Crossfit & Paleo

Why bother with something if it isn't dangerous?

How else do you think you get to be Batman?

Hello,

I have been thinking about trying Crossfit and following the Paleo diet. This weekend I went to the local box that will be opening soon to check things out. I did a warm-up, worked with kettlebells, 20in box jumps, push-ups, pull-ups, and air squats. I was dead after 20mins but I really enjoyed it!! My normal workout/diet has been playing tennis, playing basketball, jogging, doing Jillian's 30day shred, and watching my calories. I lost 27lbs doing this but once the weather started to get colder I put 8lbs back on. I need a lifestyle change. Please let me know your thoughts about starting Crossfit and Paleo. Thanks :happy:

So, as you can probably summarize from this thread - people can be quite passionate about CrossFit in either directions. What I've found is that one will either love it or hate it. They'll know within a month of doing it. Not all boxes are created equal either - so if you find a coach(es) you enjoy and feel safe doing, then great. If the coach ignores you or has some sort of attitude that their poo doesn't stink, find another one. (same goes if all they do is yell nonsensical instruction at you over and over that makes no sense).
Doing it at home, while possible, could be pretty difficult without good instruction on some of the more complex movements - but this is no different than if CrossFit never existed. The exercises used are many years old, some even from the dawn of man.

You will find some pretty extreme people who've drunk a bit too much kool-aid too (both negative and positive) but the norm is a greater community of like minded people. Again, not all gyms are created equal either, some are about competition and others are about community.

As for paleo, it is not extreme. A lot of people take it this way and don't necessarily understand it. They think it's meat and meat and meat with fat. But the reality is, it is not. It's pretty balanced. Low on starchy carbs, yes, but balanced nonetheless. I eat paleo, but what my meals usually consist of is a giant supersized serving of green leafy vegetables (I often line my plate with spinach no matter what I eat), then a sensible portion of meat/fish, along with some other colored vegetables. For a snack, I'll eat fruit, or some vegetable, or maybe some fat like almonds or avocado.
What i don't eat (much of) is white foods, like bread and potato, and grains and dairy (but i never ate that anyway). It doesn't see extreme to me - so long as you understand your choices.
There is also the notion of being strict or some %. Most people will go strict to start then perhaps add back in some cheese, or some milk, or some bread, or some quinoa, something that doesn't make the feel worse and they want to eat. If given the chance to go strict for a while, most people's body will start to change and they will feel better (like everything, it isn't always the case), but going strict paleo can be tough to manage - so people will add back in a small amount of comfort foods. When this food is added back in, it can sometimes be felt too - like all of a sudden you feel bloated, or irregular, or don't sleep, or tired but sometimes, you feel fine. So if it's the latter, keep it.
It's not extreme, it's just making sensible choices. No one will force you to do paleo with crossfit and not everyone does it. Not even the "elite" athlete's do it. They may incorporate a lot of the ideals, but they'll drink milk or eat PB too. There's also the zone diet in CrossFit but that is like counting calories to some extent.

but there are also a ton of other exercises and technique involved that has nothing to do with power lifting.. Rowing, pull-ups, burpess, push-ups, muscle-ups, plyo jumps, jump roping, the list goes on and on and on

Those things are not unique to crossfit.

@PhilyPhreash - Yes, I eat ice cream. Your point?

What the hell does making the point of those exercises not being unique to crossfit have to do with anything??? I've never argued in a forum but this guys is driving me f*ckin nuts on a Monday..

Are you even in shape???

The point is pointing out the things that are not unique to it as the things that are not dangerous about it is not valid. It is the things that ARE unique to it that are most dangerous.

Yes, I would say I am in realatively good shape.

And just in case you didn't know, if you got mad on the internet, you lost.

Now if you can just tell me where I stated those things aren't dangerous that would be awesome.. Apparently you don't read.. The point I made was that there was more to crossfit then power lifting, and that you comparing it to power lifting was not valid.

I lost? lol (no seriously lol)... Not sure if you've seen my pics.. Everyday I wake up I win (yep, I'm that cocky)

The "more things to crossfit" are not just Crossfit. They are "working out." You people don't own pull ups and push ups. You do own kipping and stupidly high rep sets of oly lifts.

Instead of asking me if I am in shape, try asking the dude who invented Crossfit if he is in shape.

Congrats, you found the same 5 pictures of idiots doing CrossFit that everyone else finds... you did forget the butterfly kipping one though.

I am not disagreeing with you people have and will get hurt. But like others have said, every sport has its idiots... and they are typically the ones that are posting videos of themselves thinking they are badass...

Those pics / vids are funny!!. But I could walk into any gym in the country and find someone doing something stupid, incorrect, or dangerous. Congrats on finding a couple examples of ignorance.

ALL Crossift is scalable. If you can't do the workout properly or correctly at the assigned weight then you scale it. Its the trainers jobs to identify these cases along with a little common sense.

Crossfit is just, Olympic lifting, power lifting, gymnastics, body weight exercise, running, jump rope, ect. combined into one workout that is supervised by a trained professional.

Can you get hurt. Sure. Have I got hurt. Yea. I had rotator cuff problems.. which I could have easily of had on so called "shoulder day" as I could have doing crossfit. I stopped with overhead movements until I healed. I avoid successive overhead movements in my programming.

Those pics / vids are funny!!. But I could walk into any gym in the country and find someone doing something stupid, incorrect, or dangerous. Congrats on finding a couple examples of ignorance.

ALL Crossift is scalable. If you can't do the workout properly or correctly at the assigned weight then you scale it. Its the trainers jobs to identify these cases along with a little common sense.

Crossfit is just, Olympic lifting, power lifting, gymnastics, body weight exercise, running, jump rope, ect. combined into one workout that is supervised by a trained professional.

Can you get hurt. Sure. Have I got hurt. Yea. I had rotator cuff problems.. which I could have easily of had on so called "shoulder day" as I could have doing crossfit. I stopped with overhead movements until I healed. I avoid successive overhead movements in my programming.

The point is that you're paying someone to make sure form etc is correct and yet it seems some trainers encourage/allow unsafe work-outs. Which is different that someone going to a gym and doing something stupid or incorrect on his own.

but there are also a ton of other exercises and technique involved that has nothing to do with power lifting.. Rowing, pull-ups, burpess, push-ups, muscle-ups, plyo jumps, jump roping, the list goes on and on and on

Those things are not unique to crossfit.

im all but a virgin when it comes to crossfit - like hysterically new - but im pretty sure that NOTHING is unique to crossfit... just staying.

Go find me another program with high rep sets of olympic lifts.