in commercial gyms and personal trainers across the United States. Simultaneously, companies like Nautilus produced numerous exercise machines (primarily for isolation movements) that were touted as incredibly effective for building muscle, based on a few extremely flawed and biased studies.

The high number of unused commercial gym memberships in the US highlights how the mainstream fitness industry sells the promise of results that, in many cases, can only be achieved with performance-enhancing drugs. This has resulted in a number of extremely large, well outfited gyms with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of equipment and up to 85% of members that only step foot in the space a handful of times a year. If the methodologies, machines, and personal training were actually effective you wouldn't have the vast majority of members stop showing up after a few weeks. Results are addictive, and we believe that lack of results is the biggest factor that drives people away from commercial gyms.

Luckily, the older training methods did not completely dissappear and continued to be popular with different groups of athletes. In fact, Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit, saw many of these same training methods still being used as a competitive gymnast in California during the early 1970s. He observed how gymnasts combined strength training, body control, and high-intensity conditioning to build incredible all-around fitness, and this was a formative experience that would later become a cornerstone of the CrossFit methodology.

However, this holistic philosophy stands in stark contrast to the fitness trends that emerged in the 1960s and 70s. This era saw a growing fascination with building size at all costs, often fueled by the increasing use of performance-enhancing drugs. This shift came with significant consequences. The pursuit of an unnaturally large physique through these drugs has the potential to ruin the health and shorten the lives of those who take them. Moreover, the prevalence of these artificial physiques gave non-users an unrealistic expectation of what is possible to achieve through natural training, leading many to feel discouraged or inadequate in the gym. This more narrow approach to fitness often neglected health, functional movement, coordination, and true athletic capability in favor of an aesthetic that was often unsustainable and unhealthy.

Beyond the Gym: The Return to Foundational Nutrition

Just as training methodologies strayed from the foundational principles, so too did nutrition. The post-1960s era saw the rise of a high-carb diet often rich in processed foods and added sugars. CrossFit, however, advocates for a return to a more foundational approach. This nutritional philosophy stresses a more balanced diet of whole, unprocessed foods with higher protein and healthy fats, and very limited or no added sugar. This isn't about a fad diet; it’s about fueling your body with the nutrients it needs to perform, recover, and thrive, much like the athletes of the golden age who ate for health and performance, not just convenience.

The Timeless Truth of Fitness

While newer methodologies often try to reinvent the wheel, the fundamentals of true fitness have never changed. New fads frequently add unnecessary complexity or a reliance on technology, promising shortcuts that ultimately lead to inferior real-world results. CrossFit rejects this in favor of a timeless, broad-based approach to fitness. We believe the core principles of hard work, consistency, and a varied training regimen, combined with sound nutrition, are the keys to a long, healthy life and peak performance.

The Ultimate Solution for Modern Life

In the early days, these athletes might have trained for hours. But in our busy modern lives, that just isn't realistic. The beauty of the CrossFit class structure is that it takes this comprehensive, well-rounded philosophy and makes it efficient and accessible. Our one-hour class format, done just 3-5 days per week, is designed to be the perfect solution for busy professionals, parents, and anyone juggling a packed schedule. You get a complete and balanced workout—including strength training, conditioning, and skill work—all under the guidance of a coach, and all in a single, incredibly effective session.

At CrossFit 201, we believe in teaching and promoting that well-rounded approach approach to fitness. Our workouts are designed to build a solid foundation of health, fitness, and athleticism that will not only have you feeling incredible but also looking fantastic in the mirror. We utilize barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, and your own body weight in ways that echo the training of those incredibly fit and functional athletes of the past. Come experience the power of this "back to the future" approach to fitness with us here in Oakland!