starting crossfit maybe

Discussion in 'Health and Fitness' started by Giovanni, Dec 4, 2015.

  1. Giovanni

    Giovanni Well-Known Member Supporter

    thinking about starting a crossfit regiment to supplement my bjj training. i've read up on the program quite a bit. i really like lifting weights and some of the involved movements of the program.

    as i'm considering it, any thoughts on previous experiences that anyone might have in training?

    i'm a little scared of it for one reason. and i'm not exactly sure how the wod works. but it seems like there's quite a bit of weight training past the point of failure. that piece worries me with any type of weight, and form, and injuries. how does one mitigate the risk of injury?
     
  2. Mangosteen

    Mangosteen Hold strong not

    Crossfit is a gamble in terms of the gym/box you train in.

    Some have decent ramp programs (to prep you for WODs in regular classes) but it depends on who's coaching. If they don't have a 4 to 6 week ramp program or they want you doing snatches within your first 2 months of training then just do go.

    The competitiveness of classes can be both a good and bad thing but remember your goal - you are doing crossfit for bjj. don't push the crossfit too hard, its easy to get carried away.

    But then again crossfit is all about pushing as hard as possible

    source - worked in a crossfit gym for a while
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2015
  3. 47MartialMan

    47MartialMan Valued Member

    You start of with a few exercises, light weight, few reps

    Make sure after a tryout, that you could handle a tad more

    Don't move onto anything that seems "extreme" until you have trained through/progress from the basic
     
  4. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    regardless of what some crossfitters might tell you, performance in a wod is entirely up to you. people push to failure because that's the mentality they have and which may be fostered by coaches and classmates (high competitiveness in particular leads to it), but there's no reason for you to do so if you don't want to.

    good things to look for are if they work with specialists. oly lifters, KB people, powerlifters and such often find work with crossfit boxes, and tend to make quality go up massively (as the standards for crossfit certifications are... lackluster)
     
  5. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    YouTube crossfit fails.

    Watch, laugh, and don't do what they did.

    PS actually there's loads of good articles about crossfit and shoulder Injuries.

    Essentially kipping pull ups are bad for your shoulders.

    Lifting to failure above the head, is bad for shoulders.

    Lifting with poor form, is bad for you.

    Avoid these and you'll avoid a lot of injury risk!
     
  6. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

    Pps the crossfit forum has a specialised injury section.

    It's worth looking at to avoid others mistakes.
     
  7. Dead_pool

    Dead_pool Spes mea in nihil Deus MAP 2017 Moi Award

  8. Fish Of Doom

    Fish Of Doom Will : Mind : Motion Supporter

    lifting to failure above the head is extremely safe, you just drop the bar. failing and dropping it on your neck is unsafe :p

    kipping is high injury risk if you have a weak rotator cuff (commonly leads to SLAP lesions), but not that much if your shoulders are healthy (most people's aren't, but it's usually fixable).
     
  9. Bjjbrown

    Bjjbrown Valued Member

    I am so 50/50 with crossfit.
    Most gyms suck and encourage failure and intensity over form. They do have some exceptions though and most emphasize good aspects like mobility and diet. Imo bjj has no huge Olympic lift requirements though
     
  10. Mushroom

    Mushroom De-powered to come back better than before.

    Like others here, I see a lot of Crossfit fails. Usually the bashing via social media and I do look confused with the Reebok Games.
    Obviously the kipping of the pull-up and the strong push on fashionable clothes.

    However, I have friends who are currently training in Crossfit, and with amazing results. One is a friend who trained in Wushu, his weight ballooned to pretty much obese levels. He got himself together and lost half his body weight, training at a box.

    I guess, like anything else. It's down to each individual places and trainers. Kinda like MA.
     
  11. belltoller

    belltoller OffTopic MonstreOrdinaire Supporter

    That would bother me as well and those were some of the questions that kept me out of a few CF boxes that were quite local to me when I was looking for something to replace the MA that I'd had to leave.

