CrossFit... just started any other newbies?

hwolf4ever
hwolf4ever Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Lost weight on my own by using the 24 hour gyms. Now I feel like I need to step it up so I joined a CrossFit gym. I have my first instructional session on Wednesday. I will have to admit watching one of the CrossFit classes was very intimidating. I've never done this before I'm 45 years old but I am going to give it a try.

Replies

  • Sara1791
    Sara1791 Posts: 760 Member
    Just started in September. I'm 45. Everything is scalable; you will be able to do some version of pretty much everything right from the beginning. & it's a lot of fun having something different to do every workout.
  • deego14
    deego14 Posts: 79 Member
    I started 5 weeks ago and on day 1 I thought I was going to throw up.... week 1-3 were the hardest but once I got into the later part of week 3-5 I was excited to get to class everyday.

    Like sara1790 said everything can be modified. Remember no one is paying attention to what your doing because they are too busy working hard on themselves. Do your best every time and your best will become better each time . :) good luck!!!
  • Tucker3306
    Tucker3306 Posts: 54 Member
    Good luck with your goals!
  • Fauldsy_C
    Fauldsy_C Posts: 4 Member
    Started Crossfit in April 2016... I am going 5 times a week, love every minute of it (even when i'm laying on the ground exhausted), my weight has stayed the same but my body is starting to see changes like never before.
    My wife and I are 44 & 45 and love the group work out atmosphere... motivated to keep up with the young kids in the class. Keep at it!
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    edited November 2016
    Crossfit can be really fun.
    I find the gym gets pretty stale and boring quickly because you just do the same exercises, same sets, over and over. Crossfit you get to do something different every day -- and sometimes you get to jump and run and climb, and sometimes you lift heavy weights.
    Plus, it is nice to go to a gym where people know each other and talk with each other. That's Crossfit. It tends to be a community.

    PS There is a Crossfit group here that you can join: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/99-crossfit-love
  • _incogNEATo_
    _incogNEATo_ Posts: 4,537 Member
    GiddyupTim wrote: »
    Crossfit can be really fun.
    I find the gym gets pretty stale and boring quickly because you just do the same exercises, same sets, over and over. Crossfit you get to do something different every day -- and sometimes you get to jump and run and climb, and sometimes you lift heavy weights.
    Plus, it is nice to go to a gym where people know each other and talk with each other. That's Crossfit. It tends to be a community.

    PS There is a Crossfit group here that you can join: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/99-crossfit-love

    I enjoy a Crossfit routine every now and then. Luckily, I have a buddy who runs a box and can go join whenever I like. However, those "same exercises" you speak of are what I happen to enjoy.

    I'd also like to note that a community can be found outside of Crossfit just as easy. The gym I am a member of has a strong community in our small town. Nobody is a stranger (unless you want to be left alone).

    OP, just focus on getting better! It might be intimidating, but just remember that everybody started new at one point in time.
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  • stephanieross1
    stephanieross1 Posts: 388 Member
    Hey I've been doing it for over 6 months. Each class kills me, some I thoroughly love, some I lay there dying. But each class makes me feel better.

    I measure my progress by what I could do at the beginning. You repeat words every few months and can see how much better you get. I couldn't do a handstand before, or snatched over 100lbs above my head. I work out with ladies in their 50s and can see them improving everyday, even things such as being able to kneel or squat with the bar
    Kudos to you for joining!
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    GuitarJerry wrote: »
    6. Crossfit is a sport. It's not a workout. I'm sure it's fun. And, I'm sure you get sweaty. But, it's a sport, not a workout. It's not a progressive weight program. It's just activity. If that's what you want, go for it. But, just understand what it is. Crossfit, the sport of fitness.
    Crossfit Games programming is sport specific. Gen-pop Crossfit programming is not. I'll side with Mark Rippetowe on this when he adamantly states that Crossfit programming (of this variety) is exercise and not training. This view would offer support to the point you are alluding to in 5, however it's a very generalized view probably based on very early CF programming. The local box I drop in on my deload weeks is very meticulous in recording and tracking strength.

    Check out Crossfit Invictus approach to programming for an example...

    http://www.tierthreetactical.com/crossfit-programing-invictus-analysis/
  • Sara1791
    Sara1791 Posts: 760 Member
    edited November 2016
    GuitarJerry wrote: »
    The thing everyone is praising about crossfit are the exact things that keep me away.

