Everyone loves a little friendly competition. Whether it’s against others or simply working on being better than ourselves the day before, competition is shown to improve outcomes.

When we have something in mind that we want to do better than, as humans we will tend to push ourselves more. However, once we graduate from high school, the majority of us will no longer have competition-based exercise.

However, there are some corners of the athletic world that are PERFECT for active adults seeking that competitive setting.

Below are 4 different styles of exercise competitions that you can continue competing in throughout your entire life. That’s right – at any age. It’s never too late to get started!

CrossFit

CrossFit is a popular term thrown around. It is a form of exercise that is constantly varied. It trains speed/power, strength, gymnastics movements, and even targets each of our 3 energy
pathways.

Each weekday will have a different focus or intended stimulus of the workout, but consistently completing CrossFit workouts will give you a variety of stimuli for your body to make positive adaptations.

CrossFit is commonly advertised as fitness for life. This statement has dual meaning.

First off, the movements performed in typical CrossFit programming are designed to replicate movements performed in everyday life. 

 A variety of squats are performed in workouts and can be compared to the movements of getting on/off the toilet or sitting down in a chair.

 The strict press and other overhead movements replicate functional activities such as reaching overhead in the cupboard or bin.

  The deadlift simulates anytime we need to pick something up off the floor throughout the day.

Secondly, its goal is to get you fit and keep you fit for your entire life. A lifelong journey of fitness. It is modifiable for people of all ages and skill levels.

Here you can look over the variety of movements included in CrossFit. At a competition, you can expect to compete in a series of workouts including any variety of the movements seen at the link above.

Scoring is determined based on the intended stimulus for the particular workout: how quickly you can get it done, how many reps you can perform in an allotted amount of time, etc.

A fun and challenging workout that is never the same, so you never get bored!

Olympic Weightlifting

This sport requires a combination of strength and explosive power.

It has two main lifts – the snatch and the clean & jerk – both of which involve taking a loaded barbell from the ground to
an overhead position.

Olympic weightlifting requires sound technique to perform these lifts efficiently.

When training Olympic Weightlifting, you will perform supplemental or accessory lifts to help build strength and power on a daily basis.

However, competitions only include the snatch and the clean & jerk.

At a competition an athlete has 3 attempts at each lift  —attempting to move as much weight as possible. Your total score is added up from your best snatch and best clean & jerk weight.

These movements are a lot of fun and require total body strength!

Powerlifting

This sport is one that the general public will probably have the most familiarity with.

Powerlifting’s primary three lifts are barbell squat, bench press, and deadlift.

The main focus of training this way is strength – moving as much weight as possible.

Similar to Olympic Weightlifting, during daily training you will perform a variety of supplemental and accessory strength exercises.

At competitions, Powerlifting athletes also get 3 attempts at each of the three lifts attempting to move the highest amount of weight for 1 rep. Your 3 highest numbers are added together to give you your total score.

Body-weight is also taken in to consideration in powerlifting. It is common that heavier athletes are able to move more weight.

Therefor competitions are broken into different weight classes. Age and gender are also often taken into consideration during competition.

If you want to feel strong and move a lot of weight, this sport could be for you!

Strong (Wo)Man Competitions

Strongman is another strength-based sport.

However, this time traditional barbells and plates are not the only objects moved.

These competitions have a variety of fun activities such as the truck pull, the log press, and boulder toss.

The different events have one of two objectives: 1) move the most weight in a single rep OR 2) complete the event in the shortest amount of time.

Many athletes cross train for both Strongman and Powerlifting competitions.

Watch this fun video for some Strongman competition highlights.

If you are looking for a way to bring out your competitive spirit or simply want to maintain good health with a consistent workout program, then one of these could be a good option for you. Don't be scared to get out there and try something new!

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, or need some help getting started.

Happy Training!

-Dr. Allison