Calvin is giving Crossfit a try this month; there is a box near us that was doing a 1 month boot camp for free to try it out. He is someone who has trouble separating liking the "idea" of something from the actual, everyday "doing" of something, so it seemed like a good idea that I supported. (He has kind of floated around but not settled into really enjoying anything fitness related as an adult, and I think it would really benefit his health if he did.)
Anyway, he was doing it with a couple friends from work, one of whom was hospitalized this week with rhabdomyolysis. He's looking at a 4 day hospital stay. Another one of his friends has been at this box for > 1 year, but she's trying to get certified as an instructor so she can effect some changes in how they do things there. That seems frustrating to me, but that's her chosen route. He has commented that they encourage people, even in bootcamp (!?) to finish the reps even if their form is breaking down.
He should run from this box, right? Like maybe not even finish bootcamp? There are other boxes, they just don't do free bootcamp to try it out.
OK, I'm glad to hear I'm not being totally alarmist.
I told him I would rather he pay for a month at another box, and if he doesn't like it, it was just money, than stay there.
This is exactly right. To be fair, rhabdo can happen anywhere that someone pushes too hard (one of the trainers at my friend's well-run gym got rhabdo doing their killer Thanksgiving workout). But pushing people to finish reps when they can't is just stupid. There's a difference between tired and injured/danger zone.
Yes, run. I've only been doing Crossfit for a month, but every instructor ALWAYS says to prioritize form over speed and reps. Correct form is the most important thing. In fact, during one of my classes the instructor literally spent 20 minutes having everyone go around practicing the perfect form for air squats. It seemed a little silly at the time but he continually stresses the importance of correct form over everything else.
Post by emilyinchile on Feb 13, 2014 12:03:37 GMT -5
Another "run." I guess if there is some reason that he really wants to finish out his free month of bootcamp, and he knows his body and the types of exercises they're doing well enough to supervise himself in terms of form and when he should quit vs. pushing through, then fine.
Honestly, the rhabdo isn't even the biggest red flag for me here though because I don't know if that guy would have gotten it doing something else. The fact that a current member wants to change things and that they're pushing quantity over function in an introductory course is what would have me looking for another box.
In fact, during one of my classes the instructor literally spent 20 minutes having everyone go around practicing the perfect form for air squats. It seemed a little silly at the time but he continually stresses the importance of correct form over everything else.
If I have learned anything from Crossfit, it's that squatting correctly is deceptively hard!