Crossfit-- a little scared!

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wonderfullymadebyhim
wonderfullymadebyhim Posts: 170 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm 42 this June and love to hike with my dog. I don't do a whole lot to strengthen my body and would love to try crossfit. There is a gym local to my house and my daughter starts school full time in the fall so I'm starting to save my money to buy a membership. I'm scared.

Anyone here start from non-athletic and successful stick with crossfit long enough to see tremendous results? I feel like I could use some encouragement and ideas about how to train on my own a bit from now through the summer so I don't start at such a pathetic level in the fall.
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Replies

  • pittsingersg
    pittsingersg Posts: 29 Member
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    I love crossfit. The sense of community and challenging each other to push yourself makes it rewarding. It's cardio and weight lifting. Problem is you're moving the weights at a fast pace and this could wear down your joints, but what doesn't- right? I would suggest going and doing it at a comfortable weight and speed. Give it your all but be careful. Oh! Also, don't fall for that KT Tape crap, it doesn't work. It's just tape and it hurts to pull it off.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    Crossfit is a great program (provided you approach it the right way).
    Do:
    - Open your mind to trying and doing things you think you can’t.
    - Find a box with good coaches and a proper foundations course to teach you the basic movements
    - Do things outside the box to improve on areas that you’re weak (mobility, strength, skills).
    - Eat good food
    - Know when to say when, never sacrifice good form just to make a given time
    - Make friends in class, the motivation effect is incredible

    Don’t:
    - Stay at a box that isn’t training you properly (if you’re not getting personal attention, particularly on your lifts, find a box with coaches that will).
    - Let your ego rule your workout
    - Cherry pick WODs. Some boxes publish the WOD the night before. I like this as it helps me bring what I need (jump rope, gloves, lifting shoes, etc.).
    - Let age or current fitness level keep you away. All workouts can be scaled to a point you can get something out of it.

    There is a group called crossfit love (http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/99-crossfit-love). You should check it out.

  • NightShiftMedic
    NightShiftMedic Posts: 59 Member
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    I was going to chime in here, but there's no need because as usual AllanMisner summed it up perfectly.
  • HappyLifting89
    HappyLifting89 Posts: 17
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    I agree with the ya NightShiftMedic.
    AND to add a little tid-bit. I always tell people to try it, at leasta few times,e but crossfit is NOT for everyone. I have been a athlete well and power lifter and olympic lifter for well over 10 years, and crossfit just didn't prove to me what it was chalked up to be. But I never discourage folks from trying it nor do I talk bad about it. As with any lifting, it wears the joints over time.
  • musclegood_fatbad
    musclegood_fatbad Posts: 9,809 Member
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    Don't be scared to give it a try. It is a great mix of lifting and cardio, really helps develop a lot of fast twitch muscle. Like Allanmisner said though, make sure you find a good box that teaches form before anything.
  • jkwolly
    jkwolly Posts: 3,049 Member
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  • HealthyFit23
    HealthyFit23 Posts: 34 Member
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    I started cross-fit when I was 47, almost a year ago. I love it. You don't have to RX the WOD to get results. Start slow. Don't worry about the amount of weight you do, until your form is correct. For the best results, go at least 4 times a week. At my box, the coaches are great. They watch you and tell you what your doing right/wrong. I had a personnal trainer - $240 a month. Cross-fit is only $125. A lot cheaper and they know what they are doing. You will be sore. Make sure you drink a lot of water and eat protein. Allan is correct, especially about cherry picking the WODS. The tougher the WOD...the better you feel at the end. You can do it.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
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    Great advice on here. I will add, I am 49, I have done CrossFit for about 2 years. My husband is 52. He just started 2 months ago. He already has changed his body shape. I hope to never stop. My trainers scale the workout according to each individual if needed. I never thought my husband would like it, he agrees with me that no gym has ever made him feel better. It's amazing how good you feel at the end of the workout...and into the next day.
    I will tell you, I am always sore (a good sore) and have come to love this feeling.Good luck!!
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
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    I just started 2 months ago, and I'm STILL scared every time I walk into class. So far, here are my impressions (as a newbie):
    The sense of teamwork and camaraderie is great and is something you really can't get in a gym. The fact that I look forward to seeing people makes it easier to go. My body is changing quickly, and I'm getting stronger very quickly. Overall, I love it.
    I would say the biggest negative for me is that I'm kind of sick of being the absolute WORST person there. I disagree with people who say that Crossfit is good for beginners. Even scaled back, I find it very difficult and I worked out for years at a moderate level before starting. I have to constantly "check my ego at the door" or I wind up pissed off when I finish last YET AGAIN. That's probably just me, though. I hate when I'm not good at something.
  • wonderfullymadebyhim
    wonderfullymadebyhim Posts: 170 Member
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    Thanks for all the advice and feedback. I'm excited for the fall. I'm going to try to do some at home type crossfit WODs, like air squats, burpees, kettlebell swings, dips etc to try to take off these last 20 lbs and feel a little bit more comfortable on my way in. Thanks!
  • riveraandrew39
    riveraandrew39 Posts: 3 Member
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    Crossfit burns tons of fat. From the female perspective its great overall, but for men its bad. Crossfit builds cardiovascular endurance,meaning if your doing crossfit alot and you want to build muscle, your ganna have to work your *kitten* off 10 times harder just for a little bit of gainz.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    riveraandrew39 wrote: »
    Crossfit burns tons of fat. From the female perspective its great overall, but for men its bad. Crossfit builds cardiovascular endurance,meaning if your doing crossfit alot and you want to build muscle, your ganna have to work your *kitten* off 10 times harder just for a little bit of gainz.

