Crossfit - is it safe? (lift, curls, program, workout)

[CaptainNJ]

sounds like you survived though.

[tribecavsbrowns]

Originally Posted by ducviloxi

This is not what I felt, it is not Scalable and they don't make an effort to make it scalable...

My fitness level was never evaluated, being my first day they didn't care if I was going to injure myself doing the workout or not, all they cared about was getting the workout done...no matter what the cost, seemed like that was the attitude...to persevere and finish no matter what....

My fitness level is average, since I do go to the gym 3 times a week and each time do a 1 hour cardio session, but I have NEVER done strength training which is what is required for the huge loop of pushups, pullups, squats etc. your muscles have to have that kind of endurance to do it nonstop...

You cannot just ask someone who has never done resistance training to do 80 squats, 60 situps, 40 pushups, 20 pullups, 10 boxjumps and this is after running 1.5 kilometers nonstop. This routine REQUIRES one to be extremely fit to complete so it's not a program to GAIN extreme fitness.

You see, I didn't know what exactly Crossfit was until I was in the session, and once I was in the session I was put under intense pressure to continue till the end within the timeframe that others in my group were doing it, these other people were friends of mine who were more overweight than me but managed to finish the workout with much more success than me - afterwards they told me that they had done strength training before which explains it.

You're being dramatic. Crossfit isn't dangerous, it just might not be for you. I don't think it's for me, either (though I've never tried it).

[ducviloxi]

Originally Posted by tribecavsbrowns

You're being dramatic. Crossfit isn't dangerous, it just might not be for you. I don't think it's for me, either (though I've never tried it).

It is indeed dangerous... the overstress can and HAS caused kidney failure in some, never knew about this but read around on the web..the term for it is rhabdomyolysis in which tiny fragments of muscle fiber tear and make their way into the blood stream and eventually to the kidney where they get jammed up.

[tribecavsbrowns]

Kidney failure? How old are you, 85? Is basketball dangerous because Reggie Lewis collapsed on the court 20 years ago?

[jade408]

It depends on your gym (and if the people emphasis proper form, and scaling the workouts). And you: if you know when you are pushing too much or not enough.

Crossfit is ideal for someone who is self motivated, and likes to compete against themselves (and previous personal bests). It may not be your workout if it doesn't match your personality type.

[jade408]

Originally Posted by ducviloxi

This is not what I felt, it is not Scalable and they don't make an effort to make it scalable...

My fitness level was never evaluated, being my first day they didn't care if I was going to injure myself doing the workout or not, all they cared about was getting the workout done...no matter what the cost, seemed like that was the attitude...to persevere and finish no matter what....

My fitness level is average, since I do go to the gym 3 times a week and each time do a 1 hour cardio session, but I have NEVER done strength training which is what is required for the huge loop of pushups, pullups, squats etc. your muscles have to have that kind of endurance to do it nonstop...

You cannot just ask someone who has never done resistance training to do 80 squats, 60 situps, 40 pushups, 20 pullups, 10 boxjumps and this is after running 1.5 kilometers nonstop. This routine REQUIRES one to be extremely fit to complete so it's not a program to GAIN extreme fitness.

You see, I didn't know what exactly Crossfit was until I was in the session, and once I was in the session I was put under intense pressure to continue till the end within the timeframe that others in my group were doing it, these other people were friends of mine who were more overweight than me but managed to finish the workout with much more success than me - afterwards they told me that they had done strength training before which explains it.

You have just illustrated how being good at one form of exercise, may not translate into skill at another. (And the benefits of doing cardio and strength training for more well rounded fitness.) And that weight and fitness are not necessarily related.

[CaptainNJ]

Originally Posted by jade408

Crossfit is ideal for someone who is self motivated, and likes to compete against themselves (and previous personal bests). It may not be your workout if it doesn't match your personality type.

from what the OP is saying, it sounds to me like she has basically been coasting along without doing much effort. now she was put in a position where she is doing something that takes a lot of effort and will require effort each time she does it. but it will also probably improve her fitness considerably more than anything she has ever done.

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by jade408

It depends on your gym (and if the people emphasis proper form, and scaling the workouts). And you: if you know when you are pushing too much or not enough.

Crossfit is ideal for someone who is self motivated, and likes to compete against themselves (and previous personal bests). It may not be your workout if it doesn't match your personality type.

^This

I started Crossfit after basically doing nothing for 17 years after leaving the Army. I almost vomited twice during my first foundations class. Over a year later, I'm still in Crossfit and am in arguably better shape than I was 20 years ago.

Based on my obsevations and conversations with others, it does depend on the Crossfit gym (or as it's called in Crossfit slang, "box"). In my case, the trainers scaled my WODs intially until they felt I was ready to peform full WODs. They are very attentive to form and when someone might be pushing too hard. I can think of only two individuals who've suffered injuries (muscle pulls) during a WOD.

Crossfit is hard. Nothing worthwhile comes easy.

[mfpd]

Crossfit IS scalable. For example, if you can't do double unders, then the scale is 5 single skips to 1 double under at the gyms I have seen. If you can't climb the rope, the typical scale is 5 pull ups to 1 rope ascent. If you can't do a pull up, you can use the bands for assistance. These are just examples of how to scale an exercise. If the WOD calls for a 95 lb overhead squat and you can only do 45, then that is what you do, but you do the same reps. Crossfit is not for me, but my wife is an avid cross fitter. I prefer traditional body building exercises. However, Crossfit is a great methodology for exercise and has allowed some people to make miraculous changes.

It sounds like you are at a gym that possibly does not have top notch trainers, or you did not understand how to scale the exercises for your abilities.

[Luckyd609]

I like the idea of Cross Fit. I have never done it and do not plan on joining a Cross Fit gym. I have a trainer at my gym that I use who is an accredited Cross Fit trainer and he implements a lot of the stuff.
Cross Fit gyms are popping up everywhere and something tells me they may not all have the best trainers or the most knowledgeable staff. If I were to join a Cross Fit gym I would check out every trainers credentials and speak directly to some of the members.
Also this does not seem like the ideal workout for people who are not already in good physical shape.