How do we feel about Crossfit?

CakeFit21

I have never jumped in on one of these threads because my fellow crossfitters are always so good at covering everything.

I just wanted to say to the OP that I use crossfit to supplement my running and it has helped tremendously. I am getting faster and recovering more quickly after running. I'm relatively new to crossfit and I know what it's like to be "at the bottom" of the class. It's motivating. There are things that others are better at than me and I guess, if you are the type of person who has some kind of inferiority complex that might be troublesome. I don't have that problem and I haven't gotten that impression from you either. I like to surround myself with people that are better than me so that I can get better, learn from them. There will also be things that you are really good at. In my class, I excel at gymnastics, pull ups and push ups, (thanks to p90x). Crossfit is like school, you go there to LEARN. Everything is scale-able, everything. I have never met a group of people more encouraging and supportive, especially to the people who are just starting out. My coach is nuts about form and technique. We spend a lot of time before each WOD going over everything and he is always around helping and correcting form. So, you have a lot of info on this thread. I hope you have enough to make an informed decision. I think it's at least something to try, you may hate, who knows!

My box not only has the foundation classes that are required, they also have a level one class that has a slower pace and even more emphasis of technique. I don't know if all boxes have this, but for any beginner it could be worth looking into.

SickofBeingChub

Just getting home from my 5am Crossfit class! I feel amazing! Did strength exercise with kettlebells followed by a cardio WOD. If I can do this, anyone can. Just find a box that has a foundation class, that's where I got started now two years later I'm competing!

Best of luck!

lfreeman24

In regards to what others have said saying how bad Crossfit is I would have to completely disagree. I just started running last spring and loved it. Since I live in Upstate NY the running outdoors season has pretty much ceased. I started going to Crossfit as a way of building my muscles up so I could increase my speed and decrease my time. I found that I gained more than that by going to classes. I was able to really see what I could do as an athlete. My crossfit trainer is one of my best friends, and believe me she is not easy on me. The best part about when I leave the gym is that I have accomplished something new every time! I highly recommend it. Give it a try and really see what you can do. I figured after I ran my first half-marathon I was an athlete... well not so much...there's still so much that I never imagined I could do and I've done it all at Crossfit! Try it out you'll be glad!! Remember Strong is the New Skinny!!!

I could not agree with this post more! If you go to a BOX where the coaches know what they're doing you will have a focus on good form first. I have been skinny my entire life but I've NEVER been strong. I used to do mostly cardio to maintain my weight and ran into knee problems (literally). I found Crossfit 6-7 weeks ago and have not looked back. It challenges you, and helps you build muscle not just lose weight. Reebok has adopted CrossFit at their Canton MA headquarters and in one year employees have lost 4,000lbs.

http://bostonglobe.com/business/2012/01/11/reebok-mission-get-its-employees-fit/p5lRtUS69SDAJj41C38PTK/story.html?s_campaign=sm_fb

I love Crossfit because it challenges me, motivates me, and makes a better stronger me. There's a huge difference between being thin and being strong, and Crossfit is making me STRONG.

Health_Gal

Some Crossfit gyms might be ok, but most take an ultra extreme approach to exercise that I do not like. In general, Crossfit attracts too many do-it-or-die-trying types, and I don't enjoy being around that kind of energy.

shivaslives

I've recently started doing Crossfit workouts with a trainer at my local gym to take me to a new fitness level. I really enjoy the variety and haven't been doing anything too crazy that would lead to injury. It's really making a difference in my strength and loss of body fat. I don't know that I would recommend it to someone who does not have a decent foundation of fitness, though. Although I'm sure a good trainer would tailor it to fit a person's needs, It is pretty strenuous and I'm glad I waited until I'd lost most of my weight before I started.


Advice is worth exactly what you pay for it.

Health_Gal

A good trainer could tailor any exercise plan to a client's needs.

My main issue with the Crossfit organization is the fact that while they preach safety from their website and in the introductory classes, many Crossfit coaches encourage participants to push beyond reasonable limits to the point that many people can and do get injured.

See Getting Fit, Even If It Kills You
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/22/fashion/thursdaystyles/22Fitness.html?pagewanted=alll

Also, I don't care for the way many Crossfit gyms glorify participants that go to the extreme by posting photos of their bloody blistered hands, bruises, or other injuries as though tearing your skin off during a workout is something to be proud of.

Dave198lbs

A good trainer could tailor any exercise plan to a client's needs.

My main issue with the Crossfit organization is the fact that while they preach safety from their website and in the introductory classes, many Crossfit coaches encourage participants to push beyond reasonable limits to the point that many people can and do get injured.

