Crossfit

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  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
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    samiejones1 wrote: »
    Oh wow. I kind of wish I’d never started this thread and now I’m really doubting if I go to the induction tomorrow or not 😕

    Please go. I took the intro classes and started the regular Crossfit classes.
    My form was monitored at all times by the instructor. I was never pushed to lift more than I was able.

    I did burpees (which I hate, but was glad that I did them). I was also introducted to zerg squats, which I have never tried before.

    I left very tired, but felt great...
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
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    samiejones1 wrote: »
    Oh wow. I kind of wish I’d never started this thread and now I’m really doubting if I go to the induction tomorrow or not 😕

    Seriously, don't let the bickering scare you off. People here can have very strong opinions about what workout routine is "best" but who's to say their goals are anywhere similar to yours. From my experience, introductions are very slow and careful explanations/demonstrations of the major lifts. No pukie. My gym did 3 hour long lessons, and none of those were particularly exhausting. I'm about 2 months in now, my trainer still watches me very closely to monitor and adjust my form and contrary to the stereotype she is often the one telling me to slow down or rest longer if she notices I'm breaking down form-wise. Saturday I caught my foot doing box jumps and my teammate stopped me and suggested I take a breather or consider stepping instead of jumping for the remainder so I dont hurt myself. I continued jumping anyway, but that was my decision (because I knew I could, it was just a clumsy moment) but I knew for sure I could have stopped without embarrassment.

    Also they've NEVER suggested crazy diets, I've been a vegetarian for 10 years and it's never been an issue. Yes, there are for sure boxes in my area that are more intense, but most cities will have options for you to find the right fit for you. It is a good deal of money, but I go 5 days a week, get a ton of 1:1 assistance, have gotten significantly stronger, and genuinely enjoy myself. For me that's worth it. Plus my gym dedicates 1/2 of each class to Olympic Lifts, which it turns out I REALLY like, so it's been nice to be able to progress with those every week surrounded by trainers and members who notice when I'm rounding my shoulder too much or whatever to prevent me from getting injured.
  • IHaveMyActTogether
    IHaveMyActTogether Posts: 945 Member
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    Andy__Dane wrote: »
    samiejones1 wrote: »
    Oh wow. I kind of wish I’d never started this thread and now I’m really doubting if I go to the induction tomorrow or not 😕

    Do it, see if you enjoy it. For some reason CF just attracts a lot of haters, usually people who haven't even tried it.


    Haters usually have some type of envy fueling their criticism. Some critics may just see the cracks in the cup. When people at the very top of their fields in fitness are critical of the sport, there may be something there besides hating.

    You said you do CrossFit. You are able to be reasonable about it. You understand the drawbacks in regards to results and the risks and have found for you, the benefits are worth it. Which is different than denying the risks and training results. It's similar to football. Many people can enjoy playing football, without having to pretend it isn't dangerous.

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    edited July 2018
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    It's interesting to compare different Crossfit 'boxes'. We have 4 or 5 'boxes' in our town and the local media recently did an article about one of the newer ones. They interviewed the owner/lead instructor and a lot of what she was saying sounded different than the usual CF rhetoric. I looked at the box's website (mostly out of curiosity, because CF really isn't my thing) and it looks like a well-run place with a very positive environment. They put high emphasis on proper form and safety. Their message was that they exist "to provide a facility for all people to become more physically and mentally fit, by serving them with excellent coaching in a community-focused, friendly, caring, helpful, & encouraging environment."

    While I was wasting time on the web, I looked at another box's website - one which is larger, more established and probably the best known one in town. Their website was full of the more typical machismo and bluster I commonly associate with CF. They bill themselves as "an elite fitness community". A few excerpts from their spiel:

    "Not everyone wants to work hard"

    "It is hard work, and some folks don't have what it takes to succeed"

    "Many are looking for that magic pill or just want to do the same boring routine. That’s not us"

    "The Paleo Diet and the Zone Diet, in our opinion, are the best ways to maximize your performance and (for some people) to lean out as well."

    "Q: I want to put on muscle. Should I do this?
    A: Yes, if you are interested in gaining real functional muscles without artificial enhancements."


    Obviously, the two 'boxes' are vastly different in their approaches to Crossfit. There are people who like different approaches and are a better fit for one or the other. While I don't know anybody who works out at the newer 'box', I do know a few people who work out at the bigger/more established one, and they seem to regard their (somewhat frequent) injuries as a badge of honor. I guess the message is that if you're going to do Crossfit, do your homework and choose carefully to make sure the 'box' is a good fit for you, as they're not all the same.
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
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    IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »
    Andy__Dane wrote: »
    samiejones1 wrote: »
    Oh wow. I kind of wish I’d never started this thread and now I’m really doubting if I go to the induction tomorrow or not 😕

    Do it, see if you enjoy it. For some reason CF just attracts a lot of haters, usually people who haven't even tried it.


