CrossFit, thoughts?

shannonleila · December 2017

Hello wonderful health & fitness community of the world.

I’m likely signing up for CrossFit on Monday but want to get thoughts, opinions and advice ☺️

Thanks in advance

And, go! Throw it at me ☺️

Inspirationalwaterjug · December 2017

Do you have a background in Olympic weight lifting ?

naculp · December 2017

I think it's too expensive and I don't care for the concept of lifting weights for time

sardelsa · December 2017

Try it out and see if you like it. Some people find the group aspect very motivating, others don't.
It also depends on your goals. If you want fitness, community, general strength, sure. For specific aesthetic/physique and strength goals, if you want to compete.. then no.

For me personally it's a no. I have very specific goals (mostly aesthetic) that would not benefit from CrossFit. Also I hate working out in groups, and I love working out at home. It is also fairly costly.

Unknown · December 2017

This content has been removed.

Motorsheen · December 2017

How do feel about group photos ?

robhunt25 · December 2017

I posted this in another thread. I hope you find it helpful:

A few things to consider,
1. Your goals- cross fit is classified as a sport. It's not used by athletes to train because it is not a viable method of training and is not tested by research.
2. The competitive aspect of it can be harmful to individuals who are inexperienced with Olympic lifts. Movement deficiencies can lead to more harm than good when working out with a crossfire regimen.
3. It only takes a trainer one weekend to be certified to teach a course. Granted, it is getting a lot better than it was originally. These things are important to consider. Good luck with your goals.

cbrealtor55 · December 2017

It’s great, try it for yourself. Just make sure the coaches teach you proper technique and listen. It is a viable method of training and can help you achieve great results. I have lost a little over 100 lbs doing Crossfit. The difference in Crossfit and a regular gym is the community. Good Luck!

Ironandwine69 · December 2017

robhunt25 wrote: »

I posted this in another thread. I hope you find it helpful:

A few things to consider,
1. Your goals- cross fit is classified as a sport. It's not used by athletes to train because it is not a viable method of training and is not tested by research.
2. The competitive aspect of it can be harmful to individuals who are inexperienced with Olympic lifts. Movement deficiencies can lead to more harm than good when working out with a crossfire regimen.
3. It only takes a trainer one weekend to be certified to teach a course. Granted, it is getting a lot better than it was originally. These things are important to consider. Good luck with your goals.

This.

KarenSmith2018 · December 2017

Crossfit can be done by everyone but it’s not for everyone. I am a fully signed up member to the cult. I love the sport, I love to compete, I love the constant challenge, the programming, the ability to be training snatch one day and pull ups the next. I love the community spirit and the friends I have made. If you have specific goals towards building a booty or whatever it will take a lot longer doing crossfit. If you want to be generally fit and strong it’s great. I am the fittest I’ve ever been. I can now do pull ups deadlift double my body weight, squat and jerk over my body weight too. My rowing, running and endurance stamina has massively increased too.

Find a box where the coaches know what they are talking about and constNtly coach not just sit back and let stuff happen.

sgt1372 · December 2017

For a full array of opinions on Crossfit, just read the following thread which was posted before and is currently on the same page as yours: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10618309/crossfit-yes-or-no/p1

Katiebear_81 · December 2017

Make sure whatever box you join has a beginners programs, and then continues to scale to ability. If they expect you to snatch* on your second day, find another box.

* With more than a broom stick. It takes time to perfect form and get the range of motion and muscle memory before you start loading it.

Nathy_F · December 2017

naculp wrote: »

I think it's too expensive and I don't care for the concept of lifting weights for time

Same... where I live the price is $140-170 per mths..not including trainer..

PRORACER18 · December 2017

I have worked out at regular gyms since I was about 16 years old....I am a person who needs a constant challenge, and I get bored easily. I found Crossfit about 4 years ago, and I still love it as much as I did my first week. Yes, it's expensive, but at a good Crossfit box you basically get a personal trainer every single day. Price that out sometime.....a good coach will also make sure that you are scaling your workouts to YOUR ability, and will be VERY sure that your form is solid for any olympic lifts before you start adding weight. Even now, I work on form over anything else when it comes to the lifts.

I have stayed with Crossfit through a broken wrist, a busted rib, a torn meniscus, and other various injuries that I have suffered through my main job, which is offroad racing. I mention that because the fact that you can adjust any of the workouts to what you are able to do at the time is a huge benefit of Crossfit. (and I am back at 100% again)

I love that I know every day will be different, yet it is not just totally random in the hands of a great coach/programmer. There is a reason for every workout we do at our box, and we go through programming cycles to achieve certain fitness goals. I'm somewhat of an introvert, so the social aspect of the box was the most intimidating for me when I began, but it was also a good thing because I am very competitive, and there are many workouts where that competitive drive pushes me harder than I would ever had gone at the gym by myself. And I actually enjoy seeing my CF people every day now.....so it's even helped me be more of a team player while keeping me fit and in great shape. I literally don't see any downsides of CF.....but it will depend on what YOU are personally needing/looking for out of a fitness program. I'm glad you are trying it.....I'd say give it a week if you can, because one day won't give you a clear picture of what CF is all about. I drug my husband in with me about a month after I started, and he has also never left, and once my daughter tried it, she was also hooked. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do......

cwolfman13 · December 2017

I did CrossFit for a bit years ago. In terms of a workout, it'll generally leave you pretty wasted...but it wasn't really my bag. It all just seemed like random movements to me with no particular direction or purpose other than to get your sweat on.

