Help with next gym/fitness move - long

[claudiakishi]

I'm trying to figure out my next move fitness-wise and need some feedback on this very long first world problem. I am a runner year round, so I am looking for something to compliment my running and help me get stronger. I do not have weight to lose. I've never worked with a personal trainer so I'm not sure what to expect.



For the majority of the last year, I belonged to a 30 minute boot camp facility. At first I really enjoyed the workouts because it was the first time I had ever done "weight lifting". Mainly dumbbells and kettlebells. The classes were a different focus each day - leg day, push/pull days, metcon, tabata, cardio.6-8 different stations that were 30 seconds each. After about 9 months I started to get bored. It wasn't a total body workout so it was expensive for what it was (if I missed "leg day" that week, I wouldn't get another chance until the following week).The classes were 30 minutes but really only 20 minutes of a workout if you count all the breaks and warm up/cool down. I started feeling like I need to double up classes to maximize the workout. I guess I feel like I outgrew it.



Around this time an Orangetheory opened nearby. At the time, I thought it would combine my two favorite things - running and weights/strength training, so I joined. I've been going for about 5 months but less lately. While I think the workouts are challenging, it's more so from a cardio standpoint. I thought the floor portion with weights would be more of a focus, but since it's HIIT it's not (and I get that). Even if I lift heavier weights I still feel like I am missing out on strength training.



So, now I am thinking of what to do next. I enjoy group classes, strength training over something like barre/yoga, and do best when there is someone telling me exactly what to do. I would not do well with walking into a Planet Fitness and attempting to figure out weights on my own. There is a Planet Fitness nearby but I'm not sure what their personal training is like.



I was thinking of downgrading my OTF membership to 4 or 8x per month (right now it;s unlimited) because I do like it, keep running, and then supplement at home with Fitness Blender videos and dumbbells (I have Powerblocks), but I am not great at motivating myself to workout from home, and dumbbells are the only equipment I have room for.



There is a place nearby that does functional/athletic training type classes that are an hour long (battle ropes, agility stuff, TRX), and they also do personal training. Only 3 of the class times each week work for me, so it might be tough getting the workouts in. $210 for unlimited classes and 8 personal training sessions a month. Or, $175 for unlimited classes and 1PT session per week, although they said they don't recommend that option. This is definitely on the more expensive range for me. It is, however, 5 minutes from home.



There are two Crossfit boxes nearby. I've always been intimidated by Crossfit and I'm not sure if this is the right fit for me. I like group classes, want to get stronger, avoid injury, and (vainly) look better and have more muscle definition, but working out until I puke or hurt myself isn't for me. I've done a LOT of reading about CF and at each of the Crossfits near me all of the coaches only have a Level 1 certification, which I guess is a red flag according to some articles? I've also watched some IG stories from one box and there was a ton of bad form (squats and push-ups) and the coach was walking around making faces at the camera.



So if you got this far, WWYD?

[wambam]

May 28, 2019 8:14:51 GMT -5 claudiakishi said:

There are two Crossfit boxes nearby. I've always been intimidated by Crossfit and I'm not sure if this is the right fit for me. I like group classes, want to get stronger, avoid injury, and (vainly) look better and have more muscle definition, but working out until I puke or hurt myself isn't for me. I've done a LOT of reading about CF and at each of the Crossfits near me all of the coaches only have a Level 1 certification, which I guess is a red flag according to some articles? I've also watched some IG stories from one box and there was a ton of bad form (squats and push-ups) and the coach was walking around making faces at the camera.

i'll weigh in on this - if there is quality coaching, you shouldn't be intimidated by Crossfit. I workout with a 17yo kid and a 65yo retired grandmother. I have a garbage neck and still manage to do most workouts with modifications. HOWEVER. The quality of coaching is the most important factor in choosing a Crossfit gym. What experience and education, other than Level 1, do the coaches have? What is their viewpoint on scaling and modifications? Do the coaches know how to sub movements for someone who has an injury? 

