Embrace the suck--CROSSFIT

[jvencius]

I've been doing Crossfit for a little while now and with making some minor diet changes (i.e. ZERO regular soda, cutting down diet soda-drinking to almost zero, etc...) I've dropped 13 pounds in the last 5 weeks. It's not quite enough to notice in how my clothes fit, but for sure when I look at myself in the mirror I can see some weight coming off my midsection and that's a good thing for vanity, if nothing else.

[tradja]

I did CrossFit for most of last winter with a training buddy who was getting ready for a federal 1811 gig. The owner of our local box generously extended the LEO discount to me as well.

Once my friend left for his new job, I was faced with regular CrossFit rates and dropped it. I really miss it. One of my CrossFit instructors just started teaching "CrossFit" classes at my regular (municipal) gym but lacking the rings and weights, it is definitely CrossFit Lite. Still, I enjoy the workout.

Good for you for dropping some lbs! Keep at it.

[User Name]

Good work! Keep it up.

[parishioner]

I just completed my first crossfit workout today.

I played baseball throughout high school and conditioned with strength coaches but really haven't done too much now that I'm in college, just participate in all the intramural sports. I knew I was "out of shape" but I felt like it wouldn't be too hard to get back to the swing of things. I'm 6'0" 182lbs and am not fat or muscular. I'm by no means unhealthy. I was even training for a triathlon the whole month of june but I got off track. I eat well and bike regularly so I went today knowing for sure I would be slacking compared to the others but was sure I could at least hang.

Holy shit balls.

I damn near passed out on the warm up! After doing some of the exercises someone was going over with me the proper way to do a dead lift and all of a sudden I got dizzy, light headed, nauseated and everything went white. That feeling you sometimes get when you are giving blood. I stumbled to the ground and just lied there until I could see again. I was skeptical about continuing because I felt like hell but I continued with the WOD which was "tabata" I think or something similar sounding. We finished with a 400m sprint and I was about a minute and a half behind everyone by that point. A girl even beat me. Thats not happening again.

It was intense for sure and sucked complete ass during the actual workout but it's strangely fun. I feel like once I get past the two week mark and start to see improvements, my motivation level with surely go up but I'm planning on misery until then.

On to tomorrow...

[zk556x45]

CrossFit is - by far - the best workout I've found short of submission wrestling.

Again. Faster!

zk

[GotAmmo]

i like throwing it in for cardio between my gym days. I just cant seem to get away from the typical weightlifting.

I am glad I invested in the Level 1 Cert Course. Most tiring 2 days that my short term memory can remember.

sadly the price of your local box seems to increase slowly, getting a military discount isnt even much of a discount these days.

[jasonhgross]

I fail to see how this is better than running/biking days mixed with serious weightlifting days. The downsides are that most of the weightlifting besides traditional squat/deadlift that I see the crossfitters at my gym doing are either ineffective other than for cardio or dangerous to ligaments and joints. To each his/her own I suppose but I dont get it. Caveat: the gym I work out in has about 20-30 crossfit people I see on a regular basis, only two are muscular and in shape looking, they happen to both work at the gym and can work out on the job. Everybody else is either out of shape looking and trying to get into shape or for the ones I have seen doing this for over a year, are merely skinny without what I would consider a muscular build.

[parishioner]

I think its more of a functional fitness routine rather than glistening beach body workouts.

There are about 15 people at the gym I went to and the guys there aren't ripped but more toned and lean. You can also tailor the workouts to fit what you're looking for.

[8200rpm]

I fail to see how this is better than running/biking days mixed with serious weightlifting days...

...most of the weightlifting that I see the crossfitters at my gym doing are either ineffective other than for cardio or dangerous to ligaments and joints.

Crossfit is an approach to strength & conditioning and "all-inclusive" or well-rounded fitness, not Gold's Gym, Venice Beach, Mr. Universe type bodybuilding.

Crossfit workouts often incorporate high intensity, high repetition barbell work to simultaneous train all metabolic pathways (phosphogenic, glycolytic, and oxidative).

Try "Daniel" (30x 95# squat cleans, 30x pullups, 800m Run, 3 rounds) or "Fran" (21-15-9 reps of 95# front squat to push press and pullups) against the clock and against a group of peers and see how "ineffective" it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA1u8ujUh-Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=tzD9BkXGJ1M

[Boothj]

I love crossfit, been doing it for a couple years now. People often ask me what I'm training for. I think it is all sumed up on my favorite crossfit t-shirt : Crossfit - Training Not To Suck At Life.