‘After just one class I was hooked . . . It’s become a way of life for me now’

When CrossFit took off a few years ago it seemed way too intense for the type of fitness I needed or wanted in my life. In fact, it took my best friend Grace almost two years to convince me to come along to a session, but after just one class I was hooked.

I love that every class is different. The WOD (workout of the day in CrossFit lingo) varies, but an average class might include six rounds of 50 double-under skipping, 10 burpees and 10 push-ups with a 12-minute time cap.

The intention is to build strength – I’ve gone from not being able to do one wall ball drill (tossing a medicine ball against a wall and squatting to catch it) to being able to do 100 in a row in the space of a year.

I want people to know that you really can go at your own pace and build stamina slowly, so for anyone interested just give it a try.

The faces and brains behind the doors of the Dublin Neurological Institute

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My morning class, at 6am, four times a week, is the best part of my day. It puts me in a great mood and physically I’m in better shape now at 30 than I was in my 20s. It’s become a way of life for me now.

Courtney Smith, stylist