Crossfit starting point
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DerekG79
Posts: 116 Member
I am really interested in starting Crossfit and I see where it is for people of all fitness levels but I am looking for reality. Do you need to have at least some degree of fitness before starting this? I don't want to be hurt or look stupid out there. I am still 98 pounds overweight and although I do a good bit of cardio I don't have a lot of stregnth yet. Would any of you crossfit fans give me the truth. Should I go for it yet?
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Replies
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short answer: Go for it.
long answer: Let the coaches teach you the movements, make sure you have proper form. The strength will come the more you work at it. Everything can be scaled to your level. Don't go thinking that you can lift the heavy weights right off the bat and you are less likely to get injured.0 -
Everything can be modified to your fitness level. I have known MANY people who put off starting until they had reached a particular weight and then wished that they had just started off doing crossfit from the beginning.
Get ready for the sh*tstorm about to blow your way. The forums are not kind to posts about crossfit.
Look up the group Crossfit Love to get more questions answered!!0 -
I'm just being an echo, but I agree: go for it! I've written long, lengthy posts about this very subject, but to try and be succinct: my 70-year-old mother-in-law and my 150-lb-overweight sister-in-law both started CrossFit at the beginning of the summer, and they are just loving it. Make sure your box/coach emphasizes safety and good form, not fast times or heavy weight. And have fun!0
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Everything can be modified to your fitness level. I have known MANY people who put off starting until they had reached a particular weight and then wished that they had just started off doing crossfit from the beginning.
Get ready for the sh*tstorm about to blow your way. The forums are not kind to posts about crossfit.
Look up the group Crossfit Love to get more questions answered!!
This.
I started CF about a year ago and love it. I'm in decent shape, but certainly not great shape. There are plenty of people who are significantly overweight and do it anyway. I've seen people make amazing progress. Just know one thing - CF is humbling. There will be women who are outlifting you, especially in your beginning stages. That's nothing to be embarrassed about because CF women are strong and amazing. Check your ego at the door, focus on learn good form so you can stay safe and healthy and go have fun. You'll love it.0 -
Can you do a push up? Not one one your knees.
Can you do a pull up? Can you at least get close to doing one? Like say, 25lb assisted?
Can you do 10 burpees without calling it your entire workout?
Can you bench press an Oly bar with no weights on it? (45lbs)
Then you should be ok.0 -
They can't all be great, whats some signs your at a bad, or at least not so great, crossfit gym (or box lol)0
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Just do the things you can do and do them at a level of exertion you are comfortable with. Where people run into issues is trying to go too fast and too hard too soon...not only crossfit, but with anything. I saw a lady pass out on her spin bike in class because she was new and trying to keep pace with myself and some other riders that spin and also log significant miles on our bikes outside of spin....don't do that ****.0
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They can't all be great, whats some signs your at a bad, or at least not so great, crossfit gym (or box lol)
CF really isn't my thing, but I tried it early on. I tried three different boxes...one of them was horrible...the class had two coaches and about 40 participants...it was huge and people were doing all kinds of stupidness and the coaches simply couldn't watch everyone. It was actually kind of scary and out of control.
One of the other boxes I went to seemed pretty good....coaches were really engaged...class was small....form was constantly being emphasized.
The third box I went to seem to be just ok...the coaches seemed good enough and were correcting people here and there, but the emphasis really seemed to be on knocking stuff out as fast as possible...we were working in groups and groups who couldn't keep pace were penalized...this basically led to people doing the exercises, but not really doing them properly.
To the OP...I would look a CF more as an actual sport than a workout. That's ultimately what I didn't like about it...it wasn't really training me to be good at anything except CF. That's all well and good if you want to do CF as a sport, but I had a lot of other interests in mind.0 -
low instructor to trainie ratio does seem like a good tip.
i'd like to push, but i'd like to push intelligently, and not so sure i trust just whomever to do that.
still leaning towards doing a few months at a gym, maybe more then one, and then just doing the WOD of the day at home0 -
Hey Derek, I'm very new here but I figured I would chime in on this post. I am very overweight. I joined a local crossfit box about 3 months ago and I have to say it is the best thing I've ever done!!!! When I first walked into the door to talk to them I was weighing in at about 450lbs. 3 months in, and as of this morning, I weigh in at 394lbs. My goal weight is 275, and I'm confident that crossfit will get me there. They introduced me to a Paleo diet also. I've been strict with it for the most part. I eat very healthy now but not so much the Grass Fed Meats. I buy it when I can if it's on sale, otherwise it's too pricey for me.
