Crossfit

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  • bowhuntr09
    bowhuntr09 Posts: 39 Member
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    Again, this thread is full of people who have never done CrossFit bashing CrossFit.

    They can read the hell out of an article, though. I gotta give 'em that.

    haha, someone should warn them about eye strain! ;-)
  • mdizzle99
    mdizzle99 Posts: 169 Member
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    My big complaint about CrossFit is that I wish I had been the person to start it...
  • kimbly71
    kimbly71 Posts: 188
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    My husband tried for months to get me to join Crossfit. I had watched the Crossfit games and was terrified to try it. However, I finally gave in and went to a beginners class in late February and started to seriously train in March. It has made a world of difference in my overall confidence and I am definitely seeing results. In fact, I went up 10lbs on my deadlift today and was high on that accomplishment all morning.

    I am certain there are bad CF gyms out there - but, there are bad personal trainers at every gym as well ( LOVE when a trainer suggest that I lift light and do more reps - **eyeroll** or suggest quarter squats). You have to choose wisely. The coaches at my box are well trained and stress form at EVERY workout. They know the athletes in their class and would never recommend that a person lift a weight if they cannot do it with proper form. Do some research before you go and visit several boxes in your area.

    Lots of luck!
  • sarapdot
    sarapdot Posts: 3 Member
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    I started crossfit about 3 months ago. I LOVE it however I have not seen any weight loss or inches lost. :(
    This has been discouraging me greatly. Has anyone else had an issue like this?
  • nashai01
    nashai01 Posts: 536 Member
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    I started crossfit about 3 months ago. I LOVE it however I have not seen any weight loss or inches lost. :(
    This has been discouraging me greatly. Has anyone else had an issue like this?
    How is your diet? My weight is the same but I def see a difference in the way my body looks. I haven't measure yet.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
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    I started crossfit about 3 months ago. I LOVE it however I have not seen any weight loss or inches lost. :(
    This has been discouraging me greatly. Has anyone else had an issue like this?

    You won't see it in the scale initially... however you should be seeing/feeling differences after 3 months. Is your posture better? are your clothes a bit looser in the right places and tighter in the other right places? I agree with checking your diet. I've noticed myself being a lot more hungry in the last 3 weeks and I have to constantly keep myself in check.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
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    I'm in my 4th week of CrossFit training. I hate that I love it so much. My orientation workout was a 1/2 Chelsea... I thought I was going to die... but I didn't. I've been a 5 day/weeker @ 5am since. Yes it's very hard, but it works. Is it for everyone? No. But you have to at least try it for more than a single intro WOD. Of course you will be sore if you haven't exercised in years, but then you'll be sore doing ANY exercise.

    1) Anyone who bashes CrossFit and hasn't truly given it a 12 week trial run should be ignored. They are either just spouting the crap their Globogym Bros come up with, are close-minded semi-pros, are hypotrophy addicts, or are 'professional trainers' afraid of losing their livelihood. I can quote articles all day long about how marathon running is so bad for you or how bodybuilding makes you just a balloon animal version of yourself... all show and no go. But I say to each his own, pick your sport and excel at it. Don't think CrossFit is a sport? Go to a local competition and try and place. You won't. People used to laugh at snowboarding and now it's in the Olympics.

    2) The point of CF is to make yourself a better version of you. To be better than yesterday. The only real competition is between you, your body, and the clock. The clock is just a measurement tool. I've seen a lot of posts about 'no progression'... where does that come from? Define 'progression' please. I do not think it means what you think it means. The WOD is not the end of the training. If you are stopping at just doing the WOD then you are wasting your time and money. My Box offers a M-W-F strength training component prior to the WOD. It also offers M-F Oly lifting classes with a nationally certified Oly coach. Yes the WOD may be 10-30 minutes, but there is nothing stopping you from doing strength work afterward to get you stronger.

    3) There a crap-ton of bad coaches everywhere. Most are selling DVD sets. Like anything else in life you have to do your research before signing up at ANY gym. Ask questions. Is it a new Box or an established one? How many coaches? What are their other certifications? Do they promote safety above all else. Do they offer a free week trial? Even just watch a few WODs and focus on the coaches... are they attentive? Are they helpful? Are they correcting bad form? Are they encouraging? Do they explain Mods or scaling options to the WOD exercises? These are all things to look for in a good Box/Coach. I have yet to have any of our coaches refuse to help me or answer any questions or correct my form during a WOD or lifting session. They encourage and push, but keep form and safety paramount. They even teach us how to bail out of a squat, clean or snatch correctly so we don't get hurt.

