CROSSFIT Q&A Just mentioning the word CrossFit can cause excitement, serious Jimmy rustling, and even straight-up anger. Despite the peripheral hate, the growing popularity of the sport and the number of people trying it for the first time mean that CrossFit must be doing something right. Whether youre eager to try your first class or just slightly Cross-curious, more information will help your first foray into the CrossFit world. As it turns out, theres a lot more to it than putting on long socks and doing weird pull-ups. If youre thinking about heading to your local box (CrossFit gym) and kipping for the first time, here are answers to some questions you might have. What is CrossFit? Created by Coach Greg Glassman, CrossFit is a fitness system meant to help people develop an increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains. This means that CrossFit isnt necessarily designed to get you better at one skill or fitness attribute; instead, its engineered to help you develop multiple skills and strengths at varying levels of intensity and time. You probably wont become the strongest person on the planet with CrossFit, but you will become stronger, faster, and able to do more work across various disciplines. If you try a class, youll do a workout of the day (WOD), which will more than likely include a met-con (metabolic conditioning session). In a met-con, youll try to get as many rounds or reps as you can in a given amount of time. The movements, rounds, reps, and other details always vary, so you never know what to expect. One day you could run 400s and do pull-ups, and the next day you could be doing kettlebell swings, burpees, and box jumps. But CrossFit goes beyond that. Good boxes will invest time to coach you how to do technical compound lifts and Olympic lifts, skills like double-unders and kipping pull-ups, and even running and rowing techniques. In a CrossFit box, you dont have to worry about dropping your heavy deadlift, getting yelled at for grunting, or being kicked out for being too awesome. What does a CrossFit box offer that a commercial gym doesnt? Instead of a maze of exercise machines and dumbbell racks, youll find a smaller array of barbells, bumper plates, lifting platforms, climbing ropes, rings, medicine balls, kettlebells, and a whole lot of pull-up bars at your local box. Youll also get more personal training and a freedom to lift how you want. In a CrossFit box, you dont have to worry about dropping your heavy deadlift, getting yelled at for grunting, or being kicked out for being too awesome. Will CrossFit help me achieve my fitness goals? That depends upon your goals. If you would like to be fitter, stronger, more athletic, and more mobile, then CrossFit can help. However, the whole point of doing CrossFit is to become a Jack of all trades, so if you want to specialize in something, then CrossFit programming may not be what you need. This is particularly true if youre a bodybuilder or a strength athlete. CrossFit isnt going to make you huge, unless you dedicate extra time to improving your strength or size. I will say, though, that athletes like Rich Froning, Dan Bailey, and Annie Thorisdottir definitely prove that you can get strong and jacked doing CrossFit. Will I be able to actually do the workouts? One of the best things about CrossFit is that its almost infinitely scalable. If you cant do the workout as prescribed, then you do what you can. So, if you cant do bodyweight pull-ups, you can do ring rows, or use bands, or you can do jump pull-ups. The same goes for almost every movement. If youre uncomfortable deadlifting 135 pounds, deadlift less. If you dont want to do box jumps on a 36-inch box, use 20 inches. Moreover, nobody is going to force you to do something youre completely unprepared to do. Youll go over how to do movements and lifts before youre ever asked to. However, CrossFit is also good at challenging you to do more than you think you can. The line between wussing out and honestly failing because youre so fatigued you cant even lift your finger might seem pretty thin. A tough CrossFit WOD can teach you the difference. What should I expect during my first few weeks? You can expect to be challenged. Many people go into CrossFit with expectations that turn out to be untrue. Youll do movements youve never heard of and new variations of challenging lifts. Youll exert more energy than youre accustomed to and you may feel a little lost. Thats OK: theres a learning curve. Dont fear starting at the beginning. Learn the mechanics and try new things. Youll improve quicker than you think. Also, theres no rule that says you have to love CrossFit. If you go to a class, dont like the box, dont like the trainer, and dont like the workout, dont go back. Its that simple. Are the coaches good? As in all fitness facilities, some coaches are good, and others arent. The problem with hiring a coach or a personal trainer is that you can only rely on their certification. If youre unsure about what that certification even entails, then youre just making a judgment based on the trust you have in that establishment. I suggest you try classes with different coaches and see which ones you like best. Dont hesitate to ask about their backgrounds and specializations. Will I hurt myself? You could, but you could also hurt yourself mountain biking, doing karate, or base jumping. All physical activity comes with some risk. If you follow directions, practice movement patterns, and scale down when necessary, you should be fine. To reduce the risk of injury, follow directions, practice movement patterns, and scale down when necessary. Is it worth all the investment? CrossFit gyms are often more expensive than commercial gym because while commercial gyms sell hundreds of memberships and hope only a third of their members show up, CrossFit boxes sign up fewer people and hope everyone shows up. If you really enjoy CrossFit, go to class most days of the week. Get the most out of your money. I encourage everyone to try a CrossFit class and then try doing a similar workout in a commercial gym. If you dont see or feel a difference, then theres your answer. Do I have to eat paleo? No! There arent any rules about what you can and cannot eat if you train CrossFit. In general, CrossFit coaches and box owners suggest a paleo model because its healthier than the high-carb, salty, processed Standard American Diet. You may notice, however, that what you eat affects your performance during class. If youre running on Cheetos and Diet Coke, your workout wont feel too good. What you eat affects your performance during class. Whats with the long socks and special shoes? Just like in any other sport, CrossFit equipment is specialized. Long socks help if youre doing multiple rope ascents, lots of box jumps, or deadlifts, but theyre not a necessity. Some people like to wear Olympic lifting shoes, Reebok Nanos, or sport their boxs T-shirt, but technically you dont need anything but sneakers and a pair of shorts to do CrossFit. If you really like CrossFit and plan to make it a habit, then it may not be a bad idea to grab some equipment. Is it a cult? Yoga, strongman, bodybuilding, and most other sports create diehard fans and followers bound by admiration of a particular ideal. CrossFit is no different. It has participants and spectators at various levels. CrossFit is also very inclusive, or at least it should be. If you dont immediately feel welcome at your CrossFit box, youre in the wrong place. Furthermore, theres no rule that says you have to train to become the next Rich Froning—go to just challenge yourself, or be challenged, or to try something new. You shouldnt feel pressure about becoming a card-carrying WODkilla. Why does CrossFit generate so much controversy? Im not sure why the dislike can become vitriolic. Dont get me wrong, CrossFit definitely has flaws: some CrossFitters tend to take themselves way too seriously, some of the programming is silly, and the business model seems to be more concerned with the quantity of coaches than the quality. But really, who cares what another person does for his or her fitness? Get fit and do what you love!
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 06:59:40 +0000
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