Crossfit
I’ve been doing it for about 2 months. I’d like to give my thoughts on it now. I’m not good at writing narratives, so here goes, in bulletted pros and cons.
Pros
- You can’t argue with the results. If you completely buy into the program, including the diet (Paleo), you can get ripped. Nobody that has been doing it for 6 months or more is fat.
- It doesn’t take very long. Most workouts, including warm-up, only take 30 to 45 minutes of your day.
- The group atmosphere is great. Everyone busting their butts brings a unity I haven’t seen since my offseason training days in high school. I guess there’s something about doing grass drills or burpees ‘til you puke that brings everyone closer together.
- Surprisingly, there is a method to the madness. Proper form and safety is stressed over pressing tons of weight or doing lots of reps. I was happy to see an emphasis on technique before they turned you loose on a workout from hell.
Cons
- It seems a little gimmicky. More on this in the points below.
- While short workouts are a good thing, some of them are a little too short. Some of the WODs I’ve done took 10 minutes or less. Even though I was lying on the floor sweating and gasping for air, I’m not sure this is as good for your body as 30 minutes of normal, moderate exercise.
- You have to go all in. I’ve been averaging 3 visits a week and haven’t lost much weight. While I feel stronger and am probably a little leaner, you need to do the recommended 6 visits a week to see real results. That’s a little rough for me.
- You have to do the diet (I think). I don’t do the Paleo or Zone diets. I’m a hit-and-miss calorie control guy. I know I need to eat less and cut carbs, but I refuse to eat grilled fish for breakfast or deprive myself of pizza on Fridays. The folks who really get into Crossfit are usually on a diet that’s not sustainable for me.
- It’s expensive. Most of the gyms are $100 a month, give or take. You get a lot of bang for your buck with personal trainers at every session, and, again, you can’t argue with the results. But that’s a lot of cheddar to shell out every 30 days.
All that being said, I am going to renew my membership for one more month. While I don’t think this program is a long-term, sustainable option for me, at worst it will “shock my system” into a new way of exercise and give me some new ideas for workouts in the future. I’d like to do it for a little while longer, then move on to other stuff that’s more enjoyable for me. And when I’m looking to get out of a rut, I can always go back to Crossfit. After all, they do post their workouts online. For free. With no special equipment needed. Somebody tell me, how is it again they make money?