    4) Pricing. This will vary greatly by the Box's real estate location and their offerings. My Box for example is $150/mo unlimited... BUT that is for a 20,000 sq ft indoor gym and a 6000 sq ft outdoor space for tire flipping, prowler work, etc. Plus they offer a metCon class, daily WOD, Olympic Lifting, basic gymnastic coaching, rock climbing wall, free seminars and classes. So that's basically access to a coach 7 days a week. Do the math.

    5) Injuries. Well hell, you can tweak your knee getting out of a pickup truck. Injuries occur in ALL sports, that's a fact. I know several bodybuilders who have torn a tendon or ripped a muscle loose during a workout so don't listen to the Bro on the hill crying out "CrossFit will tear your rotator...". The key to avoiding injury is to know your body and its limits. To be able to listen to it when it tells you it's in trouble. Those who try and lift too much weight with bad for will get hurt. Whether you CF or Oly or Bodybuild... the risk of injury is there. If you are Day 1 of CrossFit and you try and Rx "Fran"... you will get hurt. Why? Because you aren't ready to Rx ANY WOD on Day 1. Scaling and Modding are key to beginner CrossFitting. If your coach isn't offering Scaling or Mods then either ask or find a new Box. Ease into CF and always utilize the foam rollers! LOL

    6) Anti-gloves. Please. I wear padded lifting gloves for my weight training and I have a pair of UA batting gloves for any monkey bar work. I'm in IT, an artist and I meet people daily. I can't have my hands all bandaged up and dripping blood and ooze every day. Do I wear gloves all the time in WODs? No. Only when I need them. Same for knees braces and joint braces. If I'm squatting... I'm wearing my knee braces. You don't like it or think I'm weak? I really don't care. I wear what I gotta wear to keep myself healthy. Plus several Elite CF Gamers wear gloves so...

    Bottom line. Try it for yourself.
  • rickloving
    rickloving Posts: 90 Member
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    I'm a runner and cyclist, started doing Crossfit as a way to get stronger and fitter over just relying on steady state cardio. I have been going for about 4 months 3-4 times a week and have gained 4 lbs of muscle mass, dropped 6 lbs of fat (that I seemed to have a hard time getting rid of just through running and cycling). I also had to move a notch of my belt in. I have seen improvements in both my running and cycling performances and have been able to steadily increase my weights and equipment choices from when I started doing the workouts.
  • Ichigo2012
    Ichigo2012 Posts: 31 Member
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    I'm wondering if anybody has tried it on here. It looks intense but worthwhile to me. Plus, I want to use it as a training mechanism of sorts for Tough Mudder.

    You don't need CrossFit to handle a Tough Mudder, but if you DO do CrossFit you can definitely do a Tough Mudder. It's more about mental endurance and, for some, overcoming your fears than it is about being an athlete. Definitely do TM with friends though, it's much more fun. It's pretty likely there is a group at whatever CrossFit box you join that will be going, you'll make friends with them quickly enough and then you can do it together.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    crossfit is just a name.

    Do some of their workouts on your own. They don't own burpees- oly lifts- muscle ups HIIT, Interval Circuit or AMRAP training....


    it's just a name. Do it on your own- or spend triple digits and go to a box. It doesn't matter. The workouts are good- but don't forget CrossFIt is JUST a name.
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
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    Love Crossfit. You can scale the workouts, it really is something any one can do. Don't be intimidated. And yeah, there's this:

    "it's just a name. Do it on your own- or spend triple digits and go to a box. It doesn't matter. The workouts are good- but don't forget CrossFIt is JUST a name."

    But I disagree. It's so much harder to get the motivation on your own, and not to mention, set up a home gym. Yeah, I do think Crossfit is pricy. But you get what you pay for.
  • smerkord
    smerkord Posts: 101 Member
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    I go twice a week and love it. I think it must have to do with the instructor. Where I go, they are very conscious of reminding you to listen to your body. They supply the exercises but allow you to judge what you can handle. They also watch your form to make sure you don't injure yourself. So, I would say, try it, but find a place where the instructors don't push you too far beyond your comfort zone. I mean, you have to exit your comfort zone a little to get results, but use common sense. It can be a great experience at the right facility.
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
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    crossfit is just a name.

