Crossfit

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  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
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    my understanding is that crossfit is rather expensive. if this is not an issue for you, go check it out! you may find that you LOVE it!
    if you just wanna give it a taste, maybe there is a youtube channel or 2 with the workouts on there that you can do at your convenience.

    good luck!
  • teaparty75
    teaparty75 Posts: 170
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    i took the free intro class and it was definitley challenging - i was sore in places that i didn't know existed....i liked it but i can see how it gets expensive , especially if you're like me and already have a traditional gym membership
  • CountingCaloriesSuxass
    CountingCaloriesSuxass Posts: 387 Member
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    Crossfit is awesome!! I do crossfit at least once a week and love it...
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    I'm a Crossfitter!! I love it! It is crazy intense but so great. Try it out for sure!!!
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
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    Amen to yhat!! If a person has not tried it themselves, they have no real opinion. No one in my box has been injured. Good coaches will program recovery. Recovery is everything. Ive pushed myself to so sore it hurt for a few days.. but that only happens once in a muscle group as a alarm reaction to the stress. I get feel good sore all the time tho, and love it!

    My suggestion - ignore feedback from people who "have friends that did Crossfit" or "heard of a guy once that did Crossfit" or "wanted to try it but didn't because..."

    Is it hard? Yes. Is it too hard for some people? I think so if you are badly out of shape. Are there inexperienced and bad coaches? No more than bad trainers at the big box gyms. It it somewhat cultish in that lots of people really love it and talk about it alot? Yes but why do you think that is? Because many people that do it regularly think it is awesome.

    As for the folks that try it and quit because it made them too sore, I'd say that either it really was too hard for them (but may not be with another month or two of working out) OR they didn't realize that you do start to get less sore after a week or two.

    I agree that most boxes will give you a free workout or a free week. Try it out. You aren't getting married to Crossfit you are just trying a different workout style. You'll live.
  • The_WoIverine
    The_WoIverine Posts: 367 Member
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    As mentioned above, people with no fitness background can get certified in as littler as a weekend. That says a lot about Crossfit.

    It is true some have been lucky to not get injured, but a bast majority have experienced some kind of injuries with Crossfit. Most common ones? Rotator cuff and elbow injuries. They are against the use of gloves, which means, some of them even brag about their bleeding hands.

    Crossfit welcomes you and with their "loving" people you'll become another cult brainwashed know it all who swears there's nothing better than Crossfit and that their poor form and ridiculous wanna be pull ups are the true, correct and only way to do thing.

    One more thing, if you really want to know how good is crossfit, read the any of the many articles written by EXPERIENCED and CERTIFIED personal trainers who went to school, spent months studying in order to pass their certification test, in order if they learned how the human body works (in anatomy and physiology).
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
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    Loveeee Crossfit. Hate. Mentality. Here is the what you will experience:

    1. Intense cardiovascular and intramuscular exercise.
    2. Pressuring to go Paleo
    3. More and more "hard" WODs that are basically the same volume of WODs that have previously been prescribed (lacking progression)

    How to tell a good Crossfit regimen:

    1. There is someone there that can clean and jerk a crazy amount of weight (150kg+)
    2. The focus is not on diet or dogma, but rather on progression (..keeping track of PRs and expecting you beat them)
    3. Solid focus on form as a correlative of function, and not the other way around...:explained below:

    Form vs Function vs Credentials:

    Most crossfit boxes will have an "expert" oly lifter..someone that is well versed in the olympic lifts and/or explosive type cadence progression. Here is the caveat. Olympic lifting is a single effort event...that encompasses maximum energy over momentary involvement. Therefore you put all your focus and energy into a single action that leads to a "lift" or a "miss".

    Crossfit allows for sloppy form in the olympic standard as long as you comply with basic rep schemes/time limitations. This is a terrible way to progress.

    Considering that a basic Xfit session is anywhere between 45min-1.5 hr, we can also assume that progressive "overload" is forgone. That is, we may inch up in load through neuro-muscular adaptation, but completely ignore muscular strengthening in any meaningful sense.

