Crossfit ... sell it to me!

[toddleon]

Crossfit lovers - sell it to me.

I just haven't thought I really like the idea of CrossFit. However this one gym looks great on social media and I'd love to try it.

So... get me excited about trying CrossFit? Please?
It honestly seems too strenuous on your body to be beneficial to you, in my opinion (but I know nothing).

If you're new to exercise, don't do it.
If you have been training for at least 18 months and familiar with a barbell.. sure give it a go

CrossFit is suitable for anyone, I was new to exercise and never been near a barbell when I joined so that’s not true at all tbh.

CrossFit is as hard or easy as you want it to be, it’s scaled to suit you, you decide how hard you do it. That’s one of the things I love about it, if you’re having an off day you can take it easy or if you want to go hell for leather you can, it’s up to you, the coach doesn’t decide the level unlike fitness classes etc.

CrossFit definitely isn’t suitable for everyone! If you’ve ever had the slightest hint of pelvic dysfunction I’d be very careful with it. The issues are well documented if you google it.

Ahh ignore those upthread. A good CrossFit gym will be able to take into account level of fitness and any injury. I don’t do any skipping or box jumping because I’ve had two kids and don’t have a perfectly healthy pelvic floor.

I have never been more fit and there has been nothing else that has motivated me more or changed my body more. I started about 12 years ago at over 13 stone. I’m 9 stone now and have abs (also am 40 now with two young kids). The community is also so fantastic.

Would you mind if I asked what CrossFit gym it is? I’ve been to several and they vary significantly. For example, some will have biases towards type of training (gymnastics or weight lifting bias), some will have better coaching, some will be large and well developed with lots of equipment, some will be more spit and sawdust.

I assume this refers to ‘do you pee when you work out’ video. It’s the same as with any sport, don’t do something that will exacerbate an injury. So running will be just as bad as box jumping at CrossFit if you have pelvic floor problems. Just don’t box jump (step up instead). Anything can be modified.

I have never enjoyed exercise but I love CrossFit.
I don't do burpee's or skip plus I have a back injury and fibromyalgia, ME and other illnesses but my instructor is fab and tailors my routine.

Also a crossfit fan, I think it's a shame it seems to get hate online, every workout is scaleable and boxes are very different! I've learned how to do things i never thought i would like handstand walks or snatch, community aspect is brilliant everyone genuinely wants everyone to do their best (found running too competitive and other gyms too image focused i feel commercial gyms are dystopian)

A new CrossFit gym is opening near me. But it’s £160 a month which is far too expensive for me unfortunately.

Love it! Do it and you won’t look back, best investment I ever made in my health/fitness and made new friends that are now easily my closest friends (and we don’t even tend to go to the same class times 😅).

a good CrossFit gym will have coaches that can guide you as to what is appropriate in every workout. Today I modified due to a shoulder issue for example. Our gym has a huge range of ages and abilities and it’s an awesome community to be a part of

I’ve been Crossfitting for 3 years and am fitter than I’ve ever been now in my 50s.

Plus points:
range of exercises (& scaling options) to suit everyone where they’re at on that day

variety of movements, so really good to improve all parts of the body

community is amazing, a great way to make new friends (& there’s been multiple crossfit marriages that I know of as well)

despite menopause, two kids and an aging body that’s been mainly sedentary for 30yrs, I’ve had no serious injuries, just usual aches and pains from working out

i now have visible abs, a thigh gap, no bingo wings and my arse is higher than it’s ever been; it feels like the aging process has been put in reverse

having never been a runner, but after doing crossfit for a couple of years, I tried a parkrun and managed a 26min 5k run on my first go - my physical endurance and overall fitness had changed dramatically

its educated me on nutrition and made me less fearful of weighing more/the same and more aware of my body composition (I.e. I now have much less body fat and much more muscle, clothes fit better etc, but there’s been no dramatic weight loss, though people assume there has been from looking at me)

minus points:

expense - £160 per month, but if you go regularly that’s cheaper per session than other fitness classes

time - I go 5 to 6 times a week, but spend less time socialising in the pub, because I socialise in the classes, so I’ve found it a better use of my free time

you get a bit obsessed and it can become something you really miss if you don’t attend for a while (due to illness or holiday for example)

like any new hobby/fitness regime, you do have to break through that initial barrier to get to it feeling good and as always you’ll have off days

Generally though I’d say it’s transformed my life and health for the better and I’m so glad I took the plunge.