Been Considering Taking Up Crossfit??

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amyteacake
amyteacake Posts: 768 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been sitting on the idea to join crossfit for about 5 months now. I do enjoy weight lifting, although the main thing I use is the weight machines and I enjoy barbells and kettlebells. I do want to try using dumbbells as well at some point. Was wondering what people's thoughts were on crossfit and any helpful tips? I've been looking into boxes and there's 2 where I am.

I would like to join once I manage to get a job since I am currently unemployed at the moment! So was just looking for any advice and hearing what people think about crossfit at the moment!

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  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    Some people love it, some don't. Oddly there's a lot of people who have never tried it that speak out the most against it.

    I enjoy it. The best advice I can give is to try both places. Do a drop in or community class at each. Make sure they have a ramp up or fundamentals class when you join. Talk to the coaches & ask questions.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    For the record I don't, and have never done Crossfit. That said, I believe that Crossfit has put a barbell in more peoples hands in recent years that would never have ventured into a conventional gym. I have no problem with it, like anything else there are outliers that are certainly bad, but in general I find the coaches to be knowledgeable and good at teaching proper form. I find some Crossfitters to be almost cult-like about it and there was, at least for a time, where they really pushed the paleo diet as superior over all others. I am not sure if it is still that way. Give it a try.
  • amyteacake
    amyteacake Posts: 768 Member
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    GiddyupTim wrote: »
    Here's the thing about Crossfit.
    It is expensive relative to most gyms. But, that's because there is a coach there pushing you and teaching you and giving you pointers -- if you want them. In that sense, Crossfit tends to be like working with a personal trainer: That is, you get pushed a bit harder than you would if you were working out alone. It is designed that way, to push you -- When you do a workout, you are competing against a clock or the others there.
    It means people tend to get results.
    I think it is more fun that just going to a gym and doing the same routine every time or every other time. In Crossfit, you get to climb and jump and run and throw a barbell around. It is like being in a playground when you are a kid. Plus, you never know what you are going to get when you go in. It is different every time.
    Lastly, Crossfit gyms usually have a lot of camaraderie. You get to know the people who go to your sessions, and they get to know you. People support each other and they help. I suppose if a person is a loner, they would not like that. But I think most people do. It is fun to go in and have people high five you as you walk in the door!

    I did enjoy having a personal trainer when I had one last year. He was really supportive and was the one that got me into weight training along with my dad. I would prefer having a coach in Crossfit to help teach me and give me pointers along with pushing me to go my best. I know a few people that do it and they enjoy it quite a lot and seen quite a few results from it!
    I struggle with writing up a routine for myself when I go to the gym especially when it comes to my HIIT because I don't want to do the same routine over and over again or not sure what to do with barbells sometimes that isn't just squats, lunges or bicep curls.
    I'm always up for making new friends one way or another! Sometimes I can be a bit of a loner but I wouldn't mind making friends with people during sessions.
  • amyteacake
    amyteacake Posts: 768 Member
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    rybo wrote: »
    Some people love it, some don't. Oddly there's a lot of people who have never tried it that speak out the most against it.

    I enjoy it. The best advice I can give is to try both places. Do a drop in or community class at each. Make sure they have a ramp up or fundamentals class when you join. Talk to the coaches & ask questions.

    I know a few people that do it that love it. I have heard a few people hate it but when I ask them if they've tried it they say no.

    I have been wanting to do it for a while now. I've heard good things about both places and my old pt goes to one of them. That sounds like a good idea. I plan on sending both places emails.
  • amyteacake
    amyteacake Posts: 768 Member
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    prattiger65 wrote: »
    For the record I don't, and have never done Crossfit. That said, I believe that Crossfit has put a barbell in more peoples hands in recent years that would never have ventured into a conventional gym. I have no problem with it, like anything else there are outliers that are certainly bad, but in general I find the coaches to be knowledgeable and good at teaching proper form. I find some Crossfitters to be almost cult-like about it and there was, at least for a time, where they really pushed the paleo diet as superior over all others. I am not sure if it is still that way. Give it a try.

    Barbells is something that I would never have considered doing before until I started doing it last year along with weight training. I only know a few people that have went to crossfit and they do enjoy it. I have seen a few crossfitters that have been quite cult-like and it did put me off for a while about it.
  • SortaPaleoDan
    SortaPaleoDan Posts: 2 Member
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    Just started crossfit style workouts and love it
  • crowleyed72
    crowleyed72 Posts: 247 Member
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    I have a membership at the YMCA here they offer a lot of different classes crossfit,mx4,bodyshaping,cycling,yoga,p90x,turbo kick,payoff,insanity,Pilates you can hire personal trainers and there is almost always a trainer walking around helping giving advice etc.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    amyteacake wrote: »
    I did enjoy having a personal trainer when I had one last year. He was really supportive and was the one that got me into weight training along with my dad. I would prefer having a coach in Crossfit to help teach me and give me pointers along with pushing me to go my best.

    i'm one of the never-done-its. but against that, i'm 52 and i know a few things about myself, so i don't feel too obligated to try it just for the sake of trying.

    for what it's worth in case you find yourself not into xfit after all: i found my own sweet spot for the things you mention at a barbell 'club'. it has the social/support factor, and the programming comes courtesy of the guy who runs it. but it's not as intense socially as 1:1 personal training, which i think i would find uncomfortable after a while. and each of us does have a programme that we're following to build our own strength, so it's not as . . . well, 'frantic' is the word that comes to my own mind when i think of crossfit.

    it's a question of whether you'd get bored with the consistency or not. for myself, i like it, and something that's new every day the way crossfit is would just make me cranky and disoriented. it energizes a lot of people though, so that part of it is your call.
  • beccadufresne
    beccadufresne Posts: 2 Member
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    I have had the same questions about crossfit. I'm biting the bullet and starting next week! Taking the plunge and making a commitment to try for at least 3 months before I decide if I don't like it, but I'm hoping I love it!
  • amyteacake
    amyteacake Posts: 768 Member
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    beccadufresne wrote: »
    I have had the same questions about crossfit. I'm biting the bullet and starting next week! Taking the plunge and making a commitment to try for at least 3 months before I decide if I don't like it, but I'm hoping I love it!

    Well done for biting the bullet! I think 3 months is a good time period to decide if you don't like it or not

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