    I do understand that the top tiers of Xfit are very strong. Though I would argue that they are nowhere as "strong" as an Oly lifter...nowhere as fast as an Oly Sprinter, and nowhere as strong as a Powerlifter...without any of the aesthetic advantages of a bodybuilder.

    those that believe that Xfit is a function of "overall" fitness are sadly mistaken. Most strength training regimens target two areas of focus. A bodybuilder usually can produce high amounts of strength with aesthetics. A Sprinter, strength with endurance. A powerlifter, strength with speed. But what can a crossfitter do, in the elite tier?

    it is a haphazard way to train...beautiful to recruit overall fitness, terrible to engage in any serious progression.
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
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    I bought a coupon on Groupon to try Crossfit and it wasn't for me. Glad I tried it and it was a great workout, but I was miserable. Hated the people there and it just didn't end well...


    Just takes a certain person and that evidently that type of person isn't me. I say go for it and give it a try. Also keep in mind that each box is different and has different people, so my complaints might not be an issue at the one you try. But you never know until you try it. Go in with an open mind and give it your all and you will either love it or hate it.
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
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    Read this:

    http://slavenation.com/index.php/2009/07/23/cultfit/

    And this:

    http://www.sweatpit.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cult

    Can you get in shape doing Crossfit? Yes.

    Are there better, more efficient, less risky training methods out there that will do the same thing? Yes.

    Summary: No periodization, no progression, sketchy trainers and gyms, overpriced, no real purpose save getting better at Crossfit.

    There's nothing new in Crossfit. The exercises they use have been around for many years, used by Oly lifters, powerlifters, and strongmen. 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.

    Try it if you wish, but proceed with caution. Good luck!
  • PomegranatePriestess
    PomegranatePriestess Posts: 2,455 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.
  • AsrarHussain
    AsrarHussain Posts: 1,424 Member
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    cross fit gets a bad name IMO cross fit is good if done correct but most cross fit have such bad form curved backs deadlifting. cross fit is about lifting as fast as you can IMO form is KEY. If done safe with proper form its good
  • mrdk92
    mrdk92 Posts: 24 Member
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    I love Crossfit! I starting doing it on my own at the sports center at my college and have tried out a couple boxes and loved those as well. The key is just finding an exercise that you love. I hate running, I like lifting, and Crossfit gives me lifting and cardio.

    Pace yourself.
    Find something you love.
    And try it! Other people's opinions are all good and well, but you need to find out how it will impact you personally. You may love it, you may hate it. Just give it a go!
  • MagicalLeopleurodon
    MagicalLeopleurodon Posts: 623 Member
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    Try it! :) just be aware of your form and make sure you rest or modify based on your own personal needs!
  • LoudmouthLee
    LoudmouthLee Posts: 358
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    I have been a CrossFitter for one week. Here's what I learned:

    a) CrossFit is an ego check. I consistently need to be scaled down because my FORM is incorrect. Today, my coach disliked my form on back squats, so my first 2 sets was BAR ONLY until he felt comfortable with my form. Safety over results.

    b) We're expected to know what we did last time, and are expected to repeat / exceed what we did last time.

    c) The mantra of my box is "If you're all in, you're all in... But listen to your body." You are not required to attend every day. I, personally, go 4 days a week. I do a cardio exercise alone on a weekend day. I'm very sore, and I am already seeing results.

    d) People, in general, bash what they don't know.

    "From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it." ~ Unknown
  • LauraJeanG
    LauraJeanG Posts: 22 Member
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    I've been doing crossfit for almost a year now. I LOVE it. Yes, there is the potential for injury, but anytime you workout or train there is that same potential. Make sure to find qualified and helpful instructors. At my box they stress form first and are constantly watching you to make sure you're doing it right. They are really great about modifying workouts for beginners too. The first week is always the hardest - I was so sore I could hardly move by Friday. After the first week I would still be sore, but not in such a debilitating way.

