“Forging Elite Fitness” - How Do We Do It?
Have you heard the CrossFit tag line: “Forging Elite Fitness”? We still do that. How do we do that? Intensity.
As the owner of CrossFit Ridge City, a common question I get from athletes—new and experienced alike—is: “What’s the secret to getting fitter, faster?” My answer is always the same: intensity.
It’s not a magic supplement, a secret program, or some fancy piece of equipment. It’s not even perfect technique or flawless nutrition—although those things certainly help. But if you want to unlock real, measurable, life-changing fitness, you have to understand and embrace intensity.
What Is Intensity, Really?
In CrossFit, intensity is defined as power—how much work you do, how fast you do it. It’s the difference between moving through a workout and attacking it. Intensity is what drives adaptation. It’s what makes your body respond, rebuild, and improve. You can have the best movement patterns in the world, but if you’re coasting through your workouts at 60%, you’re leaving results on the table.
Intensity Is Relative
One of the most important things we teach here at CrossFit Ridge City is that intensity looks different for everyone. For a seasoned athlete, intensity might mean hitting a sub-3-minute Fran. For someone newer, it might be scaling the weight and pull-ups, but still pushing to their personal redline. It’s not about what’s on the whiteboard—it’s about how hard you push yourself.
That’s what makes CrossFit beautiful. We scale load and volume, but we don’t scale intensity. Everyone in the room, no matter their level, can tap into that same feeling—the fire in your lungs, the legs that don’t want to move, the mental battle to keep going. That’s where growth lives.
Why Most People Plateau
When people plateau in their fitness journey, it’s almost always because they’ve started coasting. They’ve stopped chasing intensity. They’re going through the motions, checking the box, showing up—but not truly pushing themselves. And to be clear, showing up matters. Consistency is the foundation. But if you want to rise above average and chase elite fitness, you have to bring the heat every time you step on the floor.
Intensity Builds Capacity
Want to get stronger? Faster? More explosive? Better at gymnastics? Improve your endurance? Intensity is the common thread. It builds your work capacity across broad time and modal domains. It pushes your limits and expands your engine. It trains your mental toughness as much as your physical capacity. And over time, it builds a level of resilience and capability that you just can’t get from low-effort, low-intensity training.
But What About Safety?
Intensity doesn’t mean reckless. It doesn’t mean throwing form out the window or ignoring pain. That’s where good coaching comes in—and that’s our job at CrossFit Ridge City. We help you find your threshold, push your limits, and do it safely and intelligently. Intensity should be uncomfortable, not dangerous.
Bottom Line
If you want elite fitness, you need to train with purpose. You need to push hard. You need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Intensity is the secret sauce. It’s what separates “fit” from “elite.” It’s what turns a workout into a transformation. So next time you walk into the gym, ask yourself: Am I here to move… or am I here to get better?
See you on the floor at CrossFit Ridge City.
Ready to experience it for yourself?
Book your **FREE No-Sweat Intro** today and see how we can help you reach your goals—no pressure, no workout, just a conversation.
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Casey Spencer
Owner, CF-L2
CrossFit Ridge City
