Like many, I've heard of Crossfit, and I've seen the disparaging meme's on Facebook, etc. However, I decided to try it...
What I had done before, was work out by myself, and with a trainer once I ended up at 175# and 10% body fat. I wanted to bulk, and to correct "holes", such as my shoulders/traps, and pecs, etc. My trainer helped me out, and I did a semi-clean bulk up to 205#. However, I moved, and went back to working out by myself.
Staples in my routine were:
Dumbell bench
Squats
Deadlifts
Pull-ups
Along with of course "pretty" exercises, such as bench, curls, etc.
Anyway, I felt like I had "hit a wall". I just didn't feel like what I was doing would "help me in the real world". People and things in the real world don't follow singular movement planes, etc. etc.
Along came the desire to cut, as well. So I joined a group that did "functional strength" stuff involving sand-bags, tractor tires, ropes, etc. However, they were primarily focused on training runners. They competed in marathons, etc. and while they were "fit", they did not have the explosive brute power I was after. They "looked like long-distance runners", and that isn't / wasn't my goal.
Enter Cross-Fit. I expressed this opinion to the guy running the group, and like a an awesome trainer, he actually suggested what he thought would meet my needs: A local crossfit group. So, I dropped in to say hi, and see what I thought. The first thing that impressed me was that some of those guys had some serious mass. This did not jive with the Facebook "memes" I had been seeing. Serious weight was being moved. Repping back squats in the 450#+ area, power cleans over 300#. Many by sub-200# athletes who could also run, jump, etc. I was impressed. So, I joined.
There was no hazing, no "throwing form out the window for reps", no "cult" like what one has been lead to believes exists based on social media. Just a group of cool people who worked out using a certain methodology. Lots of Olympic lifts, cardio, and strength training.
What has everyone else's opinion been, once you actually tried it?
Thus far, I am around 195#, and benching around 255# (1RM), squatting 335 for reps (3), Clean is 225# (1RM), and dunno what I max at on deadlifts, but can do 315 for 5-8. I have a lot of work to do, but feel that CF has helped me, and will continue to integrate it into improving, as McNamara states "the combat chassis", or more accurately for myself "The moving fat people around and maintaining order with drunks and druggies chassis".
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