For much of my young life I was a competitive athlete in a few different sports and I'm accustomed to my training having direction and purpose, so CF just seemed weird to me. Also, the concept of Oly lifting for reps and time was strange to me...I started Oly lifting in high school and we never lifted for time or a bunch of reps as the movements are highly technical and form can degrade pretty easily.

I also didn't really care to be on a schedule which is another reason I really don't do much in regards to group exercise activities. I like to go to the gym when I can and want to go...the rest of my life is pretty scheduled out, so I really don't dig having to be to the gym at some specific time because that's when the class starts.

The only way you're really going to know is if you try it...some people love it and for some, it's just not their bag. I gave it a go for about a month and then opted for a more traditional gym.

not_a_runner · December 2017

sgt1372 wrote: »

For a full array of opinions on Crossfit, just read the following thread which was posted before and is currently on the same page as yours: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10618309/crossfit-yes-or-no/p1

I posted my opinions on this thread in greater detail.

Short answer - it depends on your goals.

I tried it for a few months and found it was not the best option for my goals (strength and aesthetics).
A lot of people I met who only go to the class WODs seemed to have lackluster results (when it comes to strength/aesthetics)

natruallycurious · December 2017

PRORACER18 wrote: »

I have worked out at regular gyms since I was about 16 years old....I am a person who needs a constant challenge, and I get bored easily. I found Crossfit about 4 years ago, and I still love it as much as I did my first week. Yes, it's expensive, but at a good Crossfit box you basically get a personal trainer every single day. Price that out sometime.....a good coach will also make sure that you are scaling your workouts to YOUR ability, and will be VERY sure that your form is solid for any olympic lifts before you start adding weight. Even now, I work on form over anything else when it comes to the lifts.

I have stayed with Crossfit through a broken wrist, a busted rib, a torn meniscus, and other various injuries that I have suffered through my main job, which is offroad racing. I mention that because the fact that you can adjust any of the workouts to what you are able to do at the time is a huge benefit of Crossfit. (and I am back at 100% again)

I love that I know every day will be different, yet it is not just totally random in the hands of a great coach/programmer. There is a reason for every workout we do at our box, and we go through programming cycles to achieve certain fitness goals. I'm somewhat of an introvert, so the social aspect of the box was the most intimidating for me when I began, but it was also a good thing because I am very competitive, and there are many workouts where that competitive drive pushes me harder than I would ever had gone at the gym by myself. And I actually enjoy seeing my CF people every day now.....so it's even helped me be more of a team player while keeping me fit and in great shape. I literally don't see any downsides of CF.....but it will depend on what YOU are personally needing/looking for out of a fitness program. I'm glad you are trying it.....I'd say give it a week if you can, because one day won't give you a clear picture of what CF is all about. I drug my husband in with me about a month after I started, and he has also never left, and once my daughter tried it, she was also hooked. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do......

All of this. I originally didn't do crossfit because of the price. However, the gym I joined has an additional paid program that is somewhat similar to crossfit, so I now pay as much as I would if I had joined a box. I absolutely love it, and it pushes me harder (in a safe way, my coaches also will not add weight until your form is good, and they still closely watch the people who have been doing it a long time - form is a constant thing to watch and improve on) than I am capable of pushing myself. Like some others, I like the community of it. There are not many things that can get me out of bed in time to be at the gym for a 5am workout. This program (and I'm sure actual crossfit if I ever make the complete switch) is one of them.

jennydelgado09 · December 2017

I love it. Struggled with my weight since middle school and never able to lose. Just kept gaining.
Lost about 25lbs and 6/7 pant sizes within a year of doing crossfit. Had never picked up a barbell until my first class. Have never been stronger or had better endurance. 3 years later and still doing it. Just had a baby so getting back into it.

fittocycle · December 2017

I've never done Crossfit but I have done strength training for a number of years. Be very mindful of your form when doing any type of weight training. I've heard that physical therapists see quite a few of crossfit injuries and I'm guessing it's due to poor form. Watch your form when you get fatigued as that is when most injuries can occur

GiddyupTim · December 2017

I'm another who loves it.
Sure. It is expensive relative to some gyms. But you get coaching and you get pushed by the other people in the gym.
There is a lot of comraderie in a Crossfit gym that you don't find in a regular gym. It makes it fun, which makes it easier to go. And your compatriots push you -- not so much directly, but indirectly, because nobody wants to seem like a wimp.
Plus, it is varied. You sprint and you jog and you develop cardio. You jump rope and do gymnastics and can develop some skills. You lift much heavier than people do in Orange Theory or a "bootcamp" class or whatever.
People usually find some aspect of Crossfit that they really enjoy (the gymnastics, or Olympic lifting) and they end up working a little harder at that part of it. So, it is not really legitimate to say "Crossfit is just a sport, so you can't really get strong doing it." Lots of people start Crossfit and they find they enjoy the squats, deadlifts, and benching, and so they do more of that, and they get really strong.
But they also develop other skills and they also tend to maintain their flexibility better because they need it for the other things they do --eg, the Olympic lifts.
Coaches are good. Coaches are bad. All coaches. A coach is not a reason to dismiss Crossfit out of hand. If the coach you have at the place you go is not helping you to scale your workouts to your level, or to get stronger, then find another place. But it really bugs me when people say: "Well, Crossfit isn't any good because it is too easy to become a coach." First off, it is not easy. Second, there are novice coaches and there are experienced coaches. Just like in the gym, or the football field, or the tennis club, etc, etc.
Good luck. I hope you try it.

CrossFit, thoughts?

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