Opinions on Crossfit

[TaniTea]

I've heard some pretty mixed stuff about CrossFit, some people say its great, others say its terribly bad for your body. I'm thinking of signing up and going twice to three times a week, and mixing it up with Pilates or Yoga and running the rest of the week, what are your takes on CrossFit?

[Alinshop]

I have heard mixed reviews about Cross Fit, but personally have not tried it.

one observation - I have never seen an out of shape Cross fitter!

[TaniTea]

Yea I've heard its super intense. Which is something I love, but I've also heard that lots of people get sick because of the overttraining.

[David_P01]

I like CrossFit and usually do a WOD once a week. What I don't like about CrossFit is that it uses Olympic Lifts that inexperienced people should not be doing. Doing this can cause very damaging injuries. Someone who has been trained for two weeks on how to do an Olympic Lift, might be able to do one Olympic Lift, but the workouts are to do a certain amount or as many as possible in a given time. Over time, your form fades and that's where injuries come into play. When I do CrossFit, I don't do a lot of things like deadlifts or clean and jerk. I love the concept, and I love pushing myself to the limits, but it can be dangerous for some.

[Alinshop]

Despite all the rumors of injuries I still would like to try it. Wish it wasn't so expensive.

[David_P01]

I just do it at house with things I have. It is a lot of bodyweight stuff because I don't have a big weights to do clean and jerks or hanging rings to do muscle ups. There is plenty of WOD apps to give you some ideas of a workout to do. Just scroll through them until you see a workout where you have the equipment to do it with.

[vamp]

perhaps to work up to it, pay a trainer for 1-2 hours of lessons on proper technique for dead lifts and clean and jerks.... Dead lift is no different than what they teach for proper lifting when at a work seminar.... keep back straight and use your legs... legs shoulder width or more apart... personally I do more of a sumo dead lift because I find it the most comfortable. I haven't done crossfit but if you are a beginner and don't know how to do something ask! If the trainer of the course ignores you, ask the manager for your money back with the reason that the trainer is not training you on proper form and that you will not be injured by the negligence of his/her trainer(s). Bad publicity in a health club is never good!

[TaniTea]

This place I'm considering is pretty cool, they require a weeklong course to learn the skills and proper techniques for the workouts. I'm really considering it.

[vamp]

If they offer a training camp to do proper lifts for the crossfit program I would say they are probably on the straight and true! It definitely sounds promising!!

Good Luck! I would do it if given the training prior to the program!

Let us know how it goes!!!!!

[fitoverforty]

Crossfit is intense for sure. What I have learned since starting Crossfit is that it is really important to pace yourself in the workouts - and learn proper form and technique. Usually they will give a training course before you begin and start you out using PVC pipe for the lifts, to learn how to do it properly.
The main thing to watch out for is not to get caught up in the competitiveness of the WOD workouts. It is a fast paced workout based either on AMRAP (As many rounds as possible, OR As many reps as possible) Workouts are usually 12 to 20 minutes long, but include several different exercises and/or lifts to work the entire body. Since it is based largely on how many reps you can do for each set in the time given - and the fact that everyone writes their times on a white board on the wall, the pressure is there to "compete". Don't sacrifice form to get more reps, that is where injuries happen.
So, I would say to you to go into it knowing those things, learn the lifts using lightweight or PVC pipes, and don't get caught up in the pressure to "beat" someone else's time.

CF is not all lifting, favorites are the bodyweight workouts and sprints, and rowing, wall balls, shuttle runs. I love the support from others there, we all push and encourage each other and celebrate the last finisher as much as the first finisher.
When of the best experiences I ever had at a CF workout - there was a new person, overweight and really struggling to finish the workout, all of us were done, and he was about to give up - but the rest of us got on the ground with him and did his reps with him, his pushups, his burpees, we all did them with him at his pace, yelling out encouragement, counting reps out loud, until he finished, and on that last rep he stood up and the look on his face of accomplishment and amazement of what just happened was so emotional, I have never felt that at a gym or anywhere else. That is what i love about CF.
Good luck to ya if you decide to do it!

[vamp]

Thanks for the story Fifty! How encouraging and inspirational!

Cheers!!

[Alinshop]

perhaps to work up to it, pay a trainer for 1-2 hours of lessons on proper technique for dead lifts and clean and jerks.... Dead lift is no different than what they teach for proper lifting when at a work seminar.... keep back straight and use your legs... legs shoulder width or more apart... personally I do more of a sumo dead lift because I find it the most comfortable. I haven't done crossfit but if you are a beginner and don't know how to do something ask! If the trainer of the course ignores you, ask the manager for your money back with the reason that the trainer is not training you on proper form and that you will not be injured by the negligence of his/her trainer(s). Bad publicity in a health club is never good!

Great idea.