Anyone do crossfit?

[McFlickle]

I've only heard of it recently, since I've taken an interest in paleo lifestyle and been looking into it.
To be honest I'm a little intimidated, but looking at the video on YouTube I have done some of the moves before. I basically have no upper body strength though!
Has anyone started this being relatively unfit and if so how did you progress?
Any tips or description of your experience would be great!

Just be very very careful, the injury rate is very high. I'm sure crossfit enthusiasts will be along to tell you it is great but I wouldn't try it from being unfit, it is pretty hardcore. Do a bit of googling on pros/cons of crossfit and see if you still think it could be for you and if so choose your box very carefully, ensure dedicated beginners sessions for learning olympic lifts etc, these aren't exercises you should just throw yourself into and hope to pick it up .

A good box will have you work at a different pace to others. It's great fun and can be a great motivator. I loved it but it's expensive.

So CrazySexy do you not do it anymore?

No, I did it until half way through my pregnancy and just haven't yet gone back. It's been almost 2 years since I last did it. Time and money have been stopping me. I'll do it again one day.

It seems to engender religious devotion and fervent criticism in equal measure.

I think it's actually a cult.

(no I've never done it so I am talking out of my hat :o)

I as going to say that Suzanne, you are less diplomatic braver than me . There definitely does seem to be a culture of...I want to say addiction, but I'm not sure that's quite right, but definitely a level of zeal and enthusiasm that goes above and beyond the team spirit/love of a sport in other disciplines. I'm sure it varies from box to box though, depending on the trainers. Personally, I struggle with the idea of working to failure with exercises such as Olympic lifts, my approach with weights is to stop immediately your form is compromised - as far as I can see, that ain't gonna happen in a crossfit environment and so injuries are more or less inevitable...crazy would you disagree?

It looks mad to me!
Isn't it a franchise though, so the people promoting it have a financial interest in making it cult like?

It appears to violate all the basic principles of resistance training, then again they may have been dreamed up on the fly by bodybuilders in the 70's, Joe Weider and all that

I've just taken it up and love it. In the 2 months since I started my body has changed hugely (for the better - flat stomach, nicer arms). I've almost stopped running, yet when I ran 7 miles today it was my fastest run ever. They are friendly and welcoming, and scale everything. So at my local gym there's everything from crazy beefy guys to v v overweight people. Totally recommend it.

I have done it for a year now and I love it. I think with everything it just depends on where you go. A good crossfit gym (box) will be welcoming and taylor the work out for you.

For the last year I have constantly improved and I am fitter at 32 than I ever have been (including when I used to row for university)

I can carry my food shop in in 1 go!

The boxes are very different from normal gyms- relaxed and there are usually a sitting area- few sofas where people socialise after or at my gym our kids sit there and we entertain them for the 20 mins that it takes for their parents to work out. The workouts are written on a board and the coach will take you through the workout and then you have a go (usually at the same time as a few other people).

Benefits- it is like having a personal trainer,
you will work harder than you ever have done, you get inspired and really enjoy it.

You can take your kids or dog.
You will not feel body conscious, strong is the new skinny
Your body will change so much and you will be stronger and fitter than ever

Disadvantages- cost- it can be pricey but what is the cost of health?
the opening hours can be shorter than most gyms

I am kinda interested too BUT will I be the token fatty...and I mean fat! I do go to Zumba twice a week. I am worried everyone else will be totally hardcore and I will be huffing and puffing...I know they say "everyone works to their own level" but that usually means everyone else working to a much higher level than me and I am the only plodder.

Would love to get addicted though

Duffy you will not be the token fatty. In all fairness EVERYONE who works out at the box is literally on their knees at the end of a workout- that's the aim of it- so you will fit in! The people who dont end up on their knees are the ones who get the funny looks!
That's why its scaled- sometimes (1 year on) I can do the whole workout that is stated on the board (that is called RX) but its rare. Usually I have to drop a little on the weight or do a scaled version (for example skip rather than do double unders- but I will master these at some point - I'm up to 3 so far!)
One of the proudest moments in my life was when I did a full pull up (and now I can do 3 in a row)
Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, you will be embraced by the box and everyone cheers everyone on - on Friday I happened to workout at the same time of 2 really fit competing athletes' and they finished a lot faster than me- but I got the most cheers and encouragement as I was clearly dying!
Just go once and try it- it is one of the best things I have ever done. I went from aspiring to be skinny/ dieting and looks obsessed to being confident and goal orientated regarding my performance. Body wise I now have abs, great arms and feel far more confident in a bikini. Whats better is that I feel safer, stronger and know I can hold my own in my male dominated profession

Interesting to see how divisive it is on the internet...very marmite-y !
My other concern is doing movements quickly especially things like squats. If you are tired and having to do them against the clock - does form go out of the window ? So is doing 50 crap ones quickly better than 5 slow ones done well ?

You will do the reps properly- the coaches will help you with technique

I am intrigued by some aspects of Cross Fit, but I don't think it's for me. For one, I don't want to/can't commit to a specific time to work out. For another, I instinctively balk when faced with "bootcamp-style" motivation. (That said, I went through actual military bootcamp. It sucked but it wasn't like Full Metal Jacket.) I can, on my own, find motivation to push myself a bit here and there, but I have zero interest in pushing myself to the point of vomiting and/or collapsing in a heap on a regular basis. Push myself a bit further than last week? Sure. But not literally to the extremes of Crossfit.

While the idea of pushing myself in this way to the point of actually needing dialysis seems laughable (for me), I also think that there are many other possible injuries that become increasingly likely when you frequently engage in this vigorous, intense activity.

Whether or not there is a balance, I'm not sure. If the point of Crossfit is to push yourself beyond mental and physical barriers to the point where you literally cannot - in spite of all the willpower in your soul - do one more rep, then it is unlikely that I can achieve what Crossfit (or similar) promises.