Crossfit is defined as, “constantly varied functional movements performed at a relatively high intensity.”

This “sport of fitness” hit Nashoba in 2011, and has been spreading exponentially ever since. Most of this growth in Crossfit can be credited to Nashoba’s health teacher, Matt Ettinger. Ettinger slowly got into Crossfit three years ago, at age twenty- nine, and now considers it a lifestyle.

While speaking with Ettinger about Crossfit, he credited it for making him“more physically fit than he has ever been in his life.”

On top of Ettinger changing his own life, he has changed some of his students’ lives in the process. Crossfit Nashoba is an official affiliate and students now have an option to take Crossfit as their gym class. One Nashoba student, Cody Jardine, fell in love with Crossfit and now works out at a Crossfit Affiliate in Leominster where Ettinger coaches. Jardine first began Crossfit freshman year.

“I saw Mr. Ettinger and a couple other students working out after school.  It looked like a better workout than track and I liked that it was something different every day.” Jardine credits Crossfit for changing his outlook on life.

“It’s made me an overall healthier individual. It’s not just working out, I have completely revamped my diet.  I’m constantly educating myself and figuring out how my body responds to different stimuli.”

When asked what his favorite part of Crossfit is, Jardine responded with how much he enjoys the community aspect.

“You would never realize the bond you gain with the other athletes in your class. Once you consistently suffer and feel just as sore as the person beside you; you develop a very special bond.”

One thing Cody does not like about Crossfit is the bad reputation it receives.

“People seem to think that Crossfit is just a bunch of meatheads throwing around weights and hurting themselves all the time.  That’s not the case,” Jardine states.

Joey Tavis, a Junior “Crossfitter” at Nashoba also agrees with Cody.

“I don’t like that people judge it from the outside without understanding it. You can’t describe Crossfit thoroughly in words, you simply have to experience it.”

Ettinger adds, “Some of the bad reputation given to Crossfit is deserved, I think there are some gyms, and coaches out there that push people too hard, or push them to do things they are not ready to do.”

Nashoba has not only been popular with the students. Teachers also participate in Crossfit. Mr. Short, a guidance counselor at Nashoba, began Crossfit at age thirty- three in Acton, Mass. Along with all the other “Crossfitters,” he  gives the program a lot of credit.

“It has helped me set goals for health and fitness and helped me establish new friends in the Crossfit world- good people,” Short says.

All of the “Crossfitters” plan to participate in this years Crossfit Opens.

“I want to improve and I want to see results.  I’m not going to go out and hurt myself for a couple more reps.  It’s a fun time to cheer on athletes of all talents,” Jardine says.

Most of the athletes use the Opens as a benchmark to see how far they have come within a year. Tavis says he hopes to rank high in the North East.

“Because of the new teenage division I hope to perform very well. I have a goal of being top ten in the North East and top one hundred in the world. I also still have another year in the Crossfit Open teenage division so I am really looking forward to trying to be one of the top in the world next year,” Tavis explains.

Crossfit is growing rapidly all around the world as its own sport. It provides a way to prepare for other sports, or just to stay in shape. The Opens offers a teenage, mens and several masters divisions for people above the age of forty. Also new to the Opens is a scaled division, where people will be able to compete even if they are not capable of completing all of the RX (as prescribed) movements. Whether they just partake in the Crossfit class, or spend countless hours out of school training, Crossfit has helped improve the lives of countless student athletes and teachers at Nashoba Regional.