[claudiakishi]

May 28, 2019 9:16:18 GMT -5 wambam said:

May 28, 2019 8:14:51 GMT -5 claudiakishi said:

There are two Crossfit boxes nearby. I've always been intimidated by Crossfit and I'm not sure if this is the right fit for me. I like group classes, want to get stronger, avoid injury, and (vainly) look better and have more muscle definition, but working out until I puke or hurt myself isn't for me. I've done a LOT of reading about CF and at each of the Crossfits near me all of the coaches only have a Level 1 certification, which I guess is a red flag according to some articles? I've also watched some IG stories from one box and there was a ton of bad form (squats and push-ups) and the coach was walking around making faces at the camera.

i'll weigh in on this - if there is quality coaching, you shouldn't be intimidated by Crossfit. I workout with a 17yo kid and a 65yo retired grandmother. I have a garbage neck and still manage to do most workouts with modifications. HOWEVER. The quality of coaching is the most important factor in choosing a Crossfit gym. What experience and education, other than Level 1, do the coaches have? What is their viewpoint on scaling and modifications? Do the coaches know how to sub movements for someone who has an injury? 

The box that is closest to me has 4 coaches on their website. Two have BA's in Exercise Science and Level 1. The other two is just says Level 1. Which makes me leery.

[hurricanedrunk]

A thought on your OTF classes - could you talk to the instructor about modifying some of exercises so they are more challenging to you? While I've never done an Orange Therapy class, I do go to a HITT class at the Y, which I think is similar, and the instructor is always tweaking things for the different levels of people.

I too am like you and have a hard time with strength without an organized class. I don't work as hard at home by myself and skip everything, lol. I know very little about Crossfit but maybe it is something you give a try for month and see how you like it.

[gummy]

I don't really have any advice but is your 30min boot camp place Fit Body Boot Camp? I've been interested in joining ours and wondering what their structure was like.

[claudiakishi]

May 28, 2019 13:24:00 GMT -5 gummy said:

I don't really have any advice but is your 30min boot camp place Fit Body Boot Camp? I've been interested in joining ours and wondering what their structure was like.

It is! Let me know what else you want to know. Like I said above, class starts with a 3-5 minute warm up while the coach goes over the stations. Then you pick a station and you’re usually in a group of 2-4 people, depending on how many people are in your class. Each station is 30 seconds, then you have 30 seconds to transition to the next. You do 4 sets of 6-8 stations, with breaks in between each set. After awhile I started to feel like I didn’t need all of those breaks because I was increasing my strength and endurance, but that’s their structure. Then there’s a cool down and at the end they do a group huddle where the coach gives a motivational pep talk and everyone high fives (not my thing, but it’s what they do). Each day is a different focus. The weights at each station vary but ours didn’t go past 20 lb dumbbells. It was mainly women in my classes.

[gummy]

May 28, 2019 16:43:03 GMT -5 claudiakishi said:

May 28, 2019 13:24:00 GMT -5 gummy said:

I don't really have any advice but is your 30min boot camp place Fit Body Boot Camp? I've been interested in joining ours and wondering what their structure was like.

It is! Let me know what else you want to know. Like I said above, class starts with a 3-5 minute warm up while the coach goes over the stations. Then you pick a station and you’re usually in a group of 2-4 people, depending on how many people are in your class. Each station is 30 seconds, then you have 30 seconds to transition to the next. You do 4 sets of 6-8 stations, with breaks in between each set. After awhile I started to feel like I didn’t need all of those breaks because I was increasing my strength and endurance, but that’s their structure. Then there’s a cool down and at the end they do a group huddle where the coach gives a motivational pep talk and everyone high fives (not my thing, but it’s what they do). Each day is a different focus. The weights at each station vary but ours didn’t go past 20 lb dumbbells. It was mainly women in my classes.

Interesting! Thank you. I thought I may like this better then Orange Theory because I enjoyed the floor work and loathed the treadmill and rower. Not sure how I feel about it being focused on one area but I suppose if it's only 30 min it's hard to get full body. Thanks again!

[Wines Not Whines]

I’m also not good about doing strength workouts on my own. I belong to a regular gym (not a specialty gym) and take classes there like Body Pump, Total Body Conditioning, and boot camp classes. They also have spin classes for cross training when I need a break from running. It works well for me. There are a lot of different classes, so I don’t get bored.

[itsme]

Go to the CrossFit gyms near you and observe. Go on the days and the times you would be able to go to see what that coach is like. Ask lots of questions. I have been doing it for 6 years now and have had no injuries. Like any other sport, injury can happen but they can also be avoided with proper technique and form. If the coaches are pushing go hard or go home, walk away. Run away. Like wambam mentioned, they should be very willing, knowledgeable, and open to scaling and substituting movements. It's very individual and the people that go to CF are an array of everyday people from the young kids to 70-somethings (at my gym) and everything in between plus more. You take what you want from CF, you can go hard if you want (safely of course) or you can take it slow. They may also offer Olympic lifting or power lifting classes so you don't have to worry about metcons and are able to better learn form and focus on that and gain strength.

