Is CrossFit For You?

Introduction

The fitness industry is filled with so many fads and marketing gimmicks, it can be hard to check the abundance of choices against the facts if you don’t have the time or energy to research.  There are endless pieces of exercise equipment, workout videos, and training philosophies you could be pulled into using without really knowing if it’s suited to your goals and personal characteristics.  

CrossFit is a style of training that has seen a massive surge in popularity recently.  From where I am typing this, there are at least two CrossFit gyms within walking distance.  Although I don’t think CrossFit is necessarily a bad fitness regimen to follow, I also don’t think it’s the holy grail of fitness as some believe.  Just like any training program, you need to make sure it’s the right one for you.

Training Experience

Before embarking on any fitness endeavor, it’s always a good idea to make sure your level of fitness is sufficient in the prerequisite areas.  Do you have some base level of cardiovascular fitness?  Do you have sufficient levels of strength to perform things like high intensity plyometrics safely?  These kinds of questions, among others, are important to ask yourself before participating in CrossFit.

In my opinion, CrossFit is not a suitable training program for a total beginner.  You need to make sure you can perform the prerequisite movements properly before you are forced to perform them in timed circuits, while experiencing high levels of fatigue, or progressions from those basic movements.  For example, if you can’t perform a proper deadlift, then you have no business performing power cleans.  I would advise spending time with someone who can teach you movement proficiency in these basic movement patterns, such as a personal trainer.

My suggestion is that you have at least a year of consistent resistance training under your belt.  This means lifting a minimum 2-3 times per week (Ideally more like 3-5) with very few hiccups along the way.  This would classify you as an intermediate lifter according to most.

Goals

CrossFit is not suited to all goals that people want to accomplish.  Thankfully, one of the goals it is fairly well suited to is fat loss.  The first priority of a training program when trying to lose fat should be maintenance of muscle mass.  Secondary to that, it should be about creating the largest calorie deficit possible.  Since CrossFit contains enough resistance training to maintain muscle mass, it certainly accomplishes the first goal.  Because of the fairly high volume of overall work, it is pretty good at accomplishing the second goal as well.  As well, CrossFit is fine if you just want a well rounded fitness profile.

CrossFit is not very well suited to anything that is more specific, or performance related.  Goals such as increasing muscle mass, increasing maximal strength, preparing for a half marathon, regaining mobility after a surgical procedure, and taking your tennis game up a notch are not best achieved through CrossFit training.  Thus, if you’re any kind of athlete outside of a competitive CrossFit guy, then I do not recommend CrossFit.  Your requirements for the various fitness qualities are too specific to your sport, and position within that sport.  This is not necessarily a bad thing.  Because of the concept of specificity of training, not every training program can be good at everything.  CrossFit actually tries to be good at everything, but not great at anything in particular.  As the saying goes: jack of all trades, master of none.

Group Setting

CrossFit gyms typically train people in fairly large group settings.  I’m sure there are exceptions to this, but this is the standard setup.  Thus, group exercise classes have to be an environment you really like.  Some people thrive because of the social aspect, extra accountability, and mutual motivation provided in these environments.  Some people are more intimidated in this type of setting, and much prefer a more solitary approach to training.  Of course, neither is right or wrong, but merely personal preference.  Still, it’s an important consideration before you spend a few hundred dollars a month for a membership to a CrossFit gym.

Another thing to keep in mind is CrossFit culture tends to be quite zealous.  A lot of people have even suggested to me, after trying it for a while, that CrossFit gyms can feel kind of like cults.  If this type of fervent disposition of group members bothers you, then I advise finding a way to try the place out first.  You have to experience your local CrossFit gym to really know whether this is true of that particular group of people.  Generalizations are just that, and not accurate all the time.  

Other Issues

This is the section I’m using to mention a couple of general gripes I have with CrossFit training.  First of all, the lack of consistent progression is an issue in my mind.  I know that CrossFit trainees work very hard, but it’s hard to know if you’re progressing if you change things too frequently.  Haphazardly changing exercise selection, volume, and intensity doesn’t make tracking progress a realistic possibility.  It’s hard to know if something is working if you have no way to measure your progress.  However, this is not as big of an issue with the goals I mentioned CrossFit is best suited for (Fat loss or a well rounded fitness profile), so it usually isn’t going to present a huge issue.

Second, I strongly dislike their use of high repetition Olympic lifting, and Olympic lifts while exhausted.  These movements are highly technical, and have an increased risk of injury relative to many.  Olympic lifting is actually a fairly low injury sport, but competitive weightlifters are very dialed in on their technique, and they don’t perform these exercises with those problematic training variables assigned.  For most people, this poor risk to reward ratio is not something I recommend engaging in.  If you decide to participate in a CrossFit class, then use your best judgement and don’t risk injury to eek out a couple more power cleans.

Finally, I have an issue with their blanket weight recommendations on their main page.  When you look at the workout of the day, sometimes the weights suggested are ridiculously low for most, and sometimes they are practically not achievable by most.  If you plan on trying to execute some of the workouts on your own, then you need to scale their recommendations according to strength and fitness levels.  This doesn’t mean don’t work hard.  However, if you see something that is completely out of reach for you, then don’t hurt yourself trying to do it.

Summary

Just to wrap up, let me summarize the major points about who I think is best suited to try CrossFit, should they be interested:

• Non-specific goals such as fat loss or improved general fitness
• At least a year of consistent resistance training, and an understanding of the basic movement patterns performed in CrossFit
• Comfort in a group setting
• Non-athletes (Unless your sport is CrossFit)
• Good body awareness, such that you can stop an exercise before it becomes injurious

Even with all that in mind, it is almost always better to do some kind of exercise rather than nothing.  If you find that CrossFit is the only training regimen that has truly captured your attention and kept you consistent, then do it!  I realize not everyone is into exercise science, and isn’t worried about following the “perfect” program.  You just want something that makes you work hard, elevates your mood, and improves your health.  Well, if you’ve found what works for you, then stick with it.  Happy training.