When you walk into a female a gymnasium in the Kingdom, don’t be surprised when you see heavy weights, weightlifting bars, barbells, bumper plates, battle ropes and many other pieces of seemingly “scary” equipment. Don’t be fooled — these are not for decoration.

Rather, they are part of a new wave of fitness that has hit the Kingdom, called “CrossFit,” introduced as a new kind of “fitness fashion.”

“CrossFit is an intense exercise program that combines gymnastics, cardio, strength and core training to prepare the body for the unexpected,” said Jill Calvert, a senior trainer who introduced CrossFit to females in Riyadh about an year ago.

“CrossFit has its own uniqueness, helping participants develop social relationships with people who can feel their struggle,” she said.

Jill said: “There are a number of misconceptions about the sport among women. The strongest of such false ideas is that most Saudi women think they might develop muscles through the program. They also think if they stop weight lifting, they will regain all of the weight they lost.

“Such myths can scare people away from CrossFit. Yet women bodies do not build muscles as easily and people should stop being afraid of things they have not tried.

“Still, the future of CrossFit is encouraging in the Kingdom,” she said.

Alanoud Aljalajel, another CrossFit trainer in Riyadh, said: “My family and friends encourage me to carry on with the practice . I even inspired one of my friends to join the CrossFit team. It is a complete body-changing program that promises great results.”

Rawan AlSubaie, a Neurogenetics student who joined CrossFit program five months ago, said: “I joined the program to lose weight. I love it. It teaches you to be strict with yourself, requiring lot of motivation and commitment. But it’s worth every effort you put into it.

“I like the feeling of collectiveness it creates. After joining the program, I feel much stronger and more independent. Most of my friends think I will end up bulky, but I am trying to educate them on that.”

Sara Al-Walan, 23 years old trainee, said she is already seeing results: “I have lost lot of body fat. I feel stronger and my overall performance is much better too.”

Eman Abuassaf, a mother of two who has been training different types of workouts, such as boxing, Zumba and marshal arts, said she never found a workout as intense as CrossFit.

“CrossFit boosts your confidence. It is a program that changes people on physical, emotional and social levels, as they get to create social bonds with the rest of the team members,” she added.