Fitness across the board is the goal for the CrossFit Club.

Originally, CrossFit was a grassroots garage gym with a few people. Since then it has spread word-of-mouth and has been growing ever since. Senior Alex Milton joined CrossFit when it was still in its garage stage at age 13 to help him get ready for football season. When it started up here at Washington State University, he jumped at the chance to join the club. From attending the first ever practice, Milton has since become President of the CrossFit Club.

“People say, ‘Oh, I want to get in shape before I start CrossFit and then I’ll do it.’ It’s here designed to get you in shape,” Milton said.

The beauty of the club is that anyone can do it. Milton explained how each exercise is scalable. This means that a young, fit person can be doing one exercise with a lot of weight and an older, unfit person can do the same exercise just using different weights and less reps but still be exerting the same amount of energy. There is variety in the club.

Milton joined to get in shape for football, but it is a great tool for getting in shape for other strenuous activities. A four-year member of the club, senior Sophia Steele, utilized the training from CrossFit to prepare her for a daunting task.

“I climbed Mount Rainer a few years ago and used CrossFit as a training tool and I was so strong from it. I got really strong, really fit, really fast,” Steele said.

However, Steele explains that she did not start off this way. It was not an immediate leap from joining CrossFit to being strong and fit. Being part of the club takes some work.

“It takes time. I would tell anyone who’s starting CrossFit that it is frustrating. I think to be a CrossFitter, you have to give it time, you have to have patience for it, and it’s hard. I mean, it is a hard workout. You can’t let yourself have a mental block about it,” Steele said.

She overcame this mental block to continue. Now she is a faithful member, promoting her passion for Crossfit to her sorority to encourage more women to join. Steele can thank fifth year senior, and member on the board, Blake Rowe for being the first one to tell her about the club offered at WSU.

Rowe can attribute joining CrossFit to being a snowboarding instructor. Rowe had desired to go to a school where he could continue his snowboarding, but when he arrived at the Washington State campus he found it was the place for him.

“Crossfit has definitely enhanced my fitness level allowing me to have better strength, endurance in these different aspects in these different sports so it is something that helps support my other interests,” Rowe said.

All three of these members are active people who have used CrossFit as a tool to further their desire to be active and gain strength in other activities they do. That being said, Rowe expands on the desire of the club and the direction that it is going.

“We are really trying to grow this club to match the demands that our members want to see. We want to help people live healthier lifestyles. We want to help people become fitter in their life and essentially just foster this environment that adds to an overall well-being that’s better than when they walked through the door,” Rowe said.

President Alex Milton continues the idea that fun and fitness are two important aspects of the club. The relaxed vibe and goofiness from the gym creates an atmosphere that is comfortable and welcoming. Nevertheless, it is still a fitness club with the goal to help its members be healthier.

“That’s a huge part of CrossFit: fueling your body for a successful workout,” said Steel. “Not eating a bunch of junk food but sticking to fruits and vegetables; you know, a really clean, wholesome diet.”

This can sometimes be a forgotten part of becoming healthier. Not only is there the workout portion that makes a member look better on the outside, but there is also the added encouragement around the gym to eat correctly.

The CrossFit club at Washington State University is working for the betterment of its members. From fitness, to eating right, to having a good time working out, they foster a community to grow beyond the gym. The lifestyle that is required to successfully do CrossFit leads to an overall healthier life.

“Don’t be scared, don’t be scared to try it. It’s fun. It’s a good time,” Milton said.

If you are interested in joining CrossFit club, email [email protected]. They are always looking for new members to grow their club and their community. Everyone is welcome to try it out.