I have my own home gym but I love the community of my CF gym so I will not leave that. I enjoy the group atmosphere and the push I get from the others and it was my life changer. I was so bored with all the other group classes I tried and walking into the gym to lift had me so lost. I thought CF was for crazy super fit people before I started. Nope!

[goldengirlz]

What about Barry’s Bootcamp? Do you have one of those near you? The workouts seem similar to what you’ve been doing, but perhaps kicked up a notch.

Or what about something like Classpass? I have a hard time committing to one fitness place but I love doing drop-in classes. Variety makes me happiest.

I’ve also had success finding great classes at local YMCAs and JCCs.

[breezy8407]

I don't know if I have any real advice, but I have taken a version of a bootcamp class for about 6 years now and it totally depends on the instructor. Our current trainer and programming is awesome. Classes are an hour and I get my butt kicked but there its always full body with a lot of conditioning which I love. Its a paid class, but i get a huge discount so its well worth my money.

I've also found a few free classes in the studios that I like but again, dependent on the instructor.

I was going to mention Classpass, too. One of my good friends uses it to go to different boutique studios like Cycle Bar and a local gym for a hip hop dance class.

[claudiakishi]

May 28, 2019 17:15:13 GMT -5 gummy said:

May 28, 2019 16:43:03 GMT -5 claudiakishi said:

It is! Let me know what else you want to know. Like I said above, class starts with a 3-5 minute warm up while the coach goes over the stations. Then you pick a station and you’re usually in a group of 2-4 people, depending on how many people are in your class. Each station is 30 seconds, then you have 30 seconds to transition to the next. You do 4 sets of 6-8 stations, with breaks in between each set. After awhile I started to feel like I didn’t need all of those breaks because I was increasing my strength and endurance, but that’s their structure. Then there’s a cool down and at the end they do a group huddle where the coach gives a motivational pep talk and everyone high fives (not my thing, but it’s what they do). Each day is a different focus. The weights at each station vary but ours didn’t go past 20 lb dumbbells. It was mainly women in my classes.

Interesting! Thank you. I thought I may like this better then Orange Theory because I enjoyed the floor work and loathed the treadmill and rower. Not sure how I feel about it being focused on one area but I suppose if it's only 30 min it's hard to get full body. Thanks again!

My location does the first 3 classes for free!

[claudiakishi]

May 28, 2019 18:01:28 GMT -5 Wines Not Whines said:

I’m also not good about doing strength workouts on my own. I belong to a regular gym (not a specialty gym) and take classes there like Body Pump, Total Body Conditioning, and boot camp classes. They also have spin classes for cross training when I need a break from running. It works well for me. There are a lot of different classes, so I don’t get bored.

We have a ton of “boutique fitness” places around here but no fitness centers or a Y that are a gym with classes. ☹️ That would be perfect for me.

[claudiakishi]

May 28, 2019 22:48:53 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

What about Barry’s Bootcamp? Do you have one of those near you? The workouts seem similar to what you’ve been doing, but perhaps kicked up a notch.

Or what about something like Classpass? I have a hard time committing to one fitness place but I love doing drop-in classes. Variety makes me happiest.

I’ve also had success finding great classes at local YMCAs and JCCs.

I need to look into Classpass again. When I originally looked into it not many places around here participated.

No Barry’s ☹️ I’d love something like that, or an F45. There’s like 5 Pure Barre’s within 10 miles though 🙄

[bullygirl979]

A couple of thoughts.

1) try not to be intimidated when trying CF. I tried it once for a month and while it wasn't for me, everyone was SO nice and supportive. I have a friend who moves a lot for work and she makes all her friends at CF. And, if the coach isn't nice or supportive, that is a good way to check them off the list.

2) what about hiring a personal trainer (not through PF). I have a friend who has a PT and this guy has an extensive studio at his house. She works out there a few times a week and doesn't need a gym membership or home equipment.

3) the expensive place...can you swing the cost? About 6 months ago I signed up for an unlimited membership at a local yoga studio. I was always a $27/month LA Fitness person so turning around and paying $99/month seemed liked A LOT of money. But I love going and I enjoy it. So in my mind, it is money well spent.