The workouts are scaled to your abilities and you will NEVER feel like you're holding up the class. That was my biggest fear. The people at the place I go have been so encouraging towards me also. It really does feel more like a community than just going to a gym. Some people say it's like a cult...I say who cares. If it's getting me motivated to keep going, become more active and eat healthier, then I'm all for drinking their cool aid!
There are a lot of exercises that I'm unable to do, but they will have you do others so you can work your way to doing the ones everyone does. For instance, last night they were doing toe to bars. That's hanging from a pull up bar and lifting your legs up to touch the bar. No way can do that yet. Instead I was on the ground doing leg raises. I can do so many more now than my first week there. We also did box jumps last night. Instead of box jumping, I'm doing step ups on them.
Everyone in the class is too worried about wiping the sweat out of their eyes and concentrating on their own workout for you to ever feel like they are judging you. Again...it's the most encouraging atmosphere I've found.
Now I find myself hooked on it. I started going to what they call On-Ramp once a week. That's pretty much an intro class to the basics. I did that once a week for a month. Then I moved to 1 regular class a week, then 2. This week I'm starting to go 4 nights a week. Weekend I find myself wanting to be more active. I started hiking...First week I was able to do 6 miles...8 miles the next. I couldn't be happier with the progress I've been making.
Do yourself a favor and go to a crossfit box tonight to talk to them. It was the best decision I've ever made...I just wish I did it sooner.0 -
I started Crossfit in June and I will reiterate what the others said. If you do cardio now and can do a push up and a burpee, you should be fine.
People scale the workouts for their fitness level and strength all the time. Almost, most boxes have on-ramp sessions geared to newcomers, where you can learn some of the unfamiliar movements and work on them.0 -
Being able to do some of the exercises that some have posted helps, but in my opinion, it's not necessary. Stick with it and you will get there.
I can not do a burpee. Instead I do a modified one with a box. I don't go all the way to the ground yet..I use the box for support.
I can hang from a pull up bar, but can't do a pull up. Instead they have me holding onto rings..I lean back and pull my weight up that way. I'm getting better and stronger. Now I'm doing what they call negatives and jumping pull ups. I jump up to grab the pull up bar and try to control my speed going down. This is all building myself up to be able to do a regular pull up down the line.
Push ups I'm fine with..you if you can't do one with strict form...don't worry about it. Do a push up with your knees on the ground instead of your feet.
The key is to stick with it, and you will make progress.0 -
Can you do a push up? Not one one your knees.
Can you do a pull up? Can you at least get close to doing one? Like say, 25lb assisted?
Can you do 10 burpees without calling it your entire workout?
Can you bench press an Oly bar with no weights on it? (45lbs)
Then you should be ok.
No. Wrong.
You don't need to know how to do any of this to get started. OP should find a box that teaches the basics. I certainly couldn't bench press 45# when I started, nor could I do a pushup (on my knees or otherwise). I've been doing CF for a year and a half and I still use a pull-up band.0 -
Can you do a push up? Not one one your knees.
Can you do a pull up? Can you at least get close to doing one? Like say, 25lb assisted?
Can you do 10 burpees without calling it your entire workout?
Can you bench press an Oly bar with no weights on it? (45lbs)
Then you should be ok.
Well, I started with knee pushups. You can also scale to push ups on a box. I still can't do unassisted pull ups (I do ring rows). I started with a 15# bar.
That being said, I went from cleaning the 15 pound bar to 135# in 10 months. And I do regular pushups now. So while I still can't do pull ups, I have made a lot of progress in other areas.
I was already doing slow runs and a lot of hiking when I started CF. I was one of those people who got more in shape with the plan of starting CF. Actually, I'm glad I did it that way. Sounds like you have been doing some cardio and are about in the same spot. Good, give it a go! However, the main point is that you will push yourself in CF and you will get your *kitten* handed to you no matter where you started. The mechanism for getting your *kitten* handed to you will vary depending on how fit you were coming into CF. But, you go at your own pace and at your own skill level. The weights take time and they should! If you want to do it, go for it! I know my box offers free classes people can try to test it out (minus the power and oly lifting).