    Its the lack of knowledge/experience that we bring into such situations that prevent one from separating the wheat from the chaff and, regardless of anything else, there is always going to be a bad instructor, or a place that's understaffed with the good instructors that they do have or a fundamentally sound programme that's not filtering down to your level in the way it was intended ... something will be amiss.

    Its only in the hindsight borne of those experiences (both good and bad) that we are able to see these things.

    Do you walk out because you see people kipping, dropping their loads constantly during dodgy-looking lifts during your trial period session; despite your junior/assistant-in-training instructor seeming to know a great deal and is always there, eager to correct your form?

    Do you stay because you've not seen anything technically wrong (that you're aware of) with a highly-rated facility despite the fact that the instructor during the time period you are there seems to spend an inordinate amount of time doing the "'sweet-brah'-high-five-'Yeah-baby'" thing with two or three of his good buds (having trouble telling who the instructor is in the group?) while you find yourself often wondering what the protocol calls for next?

    Curious, Gio, did ya ever get 'round to checking out any of the places you had in mind? What'jer find?

    Can't be certain if they would even tell you that you'll be doing snatches too early - possible they themselves "know" correct lifting and all, may even be certified but they themselves become as caught up in the competition and brah-stosterone surges as anyone else - the theory goes right out the window.

    What's the avg for a trial period (is there an avg?) Do you have the option to walk if things begin looking like a Jim Jones kool-aide orgy after a while?

    It really often takes a while for this stuff to materialise, so its best to get things in writing (they sign YOUR contract, not the other way round) If they are that "desperate" for your business, is it too good to be true?

    I know someone's going to come on here and say you/we are 'overthinking' this but keep in mind what your response should be should you hear that from the person standing in front of you with a contract in their hands.

    Just in case the term needs a bit of dressin':

    http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/trainer-says-you-shouldnt-do-kipping-pullups
     
  12. michelle103

    michelle103 New Member

    I've been doing weight lifting since January now and complimented this with cardio.

    For the past 2 months I haven't lost any weight and I'm still over weight. I have looked at my diet and i'm in a caloric deficit and getting the right amounts of protein, carbs, fat etc.
    I'm thinking of starting crossfit, trying to do higher intense workouts to shift this weight.
     
  13. icefield

    icefield Valued Member

    You cant really be in a caloric deficit, if you were eating less food than you needed to maintain your weight you would be losing weight.

    Are you keeping a detailed food log of what you are eating when the caloric count for each meal and so forth?

    Doing high intensity exercise whilst limiting your food intact might not be the best solution, id spend the money you save by not going to crossfit on joining weight watchers or hiring a nutritionist
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2017
  14. Giovanni

    Giovanni Well-Known Member Supporter

    have you taken any body measurements? how do your clothes feel?

    how are you tracking what you're eating?

    it doesn't sound like you're in a caloric deficit, but you may not have lost weight overall because of the muscle you've added. it's hard to know. measurements are another good data point.

    one thing to keep in mind is you have to figure out what's a deficit for your own body and activity level, not a generic calorie goal as a deficit.
     
  15. aikiMac

    aikiMac aikido + boxing = very good Moderator Supporter

    ^^ This. I weigh 60 pounds more than my wife and I'm 9 inches taller. She eats a lot less than I eat. If I used her diet as my standard then I'd be starving.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2017
  16. michelle103

    michelle103 New Member

    I keep a log of everything I eat.

    I have 2 slices of seeded wholegrain toast in the morning with a boiled egg.

    For lunch I have a bowl of lettuce, 1 vine tomato, cucumber and sandwhich chicken with pesto mayo on top.

    As a snack I have banana.

    And for tea I have what ever I need to make the numbers up.

    I have been using an app where I input my age, weight and height that calculates what my diet should be, maybe I shouldn't be relying on this so heavily.

    I have started taking my measurements so maybe that will give me more insights.
     

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