Is Crossfit right for me?

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'6, around 155 lbs, and lazy as shit. I also have a chronic back condition that doesn't physically stop me from being active, but makes it much harder for me to get started mentally. A month or so ago I began doing cardio for 35-40 minutes 3x a week. This is a HUGE step for me so I've been trying to keep it manageable so I don't quit, with the plan of building on as I get stronger and more in the routine of going. I use a heart rate monitor to make sure I stay around 80-90% of my maximum heart rate, and I get very sweaty, but from an objective standpoint my workout probably looks pretty light because I am so out of shape.

A friend of mine is pushing me to join Crossfit. I'm open to something new and i think it would be good to push myself, and it would be fun and motivating to work out with a friend. But from what I'm reading, Crossfit is extremely intense and in many ways more of a lifestyle than just a workout program. I know it's supposedly "scaleable," but I'm not sure how that plays out in practice. I don't want to be totally embarassed. I also really can't swing more than 3x a week right now, and I'm not ready for a drastic change to my diet, which is reasonably healthy but not "paleo" or anything like that. I don't have much time to spend thinking/planning workouts other than the actual workout time. I'm afraid I will totally crash and burn at Crossfit, and maybe even get discouraged and lose my motivation to work out altogether. Then again, maybe I'm just copping out, and Crossfit will actually change my life and help me become the toned, energetic, pain-free person I dream of becoming.

Can anyone with Crossfit experience give me some insight?

[Anonymous]

Personally, no. It is extreme and you are not an extreme exerciser.

I'm an 2x Ironman and would not do cross fit, for fear of injuring myself. I do of course strength train, but don't put myself in strange/unnatural positions that put stress on my back/joints (yes, yes, ironic, considering I do extreme sports).

[Anonymous]

I do Crossfit and I love it. I am in no way an extreme or endurance athlete.

To address some of your concerns:

1. You should not do Crossfit more than 3x a week anyway.

2. It's a lot of fun. It's like super-cheap group training.

3. Crossfit gyms, called "boxes," vary widely. Some are terrible - the trainers earned their certificate in one weekend and they push too hard. Others are great. The trainers know how to scale for everybody so no one gets injured. The claim that grandmas can do Crossfit is very true.

Why don't you accompany your friend to one of her Crossfit workouts and see how it works at her box? Most boxes offer an introductory workout for free, and you can see if the vibe at the box works for you. One that's full of alpha males might not, obviously. But if you go in and see two grandmas and a pregnant woman, that might be more your style.

[Anonymous]

I AM a grandma. If I can do it, you can too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3. Crossfit gyms, called "boxes," vary widely. Some are terrible - the trainers earned their certificate in one weekend and they push too hard. Others are great. The trainers know how to scale for everybody so no one gets injured. The claim that grandmas can do Crossfit is very true.

We have friends who live and breathe Crossfit but it doesn't appeal to me one bit. First, as PP noted, the certification of the trainers varies. Workouts seem to vary one day to the next with no sense of building from one week or day to the next. You're just pushing yourself bit by bit to get stronger but there isn't a clear progression of ability with built-in rest periods.

Like PP, I'm a triathlete (although not yet an Ironman) and having spent years running, biking and swimming I have a good sense of the value of periodization and gradual increase of intensity and endurance. Based on conversations with friends, I don't see evidence of that and therefore see the risk of injury as heightened.

[Anonymous]

Given your back problems, I wouldn't risk it.

[Anonymous]

15:39 here - "Workouts seem to vary one day to the next with no sense of building from one week or day to the next. You're just pushing yourself bit by bit to get stronger but there isn't a clear progression of ability with built-in rest periods. " - that just isn't true of my box.

There are only three sessions a week, period. The coach plans several weeks out, with a systemic approach to increasing strength in the major moves (squat, press, clean, deadlift) and varying high-intensity interval training workouts that may either be light and fast or heavy and slower. Every so often, there's a week's break from weightlifting - a complete break.

Again, it all depends on the box and the coach.

[Anonymous]

19:35 here. Good to know, sounds like you might be working with someone who knows more than just high-intensity, short-duration powerlifting.

My friends go daily and post their daily workouts on their FB pages. There is no consistency or clear progression that I can see. Glad you're in a better situation!