from lifting to crossfit...the inevitable leap

kingkoopaluv
kingkoopaluv Posts: 147 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I may of just drank the crossfit koolaid. When there is no other place to Oly lift I have succumbed to the inevitable world of crossfit. I fell in love with oly lifting a couple months ago after a man at my "globo" gym showed me the way. The problem i am now finding is, i dont have a coach, I dont have a platform or bumpers and I have nowhere to go. I did my research and found a very highly recommended crossfit gym that offers a oly lifting programs as well. My question is, am I dumb to pay the price at a crossfit box or should I continue my lifts on my own at my current gym? I know I am the only one who can really answer this, but I'd like your opinion.

Replies

  • tubzzy77
    tubzzy77 Posts: 104 Member
    Why do you need a coach? And you were doing Oly lifts at your old gym without bumpers or a platform? You're lifting that much weight that you need bumpers and a platform?

    You can always just go to the crossfit gym and do Oly lifts. It's not like you can ONLY do extreme high intensity crossfit workouts there.
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    LOL!

    I think non-weightlifters won't understand the need for a coach, a platform and bumpers! You need all of these things to do it properly and safely.

    The real question is what do you want out of it?
    Is it just a bit of fun, and will you enjoy the other WODs, or do you want to get good and compete?

    If the first, I think crossfit will suit you fine, if the second, I think it's not the right choice, as you need to focus pretty much everything on the classic lifts and supporting exercises, plus the quality of coaching can be mixed with crossfit, as a coach may specialise in other areas.

    Like you originally said, ultimately it's down to you, but I think asking yourself the question above and coming to an answer will tell you what you need to know.
  • tubzzy77
    tubzzy77 Posts: 104 Member
    LOL!

    I think non-weightlifters won't understand the need for a coach, a platform and bumpers! You need all of these things to do it properly and safely.

    Why?
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    I actually did the other way around: Crossfit for three months to learn the lifts, and then I started lifting at home. Meh. I like lifting at home better; my husband liked crossfit better. You do you. I certainly think it's work trying, but maybe not sign up for a whole year off the bat.
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    Why you need them?

    1) A coach - the classic lifts are technical, particularly the snatch, they happen quickly. A coach that understands the lift and the technique, will save you hours of getting it wrong, and potentially injuring yourself. Self coaching is particularly hard because of the speed aspect, you either make a lift or miss it, there is no time mid lift to check a position.

    2) Platform and bumpers - The lifts have no eccentric phase, so the only way to get the weight down safely is to drop it in a controlled manner. If you do this without bumpers and a platform, you'll soon become hated by gym owners everywhere! Look at it this way, if you have decent technique, the clean & jerk is going to leave you with about the weight you front squat overhead, there is no reverse jerk and clean to get it back down!
  • Mainey13
    Mainey13 Posts: 54 Member
    PAY THE MONEY!!! I joined Crossfit about 9 mths ago and have not looked back! I dont make a lot of money ,and it is pricey, but I figured it is cheaper than personal training (or eating out 3x a week). I now eat healthy and crossfit about 4 x a week. You are well worth the expense, dont you think?

    Plus the sense of community is not something you can find at a regular gym.
  • kingkoopaluv
    kingkoopaluv Posts: 147 Member
    oh boy.
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
    No "hardcore" weightlifting gyms in your area with olympic coaches? I sure as hell wouldnt trust most crossfit coaches to teach olympic lifting...nor pay their prices. But if you are stuck with the chain gym places like 24 Fitness that won't left you Oly lift, then you dont have much of a choice.

    But most decently sized towns have at least one hole in the wall gym with olympic coaches and equipment.
  • kingkoopaluv
    kingkoopaluv Posts: 147 Member
    You would think there would be one considering im in LA, buut there all too far from me. There is a great coach at this box, Emmy Vargus she is super legit.
  • byustrongman
    byustrongman Posts: 74 Member
    I like that crossfit seems to have raised the average fitness level and fitness awareness, but I could do without their terrible programming (every time depth jumps are in the program my fb feed is flooded with achilles tendon complaints), their obsession with paleo dieting, and their pseudo-eliteism for barely impressive feats of endurance.
  • tubzzy77
    tubzzy77 Posts: 104 Member
    Why you need them?

    Concerning a coach. I see your point but would you need a coach your entire lifting career? It seems to me like I would only really want a coach when I was a. Starting out to correct my form b. If I was stuck on a lift or c. I was going to be lifting professionally. Once you get the form of the lift down, don't you know if you made it or not?

    Concerning a platform and bumpers I mistook the oly lifts with power lifting lifts. With the clean and jerk I could see that being an issue even though she is just starting out and probably not using that much weight.

    I guess if you really want to get serious about Oly lifts then by all means sign up for your cross fit gym and go to town.If I was going to be focusing on the Olympic lifts I would go to a gym that specialized in Olympic lifting but it seems like this cross fit gym will fit you nicely and they have a great coach.
  • HelloDan
    HelloDan Posts: 712 Member
    Concerning a coach. I see your point but would you need a coach your entire lifting career? It seems to me like I would only really want a coach when I was a. Starting out to correct my form b. If I was stuck on a lift or c. I was going to be lifting professionally. Once you get the form of the lift down, don't you know if you made it or not?

    Once you've learnt to kick a football, or form a scrum in rugby, would the team ditch the coach?

    I think people assume the coach is not necessary, because they just think about weight training in a gym, as opposed to competitive lifting as a sport itself.
  • trojanbb
    trojanbb Posts: 1,297 Member
    Why you need them?

    Concerning a coach. I see your point but would you need a coach your entire lifting career? It seems to me like I would only really want a coach when I was a. Starting out to correct my form b. If I was stuck on a lift or c. I was going to be lifting professionally. Once you get the form of the lift down, don't you know if you made it or not?

    Concerning a platform and bumpers I mistook the oly lifts with power lifting lifts. With the clean and jerk I could see that being an issue even though she is just starting out and probably not using that much weight.

    I guess if you really want to get serious about Oly lifts then by all means sign up for your cross fit gym and go to town.If I was going to be focusing on the Olympic lifts I would go to a gym that specialized in Olympic lifting but it seems like this cross fit gym will fit you nicely and they have a great coach.

    If you want to be a competitive Oly lifter, you will need a coach the entire time. It's not like powerlifting or most other sports even
  • holothuroidea
    holothuroidea Posts: 772 Member
    If you can afford it and you know the coaching is good, crossfit is well worth the money.

    If nothing else you can make some really good connections there. I started at crossfit but couldn't afford it and now one of the coaches works one-on-one with me during off hours. You make friends. Friends who have bumpers and platforms in their garages. Friends who can check your form and spot you and help you achieve your goals.

    Most boxes offer a free intro class so take advantage of that. Also watch out for groupon deals and stuff, that's how I started.
  • janebshaw
    janebshaw Posts: 168
    My advice is to stay away from Crossfit. Many Crossfit trainers only had a weekend seminar for training and are not qualified to coach you. At most Crossfits, the price is outrageous. For what you would be paying for Crossfit, you could hire a qualified trainer to help with your form that really does know what they are doing.

    Please remember that Crossfit is nothing but a brand name. They use exercise routines that have been around for ages.

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