I also never feel like new people are holding up the class and I never felt like I was. Just make a deal with yourself to keep going back. Getting over the mental and emotional hurdles are much harder than the physical ones! But, it's super fun and hilarious at times, and you make cool new friends.0 -
Hey Derek, I'm very new here but I figured I would chime in on this post. I am very overweight. I joined a local crossfit box about 3 months ago and I have to say it is the best thing I've ever done!!!! When I first walked into the door to talk to them I was weighing in at about 450lbs. 3 months in, and as of this morning, I weigh in at 394lbs. My goal weight is 275, and I'm confident that crossfit will get me there. They introduced me to a Paleo diet also. I've been strict with it for the most part. I eat very healthy now but not so much the Grass Fed Meats. I buy it when I can if it's on sale, otherwise it's too pricey for me.
The workouts are scaled to your abilities and you will NEVER feel like you're holding up the class. That was my biggest fear. The people at the place I go have been so encouraging towards me also. It really does feel more like a community than just going to a gym. Some people say it's like a cult...I say who cares. If it's getting me motivated to keep going, become more active and eat healthier, then I'm all for drinking their cool aid!
There are a lot of exercises that I'm unable to do, but they will have you do others so you can work your way to doing the ones everyone does. For instance, last night they were doing toe to bars. That's hanging from a pull up bar and lifting your legs up to touch the bar. No way can do that yet. Instead I was on the ground doing leg raises. I can do so many more now than my first week there. We also did box jumps last night. Instead of box jumping, I'm doing step ups on them.
Everyone in the class is too worried about wiping the sweat out of their eyes and concentrating on their own workout for you to ever feel like they are judging you. Again...it's the most encouraging atmosphere I've found.
Now I find myself hooked on it. I started going to what they call On-Ramp once a week. That's pretty much an intro class to the basics. I did that once a week for a month. Then I moved to 1 regular class a week, then 2. This week I'm starting to go 4 nights a week. Weekend I find myself wanting to be more active. I started hiking...First week I was able to do 6 miles...8 miles the next. I couldn't be happier with the progress I've been making.
Do yourself a favor and go to a crossfit box tonight to talk to them. It was the best decision I've ever made...I just wish I did it sooner.
^^^^Great post, excellent points!0 -
just take the on-ramp class and see if you like it or not.
the on ramp is designed pretty much the same way the regular WODs are done, just with more instruction on technique and form.
all of the workouts are scalable in terms of weights and movements. for instance if you cant do a rope climb then start off by just just pulling your upper body up the rope from laying on your back. can't do a pullup, grab some bands to help support your weight.
oh yeah i never got the hang of double unders and probably never will0 -
Wow, i wish I'd found this thread a year ago, then I'd be a year further into my Crossfit life!
I completely agree with those who say you need NO specific fitness experience. For me, I find that if a coach knows what they're doing, they will very quickly understand your individual fitness level and needs from a cleverly put together Intro and On Ramp series.
Ideally the classes should be small enough that the coaches can spend time focussing on you and your form, therefore you should very comfortably learn how to move safely and effectively early on. This is why being a true beginner is actually a huge benefit in some cases.
Yes one focus of a WOD is intensity, which will get you out of breath and sweaty, and push you to your limit, but as many have said, it is scaled to your level, YOUR limits. You are never made to feel you are not strong/fast enough. That said, the group, the atmosphere and the beliefs of a cross fit community should motivate you to improve every single class.
Anyway, just wanted to put in my 2 cents, give it a try! I'm the girl who was such a shy non-starter at school that I never even learnt to do handstands or skip!!! So coming to Crossfit was a huge mental challenge for me, knowing i'd be expected to try everything, but now i'm here, I can't believe I put it off. And now I can skip (errr... single unders) and do a handstand (with a little help!). Yay me :P
Good luck!0 -
Everything can be modified or something can be found that is comparable to whatever they are doing in class if you cannot do it yet. I worked out with a broken foot..totally modified of course. Can't do pull ups? Do ring rows. Can't do push ups then you can do it on a box or do negatives and snake back up. Can't do burpees? Maybe you'll do box step ups or kettlebells swings. This is where it's important to visit various Crossfit gyms and find one that you feel comfortable with. There will be people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels there. My only regret is that I didn't try it sooner.0
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Personally I am really glad I had experience lifting before I started crossfit. I recommend that all my friends who are interested in lifting start with 1-on-1 coaching or at the very least do some reading on their own (Such as Starting Strength) to help learn proper form. The coaches at my box are great at correcting anyone with really bad form, but even in a small class of 5-8 people they can't have eyes on everyone at once and it is tough to really refine your technique in a large group setting. I personally think people who already have some base level of fitness and coordination are much better equipped to do Crossfit than people with zero fitness experience.0
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Nothing to add other than give it a try. You might like it, you might not. Either way why not go find out?0
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