See Getting Fit, Even If It Kills You
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/22/fashion/thursdaystyles/22Fitness.html?pagewanted=alll

Also, I don't care for the way many Crossfit gyms glorify participants that go to the extreme by posting photos of their bloody blistered hands, bruises, or other injuries as though tearing your skin off during a workout is something to be proud of.

obsessions are not healthy. your obsession to denounce an activity that you candidly admit never having tried is ......?

Eowyn99

I will not do Crossfit in my life. Its dangerous and they already had been suit and lost.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_crossfitlawsuit_100908/

The complete story about the damage done.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/08/marine_crossfit_081608w/

As you can see these are military newspapers mmmmm.

_Amy_Budd

I will not do Crossfit in my life. Its dangerous and they already had been suit and lost.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_crossfitlawsuit_100908/

The complete story about the damage done.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/08/marine_crossfit_081608w/

As you can see these are military newspapers mmmmm.

Did you read the articles? Did you see that this didn't take place in a CrossFit affiliate box, and that CrossFit nor any of its employees were named as defendants in the suit? This reads like a specific case of an aggressive trainer and a tough-guy client who didn't want to admit that the workout was too intense for him.

I am the OP here, and my update is that I have now taken 3 Foundations classes, and spent considerable time talking with the box's owner/trainers about my physical history, goals, concerns, their history, their program... I'm in. I love it. My body aches in the most beautiful way (aches - not horrible pain). I love the way it blends so well with my already Primal-lifestyle, basing its programs on short, high-intensity bursts and functional movements.

Look, to each his or her own. I received a lot of constructive information on this thread, so thank you to those who provided it.

See you on the CrossFit group's message board.

Amy

Crystalchaos72

Popcorn.....

summertime_girl

I'd love to do it, but it's so damn expensive! Four months of my gym costs the same as one month of theirs. I know people swear by it, and they see consistent results, but it's just too much. I may do a few drop in classes once in a while to shake up my workout.

I did try the first workout free, and I liked it. I felt challenged and pushed, but not like I was going to die. (Though I'm reasonably in shape, despite being fat still.)

I did not care for pushing the Paleo eating method though. I don't want to eat more meat. I'm leaning towards knocking it out of my diet permanently.

timmymon

Crossfit looks like an awesome challenge. I am trying to get involved

XFitMojoMom

I will not do Crossfit in my life. Its dangerous and they already had been suit and lost.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_crossfitlawsuit_100908/

The complete story about the damage done.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/08/marine_crossfit_081608w/

As you can see these are military newspapers mmmmm.

Did you read the articles? Did you see that this didn't take place in a CrossFit affiliate box, and that CrossFit nor any of its employees were named as defendants in the suit? This reads like a specific case of an aggressive trainer and a tough-guy client who didn't want to admit that the workout was too intense for him.

I am the OP here, and my update is that I have now taken 3 Foundations classes, and spent considerable time talking with the box's owner/trainers about my physical history, goals, concerns, their history, their program... I'm in. I love it. My body aches in the most beautiful way (aches - not horrible pain). I love the way it blends so well with my already Primal-lifestyle, basing its programs on short, high-intensity bursts and functional movements.

Look, to each his or her own. I received a lot of constructive information on this thread, so thank you to those who provided it.

See you on the CrossFit group's message board.

Amy

Hurray Amy! Also Primal here and love my crossfit community! Cheers!

Eowyn99

I will not do Crossfit in my life. Its dangerous and they already had been suit and lost.

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/ap_crossfitlawsuit_100908/

The complete story about the damage done.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/08/marine_crossfit_081608w/

As you can see these are military newspapers mmmmm.

Did you read the articles? Did you see that this didn't take place in a CrossFit affiliate box, and that CrossFit nor any of its employees were named as defendants in the suit? This reads like a specific case of an aggressive trainer and a tough-guy client who didn't want to admit that the workout was too intense for him.

I am the OP here, and my update is that I have now taken 3 Foundations classes, and spent considerable time talking with the box's owner/trainers about my physical history, goals, concerns, their history, their program... I'm in. I love it. My body aches in the most beautiful way (aches - not horrible pain). I love the way it blends so well with my already Primal-lifestyle, basing its programs on short, high-intensity bursts and functional movements.

Look, to each his or her own. I received a lot of constructive information on this thread, so thank you to those who provided it.

See you on the CrossFit group's message board.

Amy

Hurray Amy! Also Primal here and love my crossfit community! Cheers!

Well. I will give Crossfit a year or two at most. See ya then.

LisaCFSF

Welcome to our world!

bchmura

I didn't say you shouldn't try ANYTHING because you might be the slowest, but the extremely competitive do-it-or-die atmosphere of many Crossfit gyms would not be fun to deal with if you are not able to keep up. I was one of the slower runners in my running group when I started that activity, but the leaders were reasonable people, and it wasn't all about pushing yourself until you puked or passed out. BIG DIFFERENCE!

