New Zealand gym participates in worldwide workout fundraising event to support Prostate Cancer research

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Jan 22, 2009 – CrossFit NZ, a functional fitness facility, recently hosted its first annual Fight Gone Bad event to raise funds for cancer research. The one-day event put participants through a grueling workout at CrossFit affiliates around the world, raising $500 000 for cancer research. CrossFit NZ contributed over $2000 to this total.

Individuals who dared participate in Fight Gone Bad solicited donations from friends and family for their participation. The workout was developed as one of the ultimate tests in the CrossFit system. It was named in honor of "B.J." Penn, World Lightweight Ultimate Fighting Champion. Penn, arguably one of the fittest athletes in the world, said of the workout upon its completion, "it's just like a fight gone bad," and the name stuck.

The workout consists of five full-body exercises using a medicine ball, barbells, a plyometric box and a rowing machine, performed for a minute each non stop. Each five movement series is followed by a one minute break, and then repeated twice more. Each movement is done for the maximum repetitions for 1 minute with each repetition counting for a point (rowing is scored by the number of calories burned).

CrossFit has been called the fastest growing fitness movement on the planet; there are currently 900 locations worldwide. Every workout is approached as a sport, creating a highly competitive, yet friendly atmosphere among CrossFit members. In Fight Gone Bad each person tries to accumulate the highest amount of repetitions possible. Prizes and special recognition are given to those individuals with the highest scores and biggest donations after the event's conclusion.

According to the NZ Cancer Society, about 16,000 New Zealanders develop cancer each year, and this is expected to increase to 22,000 by the year 2011. Ministry of Health figures show that 7,500 die from cancer each year, with the number expected to increase to about 9000 by 2012. 1 in 3 New Zealanders are affected by cancer.

About CrossFit NZ
New Zealand’s first and only CrossFit affiliate is located in Panmure, Auckland, training everyone from students, business executives and stay-at-home parents to firefighters, marathon runners and martial artists. Their high intensity, small group exercise program avoids muscle isolating machines in favour of real world, functional movements that replicate the needs of daily life and sport; squatting, lunging, lifting, carrying and throwing. Everything from kettlebell training, Olympic weightlifting, rope climbing, gymnastics, rowing and strongman training is utilized to develop elite fitness.

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