Started Crossfit - update - I'm less fat now

[Sho'Nuff]

I did an 8 week starter program at a Crossfit gym. Designed to get people into Crossfit. One workout had us do weighted thrusters to time, intermixed with running and something else I think. To a beginner, a weighted thruster is not the simplest movement, and I injured my wrist. Nothing major, but it was a problem for a few months. Because of that experience, I don't recommend Crossfit.

Now then, other Crossfit gyms may be more cautious for beginners. But in general, some Crossfit workouts use technically difficult moves with heavy or decent amount of weight to time. For my needs: to be in shape – I don't see the point. Why risk injury?

If a gym was to separate _entirely_ the technically difficult and/or heavy weight days from the jump around and push yourself to a good time and become exhausted days then it would make sense and I'd recommend it. Example workouts from Crossfit homepage which I'd rather not push myself to do and risk injury are below.

MONDAY 141006
3 rounds for time of:
30-second L-sit hold
20 pull-ups
135-lb. thrusters, 10 reps

SATURDAY 141004
4 rounds for time of:
45-second L-sit hold
135-lb. deadlift, 30 reps
15 handstand push-ups

FRIDAY 141003
Feeks
For time:
2 x 100-meter shuttle sprint
2 squat clean thrusters, 65-lb. dumbbells
4 x 100-meter shuttle sprint
4 squat clean thrusters, 65-lb. dumbbells
6 x 100-meter shuttle sprint
6 squat clean thrusters, 65-lb. dumbbells
8 x 100-meter shuttle sprint
8 squat clean thrusters, 65-lb. dumbbells
10 x 100-meter shuttle sprint
10 squat clean thrusters, 65-lb. dumbbells
12 x 100-meter shuttle sprint
12 squat clean thrusters, 65-lb. dumbbells
14 x 100-meter shuttle sprint
14 squat clean thrusters, 65-lb. dumbbells
16 x 100-meter shuttle sprint
16 squat clean thrusters, 65-lb. dumbbells

MONDAY 140929
7 rounds for time of:
45-lb. dumbbell thrusters, 7 reps
15-ft. rope climb, 1 ascent

FRIDAY 140926
3 rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
75-lb. hang power snatch, 21 reps
12 chest-to-bar pull-ups

Those workouts only look scary and dangerous if you are unwilling to scale anything about the routine to suit your current level of fitness. My instructor is spending a great deal of time explaining to me how all of the various moves can be scaled up or down, with a major focus on down given my current level of f(a)itness.

And note - "for time" to me means do it as quickly as you can, while maintaining proper form and being (generally) safe. I'm 37. While I hope to eventually do some of the workouts without scaling, I am fine if I never get there. Hell if I can do half that stuff I will be in far better shape than I am now.

 

[NAC]

I'm glad you are enjoying the workouts. That really is the key - finding something you like and can do habitually. I'm sure you'll make good progress.

 

[SP33Demon]

Those workouts only look scary and dangerous if you are unwilling to scale anything about the routine to suit your current level of fitness. My instructor is spending a great deal of time explaining to me how all of the various moves can be scaled up or down, with a major focus on down given my current level of f(a)itness.

And note - "for time" to me means do it as quickly as you can, while maintaining proper form and being (generally) safe. I'm 37. While I hope to eventually do some of the workouts without scaling, I am fine if I never get there. Hell if I can do half that stuff I will be in far better shape than I am now.

You will get there if you are dedicated. I'm around the same age as you and wipe the floor with kids 10 years younger than me at powerlifting meets. Hell, the last USAPL meet was even held in a Crossfit gym and I smoked two kids in their 20's for first place.

 

[CoconutWarrior]

I don't think you should "jump into" CF if you're not in any kind of shape... but they have training sessions when you sign up that you must complete, which teach you the basic lifts and proper form. That said, you should still be in moderate shape when you begin, or you'll just end up hurting yourself. Good luck!

 

[alkemyst]

I bet you can leg press a lot....