I realize you said "many" which I take it also means "not all" - I can only speak to the box I go to. I am in my 40's and a professional IT person my entire life with very very little eye on fitness, so you can imagine my doughy self taking up CrossFit. I am the bottom of my box, almost always the last done with a scaled workout.

They scaled it from the start, and while a bit sore first few days, I pushed through it and I would not trade it for anything.

The box has been totally supportive. If people are done, most of them will stay and cheer on those still going. No matter what you lifted that night, or how quickly you went - if you did the WOD there are plenty of "good jobs" from everyone. There are some people there that are friggin monkeys on the pull up bars or dead lifting 500lbs - and they are the first ones to help you with your technique, or tell you when your form is going and you should take some weight back off.

I have also not been advised to push myself till I puked. I have been encouraged, to get back in there - when I was taking too long of a break. There is nudges, but in the end its up to you on how hard / heavy you go. They tell you that up front.

I don't doubt that there have been bad experiences out there for people and probably some poorly run boxes, but I just wanted to put down somewhere - that is not the case at all boxes. If you have these experiences, look for another one.

Also, it may not be a style that is good fit for everyone. I am terrible at self motivating... if I can get myself to CF and into a group I am good. I can't go to a gym by myself and really hit it - its just not in me.

Health_Gal

I really get tired of people talking about Crossfit like it's something special when it clearly is NOT. The guy that started it basically ripped off a bunch of exercise moves that have been around for decades, hyped it up, and tired to brand it as something unique.

summertime_girl

I really get tired of people talking about Crossfit like it's something special when it clearly is NOT. The guy that started it basically ripped off a bunch of exercise moves that have been around for decades, hyped it up, and tired to brand it as something unique.

That's called marketing, and it's really freakin' smart. Making a bundle (roughly $150/month per member), and the equipment costs nothing.

Dave198lbs

I really get tired of people talking about Crossfit like it's something special when it clearly is NOT. The guy that started it basically ripped off a bunch of exercise moves that have been around for decades, hyped it up, and tired to brand it as something unique.

now I finally understand why you take every chance to bash crossfit! You wish you would have started it and made all that money that the guy who started it is getting. thanks for clearing that up.

addisondisease2

I really get tired of people talking about Crossfit like it's something special when it clearly is NOT. The guy that started it basically ripped off a bunch of exercise moves that have been around for decades, hyped it up, and tired to brand it as something unique.

Why you mad though?

LisaCFSF

No, we are not a cult! Now sit down, shut up, & drink your Kool-Aid!

dinosnopro

thefuzz1290

I'm not keen on paying $120, or more, a month, to do a workout I can do at another gym for $20-$40 a month.

Health_Gal

Here is a good article about Crossfit that point out some issues that your local Crossfit gym probably won't tell you

http://hometeamfitnessblog.com/why-i-hate-crossfit/

Of course it is up to you, but I would not recommend staying on the Paleo diet that many Crossfit coaches push for long. Whole grains and beans are an important part of our nutrition, and when you take them out of your diet, you might be missing some important nutrients. Besides, archeologists around the world have discovered that our ancestors have been eating grains and beans for as long as humans have been farming -- which was pretty close to the stone age.

Nopedotjpeg

The main problem I see with Crossfit is this. You improve a motor pathway, i.e. a lift or exercise, by consistently doing it. When you're doing Crossfit, you're doing a different WOD, and may not do Deadlifts one day and not do them again for weeks. How are you supposed to increase on these lifts if you rarely do them?

Health_Gal

I don't think I will EVER understand the appeal of Crossfit. It's extreme and people are sore for days after a workout. And it's WAY too expensive for what you get out of it.

I sure am sorry to see Reebok connecting with them. Now I will have to stop buying their products and boycott Reebok.

TwoBuckChunk

I haven't heard a criticism of Crossfit here yet that made an ounce of sense if you're serious about getting in shape.

"It makes your muscles hurt." Yeah, that's what happens when you actually work out.
"It's too intense." Yeah, that's what happens when you actually work out.
"They push you too hard." You do that for yourself when you actually work out.
"It's too expensive." How much is fitness worth to you? For me, it's worth the cost of my box. But you go ahead and save your money -- and stay fat.

Every criticism I've read sounds like it's coming from someone who wants to do things the easy way, who wants to lose weight without actually sacrificing anything, who wants to get fit without actually getting off the couch, who wants to get the benefits of exercise without actually DOING the exercise.

It's all about commitment and effort. If you're committed to making an effort in losing weight and getting in shape, you understand Crossfit. If you're not ... you don't.