I would love it if not for the AMRAP crap. Throwing around a bunch of heavy weights as fast as possible is a recipe for injury.

Caveat: I've never tried it and I suspect it's highly dependent on the coaches at your location. Could you observe a class OP?

If I could afford it, I'd sign up in a heartbeat. My friends who do it are in great shape now. I had a trainer a few months ago and he was certified & incorporated some CF style workouts into my routine. I loved it.

I do crossfit, primarily because I can walk to the gym in 2 min rather than drive 15 and park. Thus a workout is 1 hr and 5 minutes tops--a huge boon for me. I am definitely in better shape and stronger, but I am also one of the weakest people in the gym because I don't go very much and because I am so careful re: injuries that I probably don't push the weights enough. I don't care about competiting with others (time, weights, etc) but I do try to improve myself.

what I like: short, intense workouts-my cardio capacity has definitely increased.

what I don't like: I'm not a huge fan of a lot of the olympic style weight lifting with heavy weights. I prefer the more bootcamp type of workouts that use more moderate weight. but again I adjust for me.

also, its crazy expensive.

the instructors have been doing fitness for years and work a lot on form. this is not the case at many other gyms.

Just don't go crazy with it. Have seen the stories about the Crossfit (coach? trainer? who was paralyzed after a Crossfit competition.
And I have a coworker who went into the Crossfit business and has zero background in fitness anything, agree that certifications are meaningless...

Really? Any evidence/ links that point to cf's demise? I didn't know this, but am more of a regular gym guy anyway.

those palces are closing faster then they opened

the latest fad/trend but htis one got hammered due to the injuries.

I feel like I've read this exact same post before. Maybe I'm wrong...

OP, everyone crossfitter I know suffers from constant injuries. Also, they all turned into complete morons immediately and won't shut up about it.

I have been doing P90X3, and I love it. 30 minutes a day.

I am trying to decide whether or not to join Cross-fit and have been doing a lot of research. I belong to a gym and already do similar exercises (a mix of weights and cardio). I went to a sample Cross-fit class and really enjoyed it. It is expensive compared to most gyms, but way cheaper than personal training. However, having group classes may help you stay motivated. I also think that the changing classes would be fun. I was worried about the intensity of the workout, but I saw plenty of "rounder" people in my class that looked like they were working back into shape.

Regarding injuries, you hear some horror stories but I also hear similar stories about runners (my brother lost a toe by refusing to stop running despite a stress fracture).

Also, you are right that the Crossfit gyms are proudly humble in appearance/amenities.

I've heard it's a total con.

OP here. No not an ad, but after rereading my post, I can see how it can be read as such. Perhaps a better way to phrase it would have been to solicit responses about Crossfit in general, and that gym in particular.

Is this an ad?

Careful of injuries. Not enough thought to prevent them

Their "coaches" get their "certifications" in a one weekend thing. Just be very careful about who the people running it are--look into their training, etc.

It's WAY too expensive but helpful if you want a group atmosphere, competitive atmosphere and want someone else to put your workouts together for you.

They all offer trial classes though. Just go check one out and decide for yourself.

I've been looking into Crossfit lately, looking for a change of pace for my workouts. I have considered it a few times over the past few years, but I have become much more interested since incorporating kettle bells into my gym routine. From what I can see, Crossfit prioritizes explosive movements, muscle endurance and cardiovascular potential. The workouts also appear to be more compact and streamlined than the traditional lifting/cardio split. I was just wondering what sorts of thoughts and experiences people have; positive and negative. I'm in NoVa, and I've seen at least two gyms close to me. One is called Hammer Down, the other I don't know, as I just see a sign with "Crossfit" over what looks like a garage on Main Street in Fairfax. TIA