I have not reached my goals. I recognize what I have accomplished and push on towards being better. I want to be the best i can be.

You sound like you would be happy being average.... Maybe xfit is perfect for you. You comment like you can't look healthy and be healthy. I am healthy, but damn it I want to look the part as well

Why do you attack everyone and turn things into all about diet and your way or the highway?

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Update in OP - I'm less fat now than when I started

 

[Zivic]

And Zivic - you might want to give crossfit a try sometime. Based on what you have been posting I think you might have seen some bad videos on youtube, but you have never actually been in a crossfit gym or done one of the workouts. It ain't easy, and it ain't a bunch of housewives standing around clapping. At least not at the gym I am going to. With the exception of the folks who started within the last 6 months, every member I have met has been extremely fit. Not skinny fat. Not kinda sorta fit. really damn fit.



Anyway, I feel great. .

Glad you are doing well with it.

I know all about crossfit, what I post is obviously just cherry picked to mock it.

what it comes down to is what would I get out of crossfit? It offers me nothing.

I have a guy I know from the local gyms for almost 20 yrs now. just turned 53. 5'7" 185 lbs, built and lean. he is in great shape regardless of age. He takes a trip to Hawaii with his 28 yr old girlfriend. Friend of his owns a crossfit gym there. he visits the gym and the Xfitters are awestruck at his physique... they all ask him what he does; "you must crossfit?".....nope, no crossfit.

crossfit has you training for everything and nothing. You really don't get good at anything in particular. I have seen females get decent builds that I find attractive, but guys, sorry, maybe 1 in 100,000+ have impressive builds. I'll keep on keeping on with pathetic weights and non paleo diet

 

[Zivic]

Why do you attack everyone and turn things into all about diet and your way or the highway?

because I'm an ass...

and because you can't outwork a sh1tty diet. I tried for years and until you realize that, it doesn't matter what workout you do, if any

 

[SP33Demon]

Congrats OP, stay safe out there. Hopefully the pounds will continue to melt as you build more muscle.

 

[z1ggy]

Update in OP - I'm less fat now than when I started

Gj man- Hopefully you don't get hurt.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Glad you are doing well with it.

I know all about crossfit, what I post is obviously just cherry picked to mock it.

what it comes down to is what would I get out of crossfit? It offers me nothing.
...
I'll keep on keeping on with pathetic weights and non paleo diet

Thanks, and fair enough. I think we can agree that there are different ways to train and different goals. There are also different measures of success. The term "impressive" is quite wishy washy if you think about it, in that people have different opinions of what it considered impressive and what is not. Many of the guys in my crossfit gym have what I would describe as an "impressive" physique. I.e., lean, quite muscular, but not huge. In general just "very" fit. Definitely not a runners build by any stretch of the imagination.

And I hope you know that I do not feel that straight weight training is a "lesser" activity somehow. If straight weight training works for you (which it obviously does), great. I personally can't get into strict weight training. It just doesn't do anything for me. And its not as if I haven't done it. Believe me as a former college athlete I have done more than a fair share of strict weight training, so I have a clear understanding of what its about too. I just find it (and this is only my opinion) boring.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Gj man- Hopefully you don't get hurt.

Thanks. I'm being careful and my instructor seems to be quite good, so there is hope. It also helps that I still have some muscle memory when it comes to the technique for some of the lifts. Flexibility/range of motion is still poor in some cases, but that is improving as I am stretching every day.

FWIW I think the change in my diet has been the cause of >50% of my weight loss so far. I did a rough assessment of my old diet and I think I was eating somewhere around 4500-5500 calories a day, with a good half of that coming from some form of carbohydrate. Honestly, a lot of the food I used to eat was just junk.

Now I'm at 2000-2250 calories a day, with >50% of that coming from some form of protein. And most of what I eat not is pretty basic. Lean meats, veggies, etc. I allowed myself to slip last Sunday and I ate a piece of pepperoni pizza at an ice hockey game. Felt like completely ass after it. Learned my lesson.

