For you CrossFit drama history buffs out there…
This story comes before I started CrossFit. Way back in the dark ages, # 60mg probably around 2003-4, Mark Twight, a world class mountain climber and writer, discover CrossFit. Twight is a legendary climber, known as a punk rock climber. Twight trained for years as a long, slow distance athlete, but when he discovered CrossFit, he was quickly enamored with the training methodology. I would guess that Greg Glassman and Mark Twight were kindred spirits, and Twight became the first CrossFit “celebrity.” Twight was one of the first Level 1 trainers and later opened one of the first CrossFit affiliates in the world in Utah.
Glassman and Twight are probably VERY strong personalities, and Twight left CrossFit for one reason or another. Twight maintained his gym, and re-named it Gym Jones, a play on words for those that are old enough to remember the Jonestown massacre (or watch the History Channel).
Twight trained the actors for the movie “300” at Gym Jones and became a minor fitness celebrity. And why not? Those guys looked amazing! Twight recently trained the actor playing Superman in the upcoming “Man of Steel.”
A few years ago, in 2007 or 2008, there was a much bigger argument over CrossFit or Gym Jones. I’m not going to argue over who took who’s ideas, suffice to say I’m a “CrossFit guy.” I will admit, Gym Jones was pretty cool – if you wanted a T-Shirt, you had to go to Utah, train with Mark for a few weeks, or months, or whenever he thought you were ready, and he gave you a shirt. I remember running into a guy in NYC in 2007 with a Gym Jones shirt and I stopped him on the street to ask him what it was all about. He didn’t answer many questions, it was like breaking the first rule of Fight Club.
Now you can buy a shirt on the internet. Boo!
Looking back, all the arguments seem kind of silly. Trademarks and philosophy aside, no matter what you call constantly varied function movement performed at high intensity, people get fitter. And that’s a good thing.
And Gym Jones made some nasty workouts. Enjoy “Jonesworthy!”
Workout of the Day
“Jonesworthy”
6 rounds for time of:
Squat 80-64-50-32-16-8 reps
53/35# Kettlebell Swing 40-32-25-16-8-4
Pull-ups 20-16-12-8-4-2
Each round consists of Squats, Kettlebell Swings, and Pull-ups. The first round will be Squat 80 reps, Kettlebell Swing 40 reps, and Pull-up 20 reps.
once my garage gym is complete I will sign up for the gym jones membership, 500 for full access, not bad considering what I blow a year on gym memberships.