mw - Just go for it. If you don't like it, you don't like it and can quit. The only thing that you have to remember is to listen to your body first, and to everyone else second when you train.
Post by meshaliuknits on Oct 20, 2014 17:25:24 GMT -5
Just don't join one where everyone works out on the sidewalk instead of inside their gym. Because those people are assholes. See also the yoga group who lays down on the sidewalk.
Post by waffletime on Oct 20, 2014 18:10:25 GMT -5
Ugh. I am not a Crossfit fan, but if you do end up doing it, be very very careful. The whole as many reps as possible in a certain amount of time thing is a good way to seriously injure yourself if your form isn't perfect, especially with extremely technical lifts. And for the love of God, take rest days.
Personally, I'd take the money you would spend on this, join a gym, and get a personal trainer who actually knows what they're doing instead.
My guess is that insurance companies charge them out the ass because of the potential for injury. I know I would if I were writing insurance policies.
I also wonder how much they want to discourage the casual athlete from joining. Any asshole can afford $50 a month, but you have to be a SERIOUSLY COMMITTED ASSHOLE to afford $200 a month.
Please note: I have no actual data to back any of this up.
Sort of. It's all down to licensing costs. To be labeled as "Crossfit" which is the brand, the boxes pay out the ass.
It's not *that* much. It was $4K a year, last I checked. Pure Barre's franchise fee is $45K a year.
Major, I say do it. Push hard, but don't be stupid. I've been doing CrossFit for years and the only injury I've had over that time was some IT band stuff from long distance running. Stopped running, started lifting heavier, and I'm healthier and happier.
ETA: I'm not saying that CrossFit can't or won't injure you. There are plenty of shitty "coaches," and I have a healthy bit of disdain for the CrossFit dickheads who think it's cool to do their "pullups" til their hands bleed, or who think puking is a badge of honor. If you push yourself to discomfort but not injury, you will get great results with muscle building and fat loss. It can also be a great motivator to eat even better.
Sort of. It's all down to licensing costs. To be labeled as "Crossfit" which is the brand, the boxes pay out the ass.
It's not *that* much. It was $4K a year, last I checked. Pure Barre's franchise fee is $45K a year.
Major, I say do it. Push hard, but don't be stupid. I've been doing CrossFit for years and the only injury I've had over that time was some IT band stuff from long distance running. Stopped running, started lifting heavier, and I'm healthier and happier.
ETA: I'm not saying that CrossFit can't or won't injure you. There are plenty of shitty "coaches," and I have a healthy bit of disdain for the CrossFit dickheads who think it's cool to do their "pullups" til their hands bleed, or who think puking is a badge of honor. If you push yourself to discomfort but not injury, you will get great results with muscle building and fat loss. It can also be a great motivator to eat even better.
So if the licensing fees aren't that much, why is it SO expensive? I've heard people say it's because it's like personal training, but if you're doing a class, it's not 1-on-1. Is it insurance?
My DH does it. He doesn't eat Paleo. His pelvis is also held together by a bunch of screws and chains after being shattered in a car accident a decade ago. Despite his physical issues, he says it's the only type of workout that leaves his back and pelvis feeling balanced and strong. He enjoys that the exercises are functional and he can focus on doing them symmetrically.
He has tried to get me into it, but I hate working out, so I haven't stuck with it.
I will say that when my husband was doing it nightly, his body changed a lot. Within a month he started getting that V-taper on his upper body and gaining a ton of muscle. His body looks better than ever!!
Post by secretlyevil on Oct 20, 2014 18:30:58 GMT -5
For $240, for one month, you and your H can try cross fit. With your H's health issues, I would go to a personal trainer. You could probably pay the same amount for the two of you and a personal trainer for the same time frame...
It's not *that* much. It was $4K a year, last I checked. Pure Barre's franchise fee is $45K a year.
Major, I say do it. Push hard, but don't be stupid. I've been doing CrossFit for years and the only injury I've had over that time was some IT band stuff from long distance running. Stopped running, started lifting heavier, and I'm healthier and happier.
ETA: I'm not saying that CrossFit can't or won't injure you. There are plenty of shitty "coaches," and I have a healthy bit of disdain for the CrossFit dickheads who think it's cool to do their "pullups" til their hands bleed, or who think puking is a badge of honor. If you push yourself to discomfort but not injury, you will get great results with muscle building and fat loss. It can also be a great motivator to eat even better.
So if the licensing fees aren't that much, why is it SO expensive? I've heard people say it's because it's like personal training, but if you're doing a class, it's not 1-on-1. Is it insurance?
Probably insurance, but more the class size and total membership. Many places limit class sizes to 12 or fewer (and some do 8 or fewer). It costs at least $25K just to outfit a gym with equipment alone (I used to work for the leading CrossFit equipment supplier), not to mention renovations, insurance, paying coaches, keeping up a website, utilities, etc.
Interestingly, at least here in Central Ohio, I've seen prices going down. When I belonged to a CF gym, I was paying $120 a month. There are places here now that go as low as $50 a month. As competition increases (and potentially as demand for CF decreases, which I think is just starting to happen), prices will likely come down until gyms start closing.
Post by demandypants on Oct 20, 2014 18:52:30 GMT -5
My DH has been doing crossfit for 3 or 4 years now I think, and is on his third box. he has had awesome trainers and been exposed to some bad ones too (like the girl doing her workout during class rather than watching the students form). DH likes heavy lifting and really needs and enjoys the social aspect of it too. he works from home so having that 5am social hour daily and stress relief is key. He isn't douchy about it and does not eat paleo. But in any case it is worth it for us because it motivates him and I trust he is being smart about the workouts. He had a hernia repaired this year and his trainer totally modified his workouts to his ability while he recovered. Yea, it is possible crossfit caused the hernia but even still, better than him being overweight and stressed out without an outlet. Also, it is not for me. I do not like lifting or being social. I am more of a runner. Or napper.
