News>Features>Feature - Osan Crossfit keeps athletes Fit to Fight
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Senior Airman Marshal Hunsaker, 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs videographer, participates in a Crossfit workout at the Osan Fitness Center Dec. 18, 2012. Participants work at their own pace to achieve their best time while competing with other classmates. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Alexis Siekert)
Senior Master Sgt. Jason Theriault, 7th Air Force Emergency Services and lead Osan Crossfit instructor, records the times of particpatants completing their workout during a class at the Osan Fitness Center Dec. 18, 2012. The program consists of the workout of the day, and participants push to complete it as fast as they can. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Alexis Siekert)
by Airman 1st Class Alexis Siekert
51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
1/23/2013 - OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- Crossfit has become a very popular workout program throughout the military, allowing for a competitive and structured environment with a set routine. Organized and ran by certified instructors and volunteers, the Osan Air Base Crossfit program averages more than 800 participants each month.
"We are helping Team Osan get Fit to Fight and if you want to be ready to fight tonight and be ready at any time, Crossfit can get you there," said Senior Master Sgt. Jason Theriault, 7th Air Force Emergency Services and lead Crossfit instructor here at Osan.
Crossfit training focuses on 10 fitness domains to give participants a full-body workout. They are: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance; stamina; strength; flexibility; power; speed; agility; balance; coordination; and accuracy.
"I've been doing Crossfit since the middle of June," said Tech. Sgt. John Mondello, 5th Reconnaissance Squadron logistics planner. "I think it's awesome. It's not your typical workout where you have static curls or presses or anything. It integrates a lot of anaerobic and aerobic activity. It keeps your heart rate up and it brings together a bunch of different kinds of workouts, giving you a great workout overall."
The program is progressive, however. A participant doesn't need to walk in knowing everything from the start, Theriault explained.
"The first day I was a little overwhelmed because there were a lot of people in the class," said Ada Craig, an Army spouse. "Once we got into the class, I noticed they had a lot of trainers, so that made it easy because they would come up to you and do a little one-on-one to help you learn the movements and proper technique. So I came back and I like it."
The program has 15 certified Crossfit Level 1 Instructors who are trained to assist participants in perfecting their technique and form. Despite the intensity of the workout regiment, Osan's Crossfit instructors encourage everyone to try out the program for a least a week or five sessions before making a decision.
"People are initially scared because they don't realize they are able to scale, doing less weight and repetitions, than what is prescribed," Theriault said. "The one thing we tell our athletes when they come into our class is to not compare yourself to anyone else except you. Although we have a competitive environment, you must first learn how to compete against you and get better at the things you are scared of and are not good at. You should compare your results against your results. You will definitely see improvement."
Classes are offered Monday-Friday at 4:00, 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. and at 6 p.m. Additional classes are offered Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:30 a.m.
"With the encouragement that you get and the team we have built, you will be hard pressed to find that in any other section of the Fitness Center," he said. "We have built a great program that we call our family. We encourage each other, we go find each other when we don't show up, and we cheer each other on when we have success."
