We see it every January. Gyms and fitness centers swell with people fulfilling annual self-improvement resolutions. Some will achieve their goals; most will lose interest. At a basic level, the goals of a beginner and the goals of a Division I athlete are the same: to achieve results and to enjoy the workout.

Few people understand the value of achieving fitness results more than the U.S. Navy SEALs. When members of the elite special operations community began switching to an unusual workout called CrossFit, thousands of serious athletes took notice.

“CrossFit is something you can’t really explain; it needs to be experienced,” said Scott Takenaga, a trainer at Level 4 CrossFit Seattle, located on Leary Way. “It is a cross between weight lifting, track and field, and gymnastics. These are workouts done at a very high intensity in a short duration.”

While CrossFit was quickly adopted by firefighters, Army rangers and even mixed-martial-arts fighters in preparation for a nationally-televised fight, it is also used by the likes of the Utah Jazz Dance Team, which relies on CrossFit to maintain the high level of fitness required for performances.

“I never saw myself as a person who could lift weights,” said Kristina Burton, a Washington alumna. “There is a stereotype among women that if you lift weights you are going to come out with big, bulging muscles, but that’s not what CrossFit is about. It was really fun to see the quick progression.”

Crossfit was developed by Greg Glassman, a former gymnast who opened a gym in Santa Cruz, Calif. during the mid-90s. Glassman began posting his Workout of the Day on his Web site in 2001. The Workout of the Day, or WoD, is still updated daily at www.Crossfit.com.

What originated as a single gym and a Web site expanded rapidly as its reputation spread and people around the country started their own CrossFit gyms. Today, there are more than 800 CrossFit affiliates internationally, including facilities created by soldiers and Marines currently fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

CrossFit has helped individuals recover from injuries. One former Navy SEAL suffered a back injury and implemented CrossFit workouts in his recovery process. Now in his 40s, he claims that, in addition to recovering from his injury, he is currently in better shape than he was as a 25-year-old Navy SEAL.

“CrossFit helped me recover from my stroke,” said Nate Thornton, a Washington alumnus. “I have lost over 30 pounds since I’ve been doing CrossFit, and I’m now in better shape than I was in high school.”

Busy students and working professionals will find the decreased time commitment convenient to fit the demands of packed schedules. CrossFit workouts are done in a very short period of time — a full workout can be completed in as little as 30 minutes.

“I was used to going to a gym and running on a treadmill or doing the elliptical machine,” Burtain said. “I don’t care who you talk to, it is not fun to be on an elliptical machine for that long. One of the things that makes CrossFit fun is that it doesn’t take very long.”

CrossFit workouts were originally created to be done in a garage, and a membership to a CrossFit gym is not required, as workouts and video demonstrations are posted for free online.

“After going to a CrossFit gym, I’ve found that I’ve been able to continue working out at home by doing the workouts posted online.” said Robert Howell, a UW alumnus.

After lifting weights for about five years, Howell switched to the CrossFit program and was able to recover from a recurring shoulder injury.

Although the workouts are available online for free, many CrossFit practitioners come to gyms for the sense of community and encouragement that comes with completing a difficult workout in the company of others.

“I do it for the challenge of completing a difficult task,” Takenaga said. “The challenge is to try something harder than you normally would because the guy next to you is working just as hard as you are, and you want to beat him.”

Although many swear by the CrossFit workout, it’s not for everyone. Some may not enjoy the intensity of the workouts, and as with any exercise program, improper form could result in serious injury.

“Some of the movements we do are extremely hard and are not intended for everyone,” Takenaga said. “Everything we do is scalable to ability, but if you don’t have the drive to challenge yourself, it’s not going to be enjoyable.”

Many who do enjoy the program appreciate its variety, as expressed by one of the most popular CrossFit maxims: “Routine is the enemy.”

To prevent what athletes refer to as “the training plateau effect,” each CrossFit workout is varied between the muscles worked and the nature of the exercise. Workouts can vary from weighted squats to ring dips or medicine-ball throws to sprints.

“If you do the same thing every day, your body will eventually get used to executing that movement,” Howell said. “I really enjoy that, in each workout, my body is doing something different every time.”

After avoiding his old weightlifting routine for six weeks, Howell found he increased his incline press from 95 pounds to 150 pounds, even though he had not done that exercise in more than a month and a half.

“Anyone can do CrossFit,” Takenaga said. “Every workout can be scaled to fit to every individual’s ability. We may have an athlete do a squat with a bar and heavy weights, and we can scale that same exercise for a 60-year-old grandmother and have her squat down to a box. We want to maintain the full range of motion at an intensity that will produce results but not cause injury.”

Reach reporter Michael Truong at features@dailyuw.com.