Try it and see if you think you'll like it - many places have free classes for that reason so you won't be out money. And seriously, there may be some really in shape people there, but there will be some that are not. And everything can be modified and scaled. If, however, they frown on that, turn around and walk away.
And I have to roll my eyes at a lot of these responses. I have been doing Crossfit for 5 years - I have been taught proper form, have never had an injury from doing Crossfit, don't eat Paleo, am overweight, have never been anywhere close to being any where near having rhado, have coaches that did not simply go to a weekend certification and open a box, and I don't post any of my workouts on Facebook.
Like anything, there are good places and bad places (I mean, come on - has no one here had a bad experience with a personal trainer?!) There are some bad boxes out there, but i know of none where someone when to a level one certification class for the weekend and then opened a box. I find that most people who have negative things to say have never actually tried CF, but only know of people or read stories (with the exception of sugarbear who I know had a really crappy experience).
Post by secretlyevil on Oct 20, 2014 19:25:03 GMT -5
I tried cross fit for a month. I didn't enjoy it. I also had a lot of concerns but I had enough experience to know better. The box was so/so. The owners were good and had credentials but they weren't there all day, every day. The last straw was when I had a "trainer" get in my face multiple times. Nothing like what's been described on H&F but then again I didn't let it escalate to that. She got an f you after a much politer version didn't work.
ETA: All that said, just as earlier mentioned there are good boxes and bad boxed. I would at least observe a class before committing to a box. I'd observe two. You don't need to observe the entire hour.
mw - Just go for it. If you don't like it, you don't like it and can quit. The only thing that you have to remember is to listen to your body first, and to everyone else second when you train.
Agreed. I did boot camp when I was completely out of shape and loved it. I am doing T25 now, H has lost like 40 pounds , and I can do pushups again. Again LISTEN TO YOUR BODY but I love this type of training. From what I understand you get exercises, you are not timed, you just do them.
It's not *that* much. It was $4K a year, last I checked. Pure Barre's franchise fee is $45K a year.
Major, I say do it. Push hard, but don't be stupid. I've been doing CrossFit for years and the only injury I've had over that time was some IT band stuff from long distance running. Stopped running, started lifting heavier, and I'm healthier and happier.
ETA: I'm not saying that CrossFit can't or won't injure you. There are plenty of shitty "coaches," and I have a healthy bit of disdain for the CrossFit dickheads who think it's cool to do their "pullups" til their hands bleed, or who think puking is a badge of honor. If you push yourself to discomfort but not injury, you will get great results with muscle building and fat loss. It can also be a great motivator to eat even better.
So if the licensing fees aren't that much, why is it SO expensive? I've heard people say it's because it's like personal training, but if you're doing a class, it's not 1-on-1. Is it insurance?
The answer is very, very simple- because they can. You are paying for the name, for the experience, because it's "elite" training.
Just like everything, there are good and bad out there. I laugh at the number of people that suggested personal trainers. Yeah, because you can get that certification in like 3 classes. Take that Crossfit and your 1 class! 3 times as qualified. There are some very shitty personal trainers out there as well.
I say let him try it. I think if people find an activity that they enjoy and it helps them become healthier, then that's all that matters. Cross Fit isn't something I would do, but I certainly don't begrudge others who do.
I don't think it's a bad idea as long as you find a box with coaches who are good, safe, and know what they're doing. We go. We don't eat paleo, and nobody judges us. I have exercise induced asthma, and everyone cheers me on and tells me I did good even when I spent half of my running time walking. Our former coach will probably be competing at the CrossFit Games this year, and her former coach is one of our current coaches so I'm pretty sure they know their shit and aren't going to let people get hurt. They make everything challenging, but don't push people too far and to the point of injury. Just find a good, supportive box.
At my gym/box (I only call it a box when speaking with other Crossfitters) there are an array of coaches with varying experiences in the fitness, martial arts, and military training world. We even have one who is an international USA weightlifting coach with a few certifications in strength and training and some other coaching certifications and on the chairs of some weightlifting committees. Every gym will have coaches with varying experience and some will suck and others will be great and know what they are doing.
I've been going for about a year and a half. I was pretty scared of trying Crossfit because I thought it was for the people that were already fit. I have been fit in the past but not when I started Crossfit. I was so wrong about it only being for fit people. Then again maybe at some gyms that's the atmosphere. I have seen extremely overweight people at my gym and of course the very fit as well. There's older people and young people. There's a lot of motivation from the coaches and the other crossfitters. This is what keeps me going back and the fact that I feel great after. The workouts are hard and even after a year and a half I still modify some movements. Everything can be modified. When it comes to lifting during a WOD (workout of the day) I go light and only do what I know I can do without hurting myself. During the weight training portion is when I go heavy. The coaches at my gym are constantly walking around and helping everyone with form. My gym is great but not all are.
I went to a friend's Crossfit gym and it was not a good place. The coach that was there didn't care and didn't help while we were lifting. He was very unmotivating. It was a horrible experience and if I had started going to that gym and never been to another I probably would have quit like my friends did.
Really the only way to know if you'll like Crossfit is try it. Same with your husband. Go do the trial period. You guys may love it and need the motivation that some of the gyms bring or you may hate it but you have to try it to know. Don't go based off what other people have "heard" about Crossfit (how do they really know what it's all about if they never tried it?) and don't go by other people's experiences either because yours will be different.