    1. I like to be anonymous.
    2. I don't want a community.
    3. I hate having to have everything scheduled. I want to go when I want to go.
    4. I don't like my exercise being different all the time. How the hell do you measure progress?
    5. I like my progression on weights. Therefore, I like to know that last time I bench pressed, i did x, Now I'm going to add some weight and try for more. If you keep changing and doing different things all the time, you don't get that same sense of progression. You get better through repetition and practice. Not by changing everyday. Musicians don't play random instruments, then go out on stage and expect to be good at piano. They practice piano all the time. That's how you get better at it. If you want to be good at squats, do them every day.
    6. Crossfit is a sport. It's not a workout. I'm sure it's fun. And, I'm sure you get sweaty. But, it's a sport, not a workout. It's not a progressive weight program. It's just activity. If that's what you want, go for it. But, just understand what it is. Crossfit, the sport of fitness.

    I can only speak about the gym (box) I attend, but progress is tracked and there are standard lifts that are done regularly. The set up where I am is as follows: mobility, warm up, (your) lift of the day, goal work (time to work on a personally set physical fitness goal), WOD (workout of the day), and stretch.

    I'm probably a CrossFit exception (maybe not, who knows) but I'm not competitive, hate rah rah sis boom bah, and I'm an introvert, so I do understand why a person would want anonymity. I vant to be alone and all that. But the small group I see in my early morning class, and the commitment I've made to be there has helped me be consistent. And it's hard, which means that doing even scaled down versions makes me brave and bold and less frightened to do hard things.

  • Shutterbuggg
    Shutterbuggg Posts: 196 Member
    @hwolf4ever I hope that you enjoy it! Like others have said, everything is scalable and you will be able to do the workouts no matter your fitness level. I just started getting back into Crossfit after a 5 year hiatus. I really enjoy the variety and the challenge of the complex lifts. When I first started, learning the lifts was my biggest hurdle. Just take it easy and focus on form. Good luck!

    @GuitarJerry So tell me again your purpose of listing out the reasons Crossfit isn't for you on a thread from someone looking for support on starting this new program? That's great that you have found out what works for you and what motivates you, but not all people want to be anonymous and not everyone is motivated in the same way. As for the comment about it being a sport and not a workout, isn't that a little contradictory in itself?
    Typically a sport is a workout but I digress. Like Sara1791 said, progress IS tracked. And the goal of the program is overall fitness, not just a specific movement.
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  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    edited November 2016
    ^ Jerry, I kinda think she has a point. The OP appeared to be looking for support.
    I certainly don't do Zumba, and I personally would be mortified to have to try it in a class of dozens of others. But I would not feel the need to call up a forum thread about Zumba and let all the practitioners there know I did not like what they do....
    Personally, I think people can, and do, get stronger and better doing Crossfit. I have seen it. Yes, Crossfit sessions have the WOD (workout of the day), which is not a repetitive routine performed to specifically make a body part stronger or more flexible or whatever. But, most sessions also have a lifting, strength portion, in which you squat or deadlift or whatever, and those, over time, make you better/stronger.
    Plus, serious Crossfitters also augment their WOD sessions with their own lifting, running, gymnastics, etc.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    GuitarJerry wrote: »
    The thing everyone is praising about crossfit are the exact things that keep me away.

    1. I like to be anonymous.
    2. I don't want a community.
    3. I hate having to have everything scheduled. I want to go when I want to go.
    4. I don't like my exercise being different all the time. How the hell do you measure progress?
    5. I like my progression on weights. Therefore, I like to know that last time I bench pressed, i did x, Now I'm going to add some weight and try for more. If you keep changing and doing different things all the time, you don't get that same sense of progression. You get better through repetition and practice. Not by changing everyday. Musicians don't play random instruments, then go out on stage and expect to be good at piano. They practice piano all the time. That's how you get better at it. If you want to be good at squats, do them every day.
    6. Crossfit is a sport. It's not a workout. I'm sure it's fun. And, I'm sure you get sweaty. But, it's a sport, not a workout. It's not a progressive weight program. It's just activity. If that's what you want, go for it. But, just understand what it is. Crossfit, the sport of fitness.

