Well, CrossFit is one of those things. It's nuts folks. Crazy, Intense, Amazing, oh-god-i've-never-been-so-sore-in-my-life nuts.
So I know you've all heard of it. It's been called cult-like, addicting, and many other things. I can tell you from experience that it's all of the above, but in a good way. CrossFit uses strength training, high intensity movements, and stretching to create the highest potential for fitness. The great thing about this program is that it is designed for anyone to be able to participate. "Scaling" allows people who have not mastered the moves to still get a maximum workout while practicing the moves or working toward mastering them. Want to know more? Google "What is CrossFit". Google knows everything.
I started Sign-of-the-CrossFit because I wanted to get a kick start to getting bathing suit ready for the summer. I got more like a kick in the buttocks (as Forest Gump would say). People, if you are looking for something that pushes you to your limits, encourages you to go further than you ever thought you could, takes care of you when you are almost at your breaking point, and provides you with a workout family, try Sign-of-the-CrossFit. If you are in the Boston area, I highly recommend Charles River CrossFit because I've tried it and know how awesome it is.
So let's go through the major Pros and Cons:
Pros:
1. The Coaches.
Let me introduce you to my coaches:
J-snizzle
T-dawg
The Hulk
J-snizzle always joked around with me and kept me in a light-hearted state. Even at the very end of a workout when I could barely breathe, he found a way to make me laugh. Sarcasm and smiles: that's what this guy did. Plus he is a technique freak, which is my term for myself as a dance teacher. My students have heard me say that soooooooo many times. One technique freak to another--I appreciated it. It made me feel safe.
T-dawg was my trusted motivator. My most vivid memory of T-dawg was a workout that was not made for me at all. It was heavy on the rowing, which is a short person's worst nightmare, and pushups, which is an at-least-my-legs-are-strong person's worst nightmare. I was the last one in my class to finish and was so close to giving up. T-dawg kneeled down on the floor right next to me and counted down for me. He was a true coach. He didn't let me quit.
The Hulk is totally B-A. He is quite possibly the strongest man on the planet and has ginormous muscles. I saw him do a push-up with T-dawg sitting on his back once. The Hulk helped me get half-way up a rope in a rope climb. PEOPLE-I'VE NEVER CLIMBED A ROPE IN MY LIFE. Just getting half-way was a huge success for me. He doesn't let you give up. He just helps you find a way to finish.
2. The Community.
It's really like a mini-family. People don't necessarily know your name, but they know your face. If they finish early, they scream "come on guys! keep going!" in between the gasps for air. I know from experience.
The day I got to be the motivator was actually one of my favorite days. It was a huge class, and I was in the middle of the pack time-wise (definitely not strength-wise). It was quite possibly one of the most difficult workouts of my life. I actually looked forward to the push-ups in this workout...yes me, an at-least-my-legs-are-strong person. And after I finished, I immediately felt the need to help those who were still going. I helped count down the end of the push-ups for my neighbor. I cheered on those who were far from being finished. I couldn't let them keep going without letting them know they weren't alone.
3. The Results.
My goal was to lose a few pounds and tone up. I'll be very honest--I actually gained 4 lbs. But I'm confident it is pure muscle gain. My upper body is stronger. My legs look more like they did when I danced ballet 5 days a week than they have in years. My energy is higher. If I had another month or 2, I would bet money that I would end up losing weight. Gotta gain that muscle before you lose that fat.
Cons:
1. It's quite pricey.
Like too expensive for me to do it more than one month. The price is higher than normal gyms because you don't just get equipment. You get coaches who care and know your name before you know theirs. Also, you get nutrition counseling. Sign-of-the-CrossFit preaches Paleo. Paleo is not for me because I am already borderline vegetarian (I REALLY like animals and get sad when I think about them getting hurt--for real), but if it's for you, they give you nutrition counseling. And you get a community--a family--of people who are working toward the same goal.
2. Technique is difficult to master.
As I mentioned earlier, I've never met a set of gym employees who care so much about your technique and safety. The moves are not easy, and the terms all sound similar. I cheated a lot--I would start 2 seconds after everyone else so I knew what the move was first. It's important to get good technique, but it's not easy. With that said, the coaches work with you and make sure you are being safe. They never give up on you.
As a fitness experimenter and researcher, I HIGHLY recommend Charles River CrossFit. Just give it a shot. It's worth a try.
As for me, I'm buying a jump rope, kettle bell, and ab mat to do my WODs* at home (or on my lunch break).
*WOD=incredibly difficult Workout Of the Day ("incredibly" and "difficult" are both silent)
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