    Have you seen the games athletes? While not focused on building mass, most crossfit athletes (men and women) get great strength gains and as a result of the training approach, can be strong after a metabolic challenge.

    Crossfit doesn’t burn fat, it expends calories that you can use as a part of your overall body composition management.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
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    I agree Crossfit is not for everyone, but it's worth giving it a shot. The first time I did it it took me 3 months to work up the courage to go back - it was very tough and intimidating, but once I went back I stuck with it for another year and a half before my trainer left. It is true a good trainer is EVERYTHING - very important. I learned a lot though and got a solid base for weight training myself, I learned about lifts and form and Tabata training, so it was worth it for me. I just don't like the competition part, that's not for me personally.

    Try it for yourself! Commit a month to see how you do.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
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    deluxmary2000 wrote: »
    I just started 2 months ago, and I'm STILL scared every time I walk into class. So far, here are my impressions (as a newbie):
    The sense of teamwork and camaraderie is great and is something you really can't get in a gym. The fact that I look forward to seeing people makes it easier to go. My body is changing quickly, and I'm getting stronger very quickly. Overall, I love it.
    I would say the biggest negative for me is that I'm kind of sick of being the absolute WORST person there. I disagree with people who say that Crossfit is good for beginners. Even scaled back, I find it very difficult and I worked out for years at a moderate level before starting. I have to constantly "check my ego at the door" or I wind up pissed off when I finish last YET AGAIN. That's probably just me, though. I hate when I'm not good at something.

    Sometimes I am last, and sometimes it's someone else. I so know what you are talking about. When it is me, I have to tell myself it doesn't matter...you did it. Many of my friends will not even try it. The funny thing is when someone else is last, I cheer them on and cannot help but admre them as they push through it. It's funny how we hold ourselves to different standards than we hold others. Keep doing what you are doing...you wont be last for long, I promise you!
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
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    I don't do Crossfit, but when I joined roller derby I was frustrated with being slow I read something that said "The person that finishes last still finishes ahead of everyone who didn't try" which helped a lot. :)
  • ziggypop93
    ziggypop93 Posts: 133 Member
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    deluxmary2000 wrote: »
    I just started 2 months ago, and I'm STILL scared every time I walk into class. So far, here are my impressions (as a newbie):
    The sense of teamwork and camaraderie is great and is something you really can't get in a gym. The fact that I look forward to seeing people makes it easier to go. My body is changing quickly, and I'm getting stronger very quickly. Overall, I love it.
    I would say the biggest negative for me is that I'm kind of sick of being the absolute WORST person there. I disagree with people who say that Crossfit is good for beginners. Even scaled back, I find it very difficult and I worked out for years at a moderate level before starting. I have to constantly "check my ego at the door" or I wind up pissed off when I finish last YET AGAIN. That's probably just me, though. I hate when I'm not good at something.

    I just started this week in my beginners class and have been finishing second to last. I had to remind myself that the other people have been there longer (I jumped into the middle of an 8-week program) and that it isn't about everyone else, it is about improving myself. It definitely makes me check my ego!
  • ziggypop93
    ziggypop93 Posts: 133 Member
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    mirrim52 wrote: »
    I don't do Crossfit, but when I joined roller derby I was frustrated with being slow I read something that said "The person that finishes last still finishes ahead of everyone who didn't try" which helped a lot. :)

    Oh love that quote!
  • haibu
    haibu Posts: 67 Member
    edited April 2015
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    You'll be great
  • ksnegirl
    ksnegirl Posts: 85 Member
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    I am 41 years old and began crossfit at the beginning of the year. I was in no way athletic and my idea of cardio was walking my dog :-) Since then I can see I am getting stronger, the comradery is amazing, and my coaches are very good at teaching technique. It's very empowering and you will get better and better as you go. Just remember that anything can be scaled! Good luck!
  • 4smiles1
    4smiles1 Posts: 1 Member
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    I did crossfit last year for five months. Loved it, got way stronger, and made lots of friends. Then I fell off the pull-up bar in my first muscle-up attempt and suffered a concussion that took me seven months to recover (I'm 45). My friends are encouraging me to sign back up, because it's really the best workout... but I'm scared of getting hurt again and can't decide what to do.

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