 

[Zivic]

Thanks. I'm being careful and my instructor seems to be quite good, so there is hope. It also helps that I still have some muscle memory when it comes to the technique for some of the lifts. Flexibility/range of motion is still poor in some cases, but that is improving as I am stretching every day.

FWIW I think the change in my diet has been the cause of >50% of my weight loss so far. I did a rough assessment of my old diet and I think I was eating somewhere around 4500-5500 calories a day, with a good half of that coming from some form of carbohydrate. Honestly, a lot of the food I used to eat was just junk.

Now I'm at 2000-2250 calories a day, with >50% of that coming from some form of protein. And most of what I eat not is pretty basic. Lean meats, veggies, etc. I allowed myself to slip last Sunday and I ate a piece of pepperoni pizza at an ice hockey game. Felt like completely ass after it. Learned my lesson.

if that is an accurate reflection on your eating habbits before and now the changes after, 99.9% is your diet. 5500 calories is a TON of food. if your daily needs are around 2000, you could potentially be gaining a lb a day based on the calorie estimates

 

[Sho'Nuff]

if that is an accurate reflection on your eating habbits before and now the changes after, 99.9% is your diet. 5500 calories is a TON of food. if your daily needs are around 2000, you could potentially be gaining a lb a day based on the calorie estimates

It might be a little high but I don't think it is too far off. I was eating quite a bit all day long. Very, very bad habit. Thankfully I seem to have broken it. At least for now.

 

[Koing]

if that is an accurate reflection on your eating habbits before and now the changes after, 99.9% is your diet. 5500 calories is a TON of food. if your daily needs are around 2000, you could potentially be gaining a lb a day based on the calorie estimates

Indeed.

OP congrats on your weightless. Changes in your diet are looking better.

Looks like you have a decent box. Just keep things simple and don't overstress the time WOD's. Just get them done SAFELY first and make sure your form is good and don't rush things to get a faster time at the expense of an injury.

Koing

 

[finbarqs]

Congrats OP. I started Crossfit about... 1 year ago in 2013 January. I'm 6'0" bout 275 lbs. back then. Fast forward to about september of that year, I'm 168 lbs., and I'm crushing cardio work outs. I stuck to a very strict diet plan, and use crossfit as my workouts. Crossfit is a tool to exercise, and if you do it right, you won't be injured (any sport can get you injured.) I started off in last place, not being able to finish ANY workouts at all, but I didn't let that phase me, just as long as I kept going until time cap.

Fast forward to today, Oct 2014, I'm 184 lbs., and I'm lifting more than I was back when I was 275 lbs. (yes, being big helps you lift more too). I can do a full olympic snatch @ 155 lbs (I know it's not much, but I'm not going for the oly's, hell I'm 33) and I can do a 300 back squat. My split row times are 1:30, and my mile time is 6:25. My bench is 215, deadlift is at 400.

I don't attribute my success to crossfit, but my determination. Crossfit was just the tool to get me where I want to go. There's one thing I learned about being in various different sports throughout high school and college, and extra curricular activities: They all have a possibility for injuries, not everybody is going to like them, and you can't force anybody to try anything. Body Building is a whole sport in itself, and they require a different kind of discipline. So does martial arts. So does, Crossfit. Hell so did swimming. I ran track in High School, Did martial arts at the same time, did gymnastics, swam in high school... and now I do crossfit. There was a period of time I did nothing, so hence my weight gained significantly from ~180 to 275. My intake was about the same when I was highly active, so the only thing that can happen when I stop working out is gain weight!

Anyways, hope this helps! Keep it up!

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Congrats OP. I started Crossfit about... 1 year ago in 2013 January. I'm 6'0" bout 275 lbs. back then. Fast forward to about september of that year, I'm 168 lbs., and I'm crushing cardio work outs. I stuck to a very strict diet plan, and use crossfit as my workouts