anyone tried CrossFit?

[tassosss]

Does anyone have experience with CrossFit?

I'm thinking of joining the one close to me because self-motivation has not been getting me running or lifting weights on my own in months. It's winter, and I'm in the midst of my winter exercise fall-off that has lasted since last winter. The local CrossFit place has a beginning class and decent reviews. I'm also aware and wary of the fact that it's kind of a cult. My question in regard to that is, is it a friendly cult? Though that might be location dependent...

My main goals are to get back in shape and strengthen my upper body: back, shoulders, and core especially. My current fitness activity is swimming once a week-ish. I've got chronic recurring pain in one knee and my neck&shoulders, which both need exercise to help manage.

Comments

[lyorn]

I did this for a while in my regular gym. It was fun, I enjoyed it a lot. Unfortnately, I a) do not function well under pressure, and b) I had a shoulder mobility issue that prevented me from doing some exercises in good form, so I had to do them in the easiest variant (which was boring and I got cold, and my form was *still* bad and couldn't improve for lack of load.) I felt that the trainer *did* care that no one hurt themselves, but I was miffed because the solution was not right for me.

I did beginners' course, and I was reasonably fit and lifted a bit above beginner's level, but, yeah, shoulder issues, which was why I gave it up as "not enough fun, all in all."

At 46 I was by far the oldest in group.

I found it very important to not take things too seriously and not let the pressure get to me, but work at my own speed an ability. That might be a very necessary mental skill for Crossfit, because if you discover that it's cult-y, you can leave before it gets at you.

That was, note, not an acutal box.

(Actually dealing with my shoulder issues now (finally!), but I might never be able to get perfect form on a clean and press for body mechanics reasons, so I don't think it's worth doing it again.)

[tassosss]

Thanks for this. I definitely have the neck/shoulder and knee to consider, but I'm comfortable in my own skin and physical self that I think I'd be okay taking things at my own pace within the class. I might wait a little while though and talk to my doctor first.