After hours of training and workouts, sophomore Maria Perkkio was ranked 18 in the nation in her age group for CrossFit Open Workout 15.1. Perkkio completed the workout in a limited amount of time, trying to get as many rounds as possible, and submitted her score in order to achieve the ranking.

CrossFit is a fitness company that has become increasingly popular for its intense workouts and competitive atmosphere. Members of CrossFit complete a  Workout of the Day at a local facility, and record their progress.

Perkkio began competing at CrossFit this year along with members of her family. “My brother started doing a program at a local CrossFit, then my parents got involved, and I wanted to join in too,” Perkkio said.

CrossFit members can keep track of how well they perform during workouts for their own gain, but Perkkio wanted the extra motivation of seeing how well she could perform compared to other members of her age. She participates in both individual and team competitions.

“It’s pretty challenging to really push yourself during competitions and it gets very competitive but everyone’s super supportive of each other,” Perkkio said.

St. Paul Academy and Summit School students looking to learn more about Crossfit should check out their website for more information. There are two CrossFit locations in the St. Paul area.