MFP Education Center

There are no standard CrossFit classes on Sundays. Sometimes there are specialty classes or open gyms, but for the most part, it is a day to rest and recover.

One of the most impressive things about Marco’s programming is his variety and creativity. You can attend every day Monday-Friday and get a highly varied workout. His approach to developing a well-structured program is to create a BALANCED approach to your physical fitness that is vital to physical longevity. You’ll be sore (in a good way), and you’ll also have worked every body part, every energy system, and every plane of motion in an intentional, safe, and progressive way. 

My personal favorite part of Marco’s programming is his Thursday Longevity class. Longevity classes are a way for people to create a (w)holistic approach to their fitness routine. By integrating non-traditional movements, mindfulness, breathwork, and restorative (yin) stretching, members at MFP are able to recover their physical and mental bodies. These classes were the seed for the Infinity classes. 

One of the ways Coach Marco described his Infinity class is “A Longevity Class on Steroids.” The story of developing Infinity is actually quite complex, deep, and intuitive. There are layers upon layers of intimate and infinite detail to connect the physical, energetic, and spiritual bodies. As there are sacred and even ancient concepts, the simplicity of understanding Infinity is quite valuable. My best description of the Infinity class is an experience where three practices collide: movement, mindfulness, and breathwork.

Movement: The movement in the class includes the basics of strengthening and stabilizing, to the coordination of rotating with rhythm. The movements within Infinity do wonders for general awareness of structural balance and grounding techniques to the physical body. This includes mobility, joint resilience, overall blood flow, and physical recovery. Mini Bands are used to help build strength in the shoulder and glutes and there is some serious squat mobility work. It’s all packed into small segments so you can focus your attention on being mindful of the movements for the specific intent. For those who enjoy physical expression similar to dance, you’ll find that at Infinity, as well.

There is one other special twist to physical practice. Marco has been on a journey of the Infinite potential of foot health and function in his own life, so the Infinity class introduces you to a Rock Mat. It’s a small, 12×16-inch firm foam mat with bumps that look like odd-shaped small rocks. 

Why a Rock Mat? Marco can certainly share his experience with this interesting tool. The short answer is “standing on and exercising on the Rock Mat helps to stimulate the nerve endings in your feet, reduce pain, and promote blood flow and relaxation.” I can testify that at first, it’s odd but I have seen how it creates a whole different overall body experience versus if you were just doing these movements without the mat.

Mindfulness: Sometimes we think that mindfulness is only meditation. There are some short segments of seated meditation sprinkled into the Infinity class. However, the real magic is how the class builds a true testimony to mindfulness practice. 

The combination of movements in the class is unique. Have you ever done a shoulder-controlled articular rotation (CAR) standing in a forward fold on a Rock Mat? These moves require your attention. Any kind of practice to hone attention is a practice of mindfulness. If you’re someone who has tried seated meditation and just can’t sit and do nothing quite yet, this form of mindfulness and attention training is a great first step. This is integrated throughout the entire Infinity class, as Marco continues to remind us to bring our awareness to our movement.

Breathwork: Ah, this is my favorite element, and quite frankly the most essential component of the practice. Breathwork may not be a term you are familiar with. It means a practice of intentional breath patterns to help regulate heart rate, brain waves, and nervous system. If you practice yoga you may be familiar with the practice of pranayama. That is a form of breathwork. 

My prediction is that this is the newest kid on the block in the world of health and wellness and you’ll be hearing a lot more about breathwork and its practices. Science is showing over and over again that the way we breathe has a massive impact on our overall health. If you’re into this, check out James Nestor’s book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.  Nestor is a great storyteller and there are many unexpected ideas in the book. 

Marco has done a fantastic job of introducing a variety of breathwork techniques, breath holds, rapid breath of fire, and the calming ujjayi breathwork. Like in a yoga class, the movements align with the breath patterns so you find a natural rhythm. More importantly, Marco creates a unique approach to integrating the breathwork techniques in a very specific sequence. The magic of utilizing the breathwork to create a systematic awareness of our nervous system shows the true Infinite potential of the practice.

The final 30 Minutes of the class are about going deeper into our consciousness and awareness. For some, you can think of a portion as an extended/intimate savasana, where you lie on your mat and feel incredibly relaxed after the movement and breathwork. With tools such as an eye mask, mystical music, and breath-holding techniques led by Marco, you go into a pure zen and bliss state of consciousness.

The closing meditation is about aligning ourselves with the physical, energetic, and spiritual components of the practice. He intently brings our awareness to each of our 7 Chakras, aka portals of harnessing sacred energy. For many, these concepts may not make sense, however through the hand gestures (mudras), breathwork, and “vibration restoration,” you finalize your practice feeling whole physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

There is one other element of the class, and that is the community. Marco is not only one of the best innovators and fitness educators but he has an engaging energy that brings people together. His innocent humor couples beautifully with how much he cares about supporting us all to be open, curious, and moving toward better health, living more into our genius, and our exploration of how our life purpose can be of service in the world. 

The best way I can describe the sensations and experience of this class is a collision, of the very best kind, of these three practices, movement, mindfulness, and breathwork choreographed with some majestic and inspiring soundtracks. The class is appropriate for all levels and is unlike anything you’ve experienced before. I hope to see you “on the Rock Mat” next to me in an upcoming class.