    Haters usually have some type of envy fueling their criticism. Some critics may just see the cracks in the cup. When people at the very top of their fields in fitness are critical of the sport, there may be something there besides hating.

    You said you do CrossFit. You are able to be reasonable about it. You understand the drawbacks in regards to results and the risks and have found for you, the benefits are worth it. Which is different than denying the risks and training results. It's similar to football. Many people can enjoy playing football, without having to pretend it isn't dangerous.

    I believe it's very reasonable to say "you have to be careful" however you've posted 7 comments now on the same thread calling it "dumb," suggested that CrossFit members weren't leaders, and on multiple occasions insinuated that it inherently dangerous, to the point of dialysis. Riding a bike can be dangerous, cyclist get hit fairly often in my area. My father is a marathon runner, he's had his share of injuries. I was on a softball rec team last year, one guys tripped running for the ball and was out for the rest of the season from landing poorly. How about tennis elbow? Or an inexperienced person that reads a few lifting books and decides to lift on his own, without a coach, and injures his back on a lift. Every decision we make is some kind of calculated risk. That's more than fair to talk about. You're fixating on the risk to an unreasonable degree. OP, she is right, you need to be cautious and reasonable with how hard you push your body. However, CrossFit could very well be the perfect place for you to do that. You wont know until you try.
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,492 Member
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    FireOpalCO wrote: »
    Motorsheen wrote: »
    annaskiski wrote: »
    Wow, this may as well be a Planet Fitness thread....

    You're Not Allowed To Be Critical Of Planet Fitness !


    ....... they say so:


    planet-fitness-casting-678x381.jpg

    I hate their color scheme so much.

    PF really does have an awful color scheme.

    It makes you wonder who they are marketing to?

    It strikes me as a color scheme that would appeal to those of a lower socio-economic status.

    Dunno.
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,492 Member
    edited July 2018
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    saragd012 wrote: »
    IHaveMyActTogether wrote: »
    Andy__Dane wrote: »
    samiejones1 wrote: »
    Oh wow. I kind of wish I’d never started this thread and now I’m really doubting if I go to the induction tomorrow or not 😕

    Do it, see if you enjoy it. For some reason CF just attracts a lot of haters, usually people who haven't even tried it.


    Haters usually have some type of envy fueling their criticism. Some critics may just see the cracks in the cup. When people at the very top of their fields in fitness are critical of the sport, there may be something there besides hating.

    You said you do CrossFit. You are able to be reasonable about it. You understand the drawbacks in regards to results and the risks and have found for you, the benefits are worth it. Which is different than denying the risks and training results. It's similar to football. Many people can enjoy playing football, without having to pretend it isn't dangerous.

    I believe it's very reasonable to say "you have to be careful" however you've posted 7 comments now on the same thread calling it "dumb," suggested that CrossFit members weren't leaders, and on multiple occasions insinuated that it inherently dangerous, to the point of dialysis. Riding a bike can be dangerous, cyclist get hit fairly often in my area. My father is a marathon runner, he's had his share of injuries. I was on a softball rec team last year, one guys tripped running for the ball and was out for the rest of the season from landing poorly. How about tennis elbow? Or an inexperienced person that reads a few lifting books and decides to lift on his own, without a coach, and injures his back on a lift. Every decision we make is some kind of calculated risk. That's more than fair to talk about. You're fixating on the risk to an unreasonable degree. OP, she is right, you need to be cautious and reasonable with how hard you push your body. However, CrossFit could very well be the perfect place for you to do that. You wont know until you try.


    jeez... I think back to all of my training mishaps:

    road rash, puking,concussions, pulled muscles, torn muscles, fainting, broken bones, blisters & even being hit by a car a couple of different times.





    ..... and all of that was walking from my car, across the parking lot of my neighborhood gym.


  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28253059
    2018 review of the literature on injury rates in Crossfit.
  • thinbybday
    thinbybday Posts: 32 Member
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    Much to my surprise, I absolutely love Crossfit. My gym is owned and run by a couple who have Masters level degrees in kinesiology and performance fitness from a major US university. They are meticulous about form for everyone in every class. They are amazing about adapting moves (called "scaling" in Crossfit lingo) for all abilities and injuries. I love how they encourage me to be my best, and do the same for everyone else, whatever their "best" is.

    The class I attend has a woman who weighed 450 pounds when she started, and her goal was to be able to stand up out of a chair unassisted and without pulling up on furniture. She worked hard every workout at her level, and has made amazing progress. Now that she can stand up independently, she has set new goals. Instead of "I can't" for everything bc of her size, she pushed hard for things she could do.

