The members of CrossFit Alaska use CrossFit to get into shape for the physical demands of daily life in the North. One member used it to save his life—twice.
Alaska’s wilderness is breathtaking and majestic, but everyday life requires a high level of fitness. The rugged environment is unforgiving, and little mistakes and small errors in judgment can have disastrous consequences in the North. When everything goes to hell, strength, endurance and grit can literally mean the difference between life and death.
That’s where CrossFit comes in.
In Alaska, functional fitness means being strong enough to rescue stuck ATVs, shovel snow, chop wood and survive an avalanche. Residents hunt game, catch salmon and forage for wild berries. Many Alaskans have physically taxing jobs, and common hobbies including backcountry skiing, mountain climbing and mountain biking. Strength, balance, flexibility and endurance are not skills developed in the gym only to be used in the gym.
“When it comes to training, we train in here to get better out there,” said Tony Reishus, owner of CrossFit Alaska.