Converts to CrossFit, the extreme exercise craze, swear by its effectiveness. Hannah Bryan goes along to classes in York to try it out.

“Come on, one more round to go, keep going.”

Coach Gribbon is shouting, urging me to continue as my hands grip the steel bar. I can feel the skin starting to come away from the palms of my hands but there’s no time to stop.

Ten rounds later and I’m finished, lying in a sweaty heap on the floor with badges of honour in the forms of blisters on my hands and the dirt from the rubber floor on my legs to show for my efforts.

In just six minutes and ten seconds I’d worked harder than I ever had in the gym. That’s just one of the powers of CrossFit.

The popularity of this sport, described as gymnastics meets Olympic lifting, has rocketed in the UK over the past year since it was founded by Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai in America in 2000.

CrossFit Jorvik, on Malton Road, York is part of that movement since Peter Gribbon, 26, set it up last September after working in commercial gyms and offering personal training programmes.

“I had been wanting to set one up for about two years and there were no CrossFit gyms in York so it seemed like the perfect area,” Peter tells me.

“CrossFit gets you out of those mundane gym sessions. People hear about it and think it’s really hard but for example, if you can’t do pull ups, you can do band assisted ones.

“That’s one of the good things about CrossFit; everyone does the same workouts but you can scale it depending on what level you’re at.”

The workouts are short, intense and never the same at the box. CrossFit gyms are called boxes and instead of walking in to a gym with the latest hi-tech equipment with a mini TV on the treadmill screen you’re surrounded by weights, kettle bells, ropes and even tractor tyres. There are no distractions and no fancy frills; you just get on with it and workout.

What you accomplish in an hour through working on techniques and completing the WOD – workout of the day - is probably something you’d spend two or more hours on at the gym.

After the WOD it’s time to put your scores on the board to chart your progress and as a result, you always want to improve to get a new PB (personal best).

Peter tells me: “With CrossFit you aim to be a great all round athlete who’s good at everything.

“You constantly want to get better and improve your PBs as you keep seeing those scores on the board.”

There’s something to be said about the CrossFit community too, according to Peter you could head to any box across the globe and you’d be welcomed in. I found my CrossFit experience to be much friendlier than a gym as I started the On Ramp introductory course at the Jorvik box.

The course is five sessions and teaches you the fundamental moves of CrossFit from different kinds of squats, deadlifts, box jumps and Olympic lifting techniques.

It was like nothing I -nor my muscles- had ever experienced before but five sessions later and I could definitely see why people say it’s addictive. Completing a WOD gives you a real buzz and as a result you constantly want to push yourself to improve.

Each move in CrossFit replicates the movements we do in everyday life and Peter says the benefits can transfer in to other sports and aspects of your life such as improved posture.

CrossFit Jorvik is fast becoming a competitive gym as well, with the box coming 52nd out of 300 at the Divided We Fall games, one of the biggest team events in the UK. With more members at CrossFit Jorvik already looking to compete, Peter is hoping that gradually more and more will want to do the same.

“I love coaching CrossFit and I love the competitive side of the sport as well. I want to go to the Regional CrossFit Games one day but CrossFit is also for anyone. Anyone can do it, whether they’re a marathon runner or a boxer or if they haven’t worked out in five years, I’d encourage everyone, old and young, to come and give it a go.”

And for those girls who think that CrossFit will make them bulky, you only have to look at Becky Scott at CrossFit Jorvik to realise that’s not true. Since she started CrossFit back in September she has dropped four per cent of her body fat and dropped two dress sizes in about three months.

She tells me: “It doesn’t make you seriously muscley like some girls think it will. It definitely gets you in shape and tones you up in the process.”

Through working against the clock, working with each other and working to compete against yourself in a community designed to forge elite fitness, CrossFit gives you the power to become part of that community and the power to run, squat, and lift your way to a strong and healthy lifestyle.

For more information phone Peter on 07791446397, email Crossfitjorvik@gmail.com or visit www.Crossfitjorvik.co.uk