    Do some of their workouts on your own. They don't own burpees- oly lifts- muscle ups HIIT, Interval Circuit or AMRAP training....


    it's just a name. Do it on your own- or spend triple digits and go to a box. It doesn't matter. The workouts are good- but don't forget CrossFIt is JUST a name.


    *this.
  • TdaniT
    TdaniT Posts: 331 Member
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    I am lucky that I am attending a Crossfit class for free at the base gym which is also free for me. The trainer is here in Dover for a year and volunteers her time at the gym. The workouts are intense and I am sore as all get out afterwards. But I am getting stronger and my body is changing in ways that it wasn't with my running. I run Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I crossfit Tuesday and Thursday. On the weekends I take a walk. I am losing weight and seeing definition.

    I really think that if you want to know how something is, try it yourself. For everything we do in life there are people for and against it. Shouldn't stop you from doing what you want.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Love Crossfit. You can scale the workouts, it really is something any one can do. Don't be intimidated. And yeah, there's this:

    "it's just a name. Do it on your own- or spend triple digits and go to a box. It doesn't matter. The workouts are good- but don't forget CrossFIt is JUST a name."

    But I disagree. It's so much harder to get the motivation on your own, and not to mention, set up a home gym. Yeah, I do think Crossfit is pricy. But you get what you pay for.

    yes they are scalable. ANy workout is scalable.

    Motivation has nothing to do with the workouts. You either are motivated to work out- or you are not.

    I do plenty of cross fit workouts on my own. At my big box gym. Sure I don't do rope climbs- and I don't do as many power lifts because I don't have bumper plates.

    It is what it is. Cross Fit is still a name- having your own home gym or not has nothing to do with anything. I still do crossfit style workouts- they aren't ALL about bumper plates and ropes- I manage just fine and get asked quiet frequently "hey do crossfit or something??"

    no- I just you know- WORKOUT.

    I refuse to be called a crossfitter because it's got such a sketchy name.... I personally define my work outs as the following

    "if P90X, Insanity and Crossfit all had a torrid affair one drunk night- my workouts would be their love child"

    crossfit. it literally is just a name.
  • JeffersJJ
    JeffersJJ Posts: 58 Member
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    Give it a try but just watch out for instructors that push people to injury. There tends to be a culture in Crossfit that training until you hurt yourself is cool and a badge of honour.

    I'm not sure what gyms you're visiting or if you've even visited one at all, but this is not the culture in CrossFit. Spreading ignorance to the uninformed helps to perpetuate lies. Remember that? I think most of us learned that lesson in Junior High School, but...some are slower than others.

    I've been a CrossFit trainer for about three years now and everything is universally scalable. If you're not able to perform a particular exercise, there is always a way to scale the movement or the intensity to keep you able to to continue. It's a great opportunity to get yourself in the best physical shape of your life. The best part about CrossFit is that you have a culture of camaraderie that gives you a reason to return. If you join a regular gym, the gym doesn't call you to ask why you haven't been working out. If you miss a CrossFit class, your buddies from the class will definitely encourage you to get your tush back out to suffer alongside them.
  • xunleashed
    xunleashed Posts: 82 Member
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    "Crossfit brands itself as this ground-breaking methodology, while it's really just an inferior mish-mash of plagiarized training techniques cobbled together in random fashion."

    This made me laugh...one of the fastest growing sports around being "inferior".

    As my father has always said, don't knock it, until you try it.

    Been doing it for over 4 months and it is something that I have never experienced. The rush you get during workouts is one of a kind and something that you cannot get while at a "regular" gym...and don't say you can.

    The price? Try it and think of it as an investment in yourself..give it two months, if you really feel terrible about paying; then stop.
  • bowhuntr09
    bowhuntr09 Posts: 39 Member
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    "Crossfit brands itself as this ground-breaking methodology, while it's really just an inferior mish-mash of plagiarized training techniques cobbled together in random fashion."

    This made me laugh...one of the fastest growing sports around being "inferior".

    As my father has always said, don't knock it, until you try it.

    Been doing it for over 4 months and it is something that I have never experienced. The rush you get during workouts is one of a kind and something that you cannot get while at a "regular" gym...and don't say you can.

    The price? Try it and think of it as an investment in yourself..give it two months, if you really feel terrible about paying; then stop.

    Good Advice!

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