Is this exercise the new Crossfit?

Is Crossfit doing your head in? F45 may be just for you. Source: Supplied

IT'S got a legion of celebrity fans including Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and Ricky Martin and now this fitness training style is garnering a cult following across the country.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) are the exercise buzzwords of the moment.

New scientific research argues this kind of maximum capacity exercise — where you work flat out for short bursts of time, as opposed to jogging for an hour — is better for your fitness and your health.

F45 (Functional 45) training works just like that. The 45-minute sessions are interval-based, with both cardio and weights training.

Inevitable comparisons have been made between F45 and Crossfit, which has attracted criticism for its intimidating environment and tendency to cause injuries.

But this isn't about lifting 90kg weights or doing 100 burpees in a row.

F45 focuses on "holistic, functional fitness", with all the exercises designed to help you move better throughout your daily life.

Hugh Jackman did F45 training to get buff for The Wolverine. Source: Supplied

"We focus on strength, respiratory and flexibility," says Jacqueline Karim, who manages an F45 training centre in the Sydney suburb of Crows Nest.

You work in groups of three people, working hard for 40 seconds then resting for 20 seconds.

You move around three training circuits which contain three different exercises. There is a maximum of 27 people in a class.

Each exercise targets a different part of the body so you get an all-over workout," says Ms Karim. "It targets your body in the correct way. We do bulking and shredding, building muscle and melting fat."

Inside an F45 training session. Source: Supplied

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And unlike Crossfit, which is focused on bashing out a set number of reps, F45 is time-based. There's no fixed number of reps per exercise.

"The beauty of it is everyone goes at their own pace," says Ms Karim.

If your technique isn't up to scratch, a trainer will work with you until you get it right.

This was a huge drawcard for Dianne Davis, who converted to F45 a month ago after suffering ongoing knee injuries.

"[With Crossfit], you've got to hurry up and get those reps up in that [set] time frame," the stay-at-home-mum says. "That's where your injuries can happen because your technique isn't being looked at.

"Those injuries are not going to get any better because you're lifting an obscene amount of weight and [often] you're not doing [the exercises] properly. I know half the time I was not doing it properly."

F45 is a group training method that uses interval-based cardio and weights exercises. Source: Supplied

The balance of cardio and weights in F45 holds wide appeal — you up your fitness levels while getting lean and toned.