    Gotta love bashers who have never actually done the thing the are bashing and go out of their way to take every effort to cut it down. Fortunately in this case all you did was look the fool. Especially on #5 & #6.
  • Shutterbuggg
    Shutterbuggg Posts: 196 Member
    @GuitarJerry To the contrary, I love diverse viewpoints and I am always happy to engage in discussions with people that have differing opinions. Regardless of what I tell my husband, I admit to being wrong and occasionally misunderstand concepts. My point was that OP was looking for support and community (SHUDDER!) Notice how I didn't insult/critique your choice of exercise? Good for you for finding what works for you (and what doesn't). There are plenty of negative/alternative views to EVERY type of exercise, Crossfit included. Good luck to you!

    Oh and BTW- For someone that doesn't like 'community' and prefers anonymity, why are you on a public forum? Troll away my friend
  • KombuchaKat
    KombuchaKat Posts: 134 Member
    nakedraygun wrote: »
    GuitarJerry wrote: »
    6. Crossfit is a sport. It's not a workout. I'm sure it's fun. And, I'm sure you get sweaty. But, it's a sport, not a workout. It's not a progressive weight program. It's just activity. If that's what you want, go for it. But, just understand what it is. Crossfit, the sport of fitness.
    Crossfit Games programming is sport specific. Gen-pop Crossfit programming is not. I'll side with Mark Rippetowe on this when he adamantly states that Crossfit programming (of this variety) is exercise and not training. This view would offer support to the point you are alluding to in 5, however it's a very generalized view probably based on very early CF programming. The local box I drop in on my deload weeks is very meticulous in recording and tracking strength.

    Check out Crossfit Invictus approach to programming for an example...

    http://www.tierthreetactical.com/crossfit-programing-invictus-analysis/

    Agree completely with the rebuttal. I've been doing Cross fit about 2 years and it's a work out. Everything can be scaled and you build up your weights. There is absolutely no expectation that you are going to walk in there and just be able to do the RX!
    Sure, if you get totally badass at it and want to compete you certainly can. But just like any other work out you build up your weights, keep track of your PR's and progress. You "compete" against yourself more than anything.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    hwolf4ever wrote: »
    Lost weight on my own by using the 24 hour gyms. Now I feel like I need to step it up so I joined a CrossFit gym. I have my first instructional session on Wednesday. I will have to admit watching one of the CrossFit classes was very intimidating. I've never done this before I'm 45 years old but I am going to give it a try.

    Just make sure your box is solid...there are good boxes and bad boxes.
  • KombuchaKat
    KombuchaKat Posts: 134 Member
    GuitarJerry wrote: »
    The thing everyone is praising about crossfit are the exact things that keep me away.

    1. I like to be anonymous.
    2. I don't want a community.
    3. I hate having to have everything scheduled. I want to go when I want to go.
    4. I don't like my exercise being different all the time. How the hell do you measure progress?
    5. I like my progression on weights. Therefore, I like to know that last time I bench pressed, i did x, Now I'm going to add some weight and try for more. If you keep changing and doing different things all the time, you don't get that same sense of progression. You get better through repetition and practice. Not by changing everyday. Musicians don't play random instruments, then go out on stage and expect to be good at piano. They practice piano all the time. That's how you get better at it. If you want to be good at squats, do them every day.
    6. Crossfit is a sport. It's not a workout. I'm sure it's fun. And, I'm sure you get sweaty. But, it's a sport, not a workout. It's not a progressive weight program. It's just activity. If that's what you want, go for it. But, just understand what it is. Crossfit, the sport of fitness.

    Your #4 and #5 Tracking is very easy in Crossfit...I have a handy spiral notebook and pen, and each time I do a lift I can check how heavy I did it before and how heavy I can do it now. You come back to the same barbell lifts and various WODs over time. Heck, you don't even need your own spiral notebook at many boxes because they have a big board where you track stuff or give you a notebook!
  • KombuchaKat
    KombuchaKat Posts: 134 Member
    hwolf4ever wrote: »
    Lost weight on my own by using the 24 hour gyms. Now I feel like I need to step it up so I joined a CrossFit gym. I have my first instructional session on Wednesday. I will have to admit watching one of the CrossFit classes was very intimidating. I've never done this before I'm 45 years old but I am going to give it a try.

    OP you'll love it, don't be afraid to "drink the Kool-Aide." And worst case scenario if it isn't for you just move on. Many Crossfit gyms have Boot camp classes as well which are usually like doing the WOD portion only, no barbell if you don't like the barbell. It's usually a little cheaper as well, just another thing to consider. Good luck!

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