For about a year now, I have had a new fitness passion — CrossFit. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that uses constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. The program is used by many police academies and tactical operations teams, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide. A CrossFit gym is different from a regular gym in that it doesn’t have any machines; instead, it is filled with equipment like barbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, climbing ropes, and Olympic rings. The program prioritizes compound exercises like squats, dead-lifts, bench-presses, and pull-ups instead of isolation exercises.It’s also different in that there is a prescribed workout of the day to complete, and everyone who shows up to the class is there to complete that workout together.
Even though I’ve only been doing CrossFit for a short time, I’ve found that there are many similarities between CrossFit and the Ivey MBA Program.
First, CrossFit uses a lot of compound movements. In one exercise, several muscle groups are being worked at the same time. This has many advantages: more calories burned during exercise, a full body workout faster, and the simulation of real-world exercises and activities. At Ivey, our Case-Method of Learning puts you into the role of decision maker and simulates real-life business problems and real-world decision making. Often, problems span multiple business units, so you learn not only how each unit functions, but also how they impact one another. In addition, you are working on your analytical, listening, and speaking skills.
CrossFit is both competitive and collaborative. Though I might try to lift more weight than others or to be amongst the first to finish the workout, we encourage each other to set a personal best lift/time or to complete the workout. It’s a community, just like Ivey. In the MBA program, students compete for contribution marks but everyone is encouraging and willing to help others learn and improve. At the end of the day, everyone wants to see others do their best and succeed.
CrossFit’s intensity is challenging. The workouts can be miserable, but it has taught me how to push through mental barriers and build mental toughness. When I complete a workout that is difficult, I feel proud and learn more about my capabilities. In the same way, the Ivey MBA is challenging. Within one year, you will accomplish far more than you ever thought you were capable of. When you’re pushed beyond your self-imposed limits, you learn just how capable you truly are.
Is CrossFit for everyone? In my opinion, no. It depends on your personality, prior injuries, fitness level, and goals. The Ivey MBA won’t be the right fit for everyone either. But, if you desire an intense experience, where what and how you are learning is relevant to the real world, you want to push yourself to challenge your limits, and you want to be part of a high-calibre community, then you must consider the Ivey MBA. Attend an event, book a one-on-one, and introduce yourself on our website to get the process started.