    Personally, I just wanted to get stronger bc gallons of milk were getting heavy. I've lost 14 pounds, but FOUR clothing sizes. I have maintained a healthy BMI and feel so much better than I ever imagined. (I'm almost 50 years old, for reference.) Without trying to run faster, my 5k times have dropped by over 4 minutes since I started on Halloween.

    Our programming is very intentional, rather than the "random" that some folks have complained about. It's always different bc that is the essence of the Crossfit workouts.

    I don't get into the "high 5" culture, but that's not really the vibe of my gym. I do appreciate when the coaches notice that I've made progress with my pullups or when I did my first 20" box jump.

    Otherwise, I just show up, work my tail off, and go home. :smiley:

    Try it, you might love it. If you hate it, it might be Crossfit, or it might just be that specific gym.
  • candicew70
    candicew70 Posts: 74 Member
    edited July 2018
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    I've tried it a few times. I used to do a fitness bootcamp a crossfit gym held at a local park, and I went to their gym a few times. Make no mistake: you will get into amazing shape. I did the bootcamp for a few months and then I did a 5k with minimal effort. I was not running on a regular basis at the time but was in really great cardio shape from that bootcamp. The group environment is good for pushing you and motivation. I liked it.

    That said, it's also really spendy (it's over $100 a month and the gym where I work is only $30), and I noticed some of the hard core women were way bigger than I want to be--all muscle and in great shape. And maybe they were born with that build. And I realize that heavy lifting won't turn you into a man. But it's not the look I'm after, and there are so many routines I can do at home. I still go on occasion when I want a serious challenge.
  • shor0814
    shor0814 Posts: 559 Member
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    samiejones1 wrote: »
    Oh wow. I kind of wish I’d never started this thread and now I’m really doubting if I go to the induction tomorrow or not 😕

    You are fine to ask the question. I think you need to ask yourself a few questions though before deciding on a direction. What are your goals? What will (Crossfit, oly lifting, powerlifting, machines) do for me and my goals? Will they get me closer to my goals or do I have to change my goals to fit the workout?

    Once you figure out a direction, find a workout that fits your goals.

    Directly related to this question, why Crossfit and how do you see it helping with your goals?
  • GW4321
    GW4321 Posts: 523 Member
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    Motorsheen wrote: »
    I seriously dont understand the targeted and unwarranted angst against any given group of people engaged in their fitness endeavors.

    Body builders, power lifters, crossfit & anyone else that has the gumption to pick up a weight or two...... respect.


    I completely agree. I don’t do Crossfit and have no plans to start, but I don’t understand the hate it gets. I’ve watched many youtube videos that were CrossFit related, and those people seem to be getting really fit and really enjoy it. It looks like it is geared towards making people more athletic. I’m not sure why that’s a bad thing?

    I really hate cardio, so I picked more of powerlifting style of training. It probably isn't the ideal form of training for me, but I enjoy it. It makes me stronger and more active. My advice to anyone is to just choose something you enjoy and stick with it. If that happens to be CrossFit... great!
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    samiejones1 wrote: »
    Oh wow. I kind of wish I’d never started this thread and now I’m really doubting if I go to the induction tomorrow or not 😕

    Do it. Introduction classes are usually paced and not dangerous. When it does get harder you don't have to push until you puke. If at any point you decide it's not for you like I did, you can simply stop going and move on to something else. Not like you're bound to it for life.

    Don't let these comments scare you off. Toy never know, you might enjoy it. Knowing the cons would also help you make the right decisions with your training aimed focus on those often progress while minimizing injury (within the realm of possibility in crossfit) instead of your ego.
  • Andy__Dane
    Andy__Dane Posts: 46 Member
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    samiejones1 wrote: »
    Thanks guys. I’m going to go along and check it out and decide from there. I don’t think CrossFit is as much of a ‘thing’ here in the UK as what is is in the US so hopefully some of the bad traits of encouraging over training/ poor form which lead to higher levels of injury haven’t come across the pond with it. I did get a good vibe from their website which contained a lot of videos from people who go there. There Facebook page also has lots of good reviews.
    I’ll check back in with you all at the end of the week to let you know how I’ve got on! 🤞🤞🤞I’m still paying for my old gym so if all else fails I’ll go back to that and probably hire a personal trainer to help me learn good form on weightlifting and putting a programme together.

    I'm in the UK (Norwich), most of our coaches are all BWL qualified coaches too. Outside of London, it's also a relatively cheap option, I pay £41 a month and train 5 times a week, makes it a bargain in my book.

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