    I think its most important that you find a good box that you really like. I look forward to going because all of the trainers and people who work out there are amazing and its almost like a second family. Everyone is really encouraging and helpful and that makes a huge difference.
  • GetFitWOD
    GetFitWOD Posts: 34
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    "From the outside looking in, you can never understand it. From the inside looking out, you can never explain it." ~ Unknown

    I've been doing Crossfit for about 2 months now and this quote pretty much says it perfectly....

    If you are even thinking about trying Crossfit I say go for it....you'll probably hate it but won't be able to stop yourself from going back.

    It's just you against you!
  • aellis1311
    aellis1311 Posts: 2
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    those that believe that Xfit is a function of "overall" fitness are sadly mistaken. Most strength training regimens target two areas of focus. A bodybuilder usually can produce high amounts of strength with aesthetics. A Sprinter, strength with endurance. A powerlifter, strength with speed. But what can a crossfitter do, in the elite tier?

    it is a haphazard way to train...beautiful to recruit overall fitness, terrible to engage in any serious progression.

    I've never done Crossfit, but I do consider myself a powerlifter in training - hoping to compete in the fall. I definitely see the appeal of Crossfit, just not right now.

    What is your definition of overall fitness? And of "serious" progression? Increasing weight moved in the big three lifts? Jumping higher? Running faster? If you're an Oly lifter, you just wanna Oly lift better. Sprinters want to run faster. Bodybuilders want to look bigger and more cut up. Powerlifters want to move more weight. Crossfitters just want to do a bunch of different things better - why is there no merit in that? Like others have said, it's all about your goals.

    Plus, what are your definitions of speed and endurance? I would say that sprinting is a combination of speed and explosiveness, and powerlifting strength and explosiveness. And bodybuilding, at least at a non-elite level, is in my experience primarily high amounts of aesthetics with strength... :P
  • AsrarHussain
    AsrarHussain Posts: 1,424 Member
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    Loveeee Crossfit. Hate. Mentality. Here is the what you will experience:

    1. Intense cardiovascular and intramuscular exercise.
    2. Pressuring to go Paleo
    3. More and more "hard" WODs that are basically the same volume of WODs that have previously been prescribed (lacking progression)

    How to tell a good Crossfit regimen:

    1. There is someone there that can clean and jerk a crazy amount of weight (150kg+)
    2. The focus is not on diet or dogma, but rather on progression (..keeping track of PRs and expecting you beat them)
    3. Solid focus on form as a correlative of function, and not the other way around...:explained below:

    Form vs Function vs Credentials:

    Most crossfit boxes will have an "expert" oly lifter..someone that is well versed in the olympic lifts and/or explosive type cadence progression. Here is the caveat. Olympic lifting is a single effort event...that encompasses maximum energy over momentary involvement. Therefore you put all your focus and energy into a single action that leads to a "lift" or a "miss".

    Crossfit allows for sloppy form in the olympic standard as long as you comply with basic rep schemes/time limitations. This is a terrible way to progress.

    Considering that a basic Xfit session is anywhere between 45min-1.5 hr, we can also assume that progressive "overload" is forgone. That is, we may inch up in load through neuro-muscular adaptation, but completely ignore muscular strengthening in any meaningful sense.

    I do understand that the top tiers of Xfit are very strong. Though I would argue that they are nowhere as "strong" as an Oly lifter...nowhere as fast as an Oly Sprinter, and nowhere as strong as a Powerlifter...without any of the aesthetic advantages of a bodybuilder.

    those that believe that Xfit is a function of "overall" fitness are sadly mistaken. Most strength training regimens target two areas of focus. A bodybuilder usually can produce high amounts of strength with aesthetics. A Sprinter, strength with endurance. A powerlifter, strength with speed. But what can a crossfitter do, in the elite tier?

    it is a haphazard way to train...beautiful to recruit overall fitness, terrible to engage in any serious progression.

    I agree with you

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