Just get her in the door. If your coach and box are light the ones I've been in the rest will take care of itself. I've never been in a more supportive atmosphere that keeps you wanting to come back.

you tell her it's going to be awesome - I started at around 270# around 37yrs old and love it! (and yes, I'm a shorty)

I am sending good vibes!! Congrats to your niece for taking the plunge!! : )

Just because you love Crossfit does not necessarily mean it will be an exercise environment your niece enjoys. You must be prepared for the possibility this approach may backfire and have a plan B for helping your niece get into a fitness program.

Check your local papers, phone books and internet sources, gyms, fitness clubs, etc for organizations that help people that are severely obese to take better care of their health, and if your niece doesn't like Crossfit, please encourage her to check out those organizations.

I am really sorry to hear things went that way. Your niece would have been so much better off if she had decided Crossfit wasn't for her and instead joined a weight loss fitness group that was more appropriate for her weight and skill level.

It is NOT necessary to work out so hard that you feel like you are going to die in order to get results -- especially if you are new to exercise. In fact exercising that hard when you are overweight and new to exercise can be downright dangerous! Did you ask your niece to talk to her doctor about Crossfit before you signed her up to make sure her body could deal with that kind of stress? If not, she should talk to her doctor before she goes back.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=stop_exercising_so_hard_why_moderate_workouts_really_do_work

"Have you noticed how intense workout programs have become in recent years? The top-selling fitness DVDs are by "America's Toughest Trainer" Jillian Michaels (think 30 Day Shred) and also include P90X and Insanity (advertised as "the hardest fitness program ever put on DVD"). Even Crossfit, which combines gymnastics, power lifting, and plyometrics and was originally used by athletes, firefighters, and soldiers, is gaining popularity among unfit beginners and housewives alike. The ever-popular "Biggest Loser" TV series also depicts people exercising to the point of injury, hospitalization, and vomiting.
As a certified fitness professional, I can tell you for a fact that it is both unsafe and very risky for the average Joe (or Jane) to jump into high intensity exercise when just starting a fitness routine. Yet workout programs like these aren't marketed to regular exercisers who want to take their fitness to the next level. They target people who are overweight and obese, out of shape, and/or not already exercising consistently. To go from sitting on the couch to performing high intensity exercise is contraindicated by all reputable fitness organizations, including ACE (American Council on Exercise), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America), NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association), The Cooper Institute and more. All reputable fitness organizations say that one must start small with lighter and shorter workouts and then very gradually build up their fitness level before attempting the types of workouts I see being sold to beginners every day."

I did some modified Crossfit type workouts with some people that were having a class in a regular gym (not a Crossfit box) but when I checked out the local Crossfit box, I soon saw it was not the kind of environment I wanted to exercise in. There was far too much focus on competition and seeing how tough you could be and bloody blisters and injuries were seen as a badge of honor.

I will continue to pray for your niece to find the best fitness and weight loss group for her, because after the newness of Crossfit wears off and she find out how much soreness she will have to suffer through after every workout, I really doubt if she will want to stick with it long term.

That's AWESOME! I'm thrilled for her!

Didn't you people read that article about how dangerous it is for someone that is obese and hasn't been exercising to jump right into a high intensity workout like Crossfit?

Georgie304, I do realize you are trying to help your niece, but you are putting that girl's life in danger by asking her to do a high intensity workout like that when she doesn't have a good base of physical fitness to start with.

It doesn't matter if she was going into Crossfit or boot camp or HITT or Insanity or something else at that intensity level -- MEDICAL AND FITNESS EXPERTS ARE WARNING PEOPLE IT'S NOT SAFE FOR ANYONE THAT ISN'T ALREADY FIT TO JUST JUMP INTO SOMETHING THAT INTENSE!

If you love Crossfit, fine. Go at it. But your niece is just getting started with exercise and isn't ready for something that intense. She probably just went to make you happy.

Crossfit will be there if and when your niece is ready for something that intense, but that time isn't now!

Did you ask your niece to talk to her doctor about it first? Most responsible trainers would require a doctor's approval before accepting an overweight person that is just getting into exercising into a program as intense as Crossfit.

Even if the coach is good at helping your niece scale, if she is exhausted and out of breath at the end of the workout, as you indicated she was, IT STILL COULD BE TOO INTENSE OF AN EXERCISE ROUTINE TO BE SAFE. While some people can take the Crossfit route from being obese to fit, that doesn't make it the safest or best route for everyone. What one person's body may be able to tolerate will cause another to have a heart attack or other medical emergency brought on by too much exertion when they are not used to it.

Instead of pushing for your niece to do what you want and you love, why not encourage her to find her own path to fitness?

If I knew someone in a similar situation, I would encourage them to look for a moderate exercise and nutrition advice program that is specially designed for people dealing with weight issues. Those kind of groups have the advantage of being able to help members deal with the emotional issues that cause many people to over eat and gain weight. Unfortunately, Crossfit has nothing at all to offer in that department.

And even then, she should have a doctor's approval before she starts a new exercise program.

I'm so glad that she loved it!! :-D

Getting through a Crossfit workout can give you momentary feelings of joy and exhilaration because you survived it. That's just the endorphin high talking.

That doesn't mean it was safe for a person of her size that's new to fitness to attempt such an intense workout.

Hopefully, that one experience of getting an endorphin high won't be enough to make her want to keep coming back to Crossfit instead of taking a more safe and reasonable approach to exercise for a person that's large and new to exercise.

Anyway, when your niece experiences the extreme soreness of DOMS a day or two later, I doubt if she will be so thrilled with the idea of being involved with Crossfit.

She's back, guess who's back?

LOL, yes! I had a PM. I didn't even bother opening it.


So... She loved it y'all! On the car ride over I told her what the WOD was, Cindy.

I explained what the 20 AMRAP was and how it was perfect for her..it was simply done at her own pace...if she needed to shake out her arms after every pull up...go for it.

Pull ups were scaled to ring rows
Push ups were from a bar
Squats were to a stack of plates

I told her that every single workout will kill you..even if she does it for a year/no matter her fitness level b/c you push yourself to your limit each and every time. I told her that when everyone is done they drop and recoop...and that after 5 or 10 minutes she will feel amazing.

AND SHE DID!

PLUS.. after we were all able to breath again... I showed her and the other newer girl another way of scaling pull ups without the rings... They told me to move over so they could try it... So she was even asking for more after her 1st workout. I am so proud of her!

She was very excited and asked when she could come back again.

Thanks for the prayers and support everyone.

I was only half-serious but I guess I called that right?

Glad she enjoyed it. A good box with good coaches really is the key, and it sounds like you have it. I hope she sticks with it and ramps herself up slowly. Push hard, make sure she drinks a TON of water. She's going to be sweating like she hasn't done in a long, long time if she is anything like me

You people have no idea of who I am or what I do.

But that isn't the point.

The point is that taking a large person that isn't used to exercising and putting them in an intense workout is SCIENTIFICALLY and MEDICALLY KNOWN TO BE DANGEROUS! It can cause a heart attack and many other problems.

See

http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/exercising-dangers-obese-people-3908.html

"Exercising Dangers for Obese People
by Brenna Davis

Obesity poses major health risks including joint problems, heart attack, stroke and early morbidity. While exercise is key to shedding weight and reducing obesity, it can also pose some risks to the severely obese. This doesn't mean you shouldn't exercise because the risks of remaining obese typically outweigh the risks of exercise. However, you should consult your doctor before beginning a new fitness routine to ensure that you are healthy enough to exercise. Take it slow for the first few weeks and ask your doctor if there are any specific precautions you should take.

Cardiac Episodes

Cardiovascular exercise raises the heart rate, providing the heart muscle with exercise that can strengthen it over time. However, if your heart rate goes too high, cardiovascular exercise can provoke a heart attack and other cardiac episodes such as stroke and arrhythmia. While anyone can have a cardiac episode while exercising, the obese are at an increased risk. Obese people tend to have higher blood pressure, weaker hearts and poor circulation, both of which can increase their risk of cardiac episodes. Ask your doctor about your target maximum heart rate; this is the rate that your heart should not exceed during physical exercise. For most people, this rate is 220 minus your age, but your target rate may differ depending upon your level of obesity and your overall health.

Respiratory Problems

Exercise requires you to breathe more rapidly, and people unaccustomed to exercising may end up hyperventilating instead. Cardiac problems such as high blood pressure or poor circulation -- to which obese people are prone -- may also make breathing more difficult. If you have trouble catching your breath, slow down and focus on taking slow, deep breaths. Do not sit down, as this can actually cause your heart rate to temporarily spike and make breathing more difficult. Instead, stand or walk in place while drinking water.

Joint Injury

Excess weight places additional stress on joints, and obese people are more likely to suffer from joint problems, including arthritis. Some exercises, such as running, are stressful to the joints. In extreme cases, pressure on your joints can cause them to break, can cause muscle sprains or strains and can exacerbate old injuries."

If your niece passes out on the floor from pushing too hard and you have to call the ambulance the next time you think it's so great to take her to Crossfit, you'll see how funny it's NOT!

I've seen plenty of people that were formerly obese get fit and lose weight without nearly killing them self in every workout. MODERATION and consistency is the key to success -- NOT trying to push until you can't stand up every time you hit the gym.

You'd be less transparent if you used different links instead of the same one across usernames.

We know you don't like Crossfit. And we know you keep creating new userIDs to log into the CROSSFIT LOVE group after your old ones get banned.

The point is that we all heard your drivel the first time. And the second time. And now the third time. We don't agree. So go away and kindly leave us alone to do our thing.

If your "thing" is congratulating people for pushing a poor overweight girl that hasn't been exercising into doing Crossfit, you are being extremely irresponsible! If you already have a good fitness base and want to do Crossfit, fine. But Crossfit could kill someone that is overweight and not used to that intensity of exercise.

The health situation you had is not the same as everyone else's.

Some people's health improves with vigorous exercise, while the same exercise routine can be dangerous or even deadly for others.

Anyone that is obese and/or has health concerns should ALWAYS consult their doctor before starting any kind of an intense exercise exercise program -- whether it's Crossfit, running, or anything else.

Just because you got by with being diabetic, obese and sedentary when you started Crossfit doesn't make this the best approach. Most doctors would prefer their patients start gradually with a more moderate exercise program that didn't leave them exhausted and out of breath and work up to something that intense if that sort of an exercise program was their goal.