While some Bermuda businesses seem to have succumbed to the strains associated with the global economic recession, one new business is muscling its way through.It’s called CrossFit and while it’s gained a reputation for being one of the most punishing and tortuous workouts around, CrossFit business is booming globally and now it’s gaining in popularity here in Bermuda.Located in a warehouse on Market Lane off Serpentine Road, CrossFit Bermuda is owned by two couples, Derek and Rebecca Hurdle and Mat and Chantal Macdonald. The gym has everyone from college grads to grandmas getting in on the action — sweating their way through the intense full-body conditioning regime.Owner, instructor and CrossFit fanatic, Ms Macdonald says the definition of CrossFit is “constant, varied functional movement performed at a high intensity”. Simply put, the workouts involve movements used in everyday life like squatting, bending down to pick something up and lifting something above your head.This isn’t your run-of-the-mill gym workout. It’s about intense, short bursts of activity including everything from weightlifting manoeuvres like dead lifts and squats to push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups and rope climbs.Owner and instructor Derek Hurdle says it’s different every day and never boring.“A lot of people who go to the gym now, they do a certain routine on Tuesdays and Thursdays and another one on Mondays and Wednesdays — something like that — but your muscles recognise that and get used to it,” Mr Hurdle said. “So what we try to do is make it so that your body never gets use to the workout.“Literally, you probably only repeat a workout once every four months. It’s different for every class,” Ms Macdonald said.Many hear the words “intense” and “weightlifting manoeuvres” and think this must be for beefy guys or the fittest of the fit. Not so, says Mr Hurdle.“A lot of people have seen the Crossfit Games on ESPN — those are the most elite athletes,” he said. “The glory of Crossfit is that it’s scaleable for everybody — anyone can do it. Every workout we do everyday can be done by top athletes or by your grandmother — it’s all scaled to your level.“A lot of people say, ‘Oh I’ve got to get fit before I can try that.’ but that’s not the case at all.”“The way to get fit and improve is by coming,” Ms Macdonald said. “You start with super scaled-down versions of the exercises and then eventually work your way up. We make sure that people aren’t in a situation where they’re in over their heads or where they’re going to hurt themselves.”While CrossFit may sound a little male-centric, the owners say, surprisingly, the first people to jump on the bandwagon in Bermuda with women in their late 20s to early 40s. Then the guys started coming in. They say now it’s a good mix of men and women of all ages, sizes and fitness levels.It’s not just about exercise — it’s also about diet. CrossFit Bermuda yesterday started its 30-Day Paleo Challenge which Ms Macdonald describes as a “hunter/gatherer/caveman way of eating”. It’s essentially 30 days of eating all real foods — nothing processed or pasteurised and no wheat, gluten or dairy. Participants are weighed and measured and then track their diet in a journal.“The challenge ends before Cup Match because we were realistic in the fact that Bermudians are not going to be dieting and not drinking over Cup Match, but they’ll all be looking really, really good,” she said.At the end of the 30 days, the person who has lost the most size and body fat while sticking to the diet wins a month’s free membership. They say they’ll do another challenge when summer’s over.Ms Macdonald said she and her husband fell in love with CrossFit when they were living in Dallas. They wanted to start one up here so they could keep doing it themselves and start teaching others. At the same time, Mr Hurdle was considering doing the same.“I started researching it and went and got myself qualified and was looking to do the same thing — to bring it to Bermuda because I figure there was a void and market here for it,” he said.Mr Hurdle and Mr Macdonald met by chance while looking at the same property for the business. Their wives met and the four decided to open it together.They say their current location, which they’re quickly growing out of, is temporary and they plan to move to a bigger facility in a couple of months.“This was always going to be just temporary because we wanted to open as soon as possible,” Ms Macdonald said.“We also wanted to make sure that people were going to be interested before investing in a bigger space,” Mr Hurdle said.With 66 members and counting they say business is so far, so good.“The big concern for us is that we knew it would be popular but we know how Bermudians are — they tend to jump on the trend and then sort of fade away,” Mr Hurdle said. “We’ve been open a month now and our new members are all renewing, so that’s a trend we hope will continue.”Classes are weekdays at 6:15am, 12:15pm, 5:15pm and 6:15pm. They also have free classes on Saturdays at 9am and 10am for people who aren’t sure and want to try it out. It’s $250 for one month of unlimited classes of $210 for a ten-class punch card.For more information, visit crossfitbda.com.