I finish my last row and stumble to the nearby stool, head between my knees. Am I going to be sick? On the bright side, I have read that if you throw up at a CrossFit gym, they give you a free 'Pukey the Clown' T-shirt.
They must give quite a few of those tees away, since high-intensity work and pushing the body to - or even past - its limit is the staple of the CrossFit regimen. The first CrossFit gym was opened in Santa Cruz, California, in 1995, and there are now more than 2,000 affiliated gyms worldwide.
CrossFit Asphodel in Quarry Bay has seen its membership grow steadily to about 100 since it opened early last year. Its clients are mainly professionals and housewives aged between 30 and 45, many with little or no athletic experience, says Asphodel's coach, Alix James.
Fabio Comana, an exercise physiologist and spokesman for the American Council on Exercise (ACE), says CrossFit has a 'cult-like following' among current and former athletes, and those who enjoy competition and tackling an intense challenge. In the US Army, CrossFit is replacing or augmenting traditional physical training methods.
Created by former gymnast Greg Glassman, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning programme that combines gymnastics, Olympic weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise. The goal is to develop a broad and general fitness level through constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movements.
As Glassman says on his website, the workouts are designed to prepare trainees 'for any physical contingency - not only for the unknown but for the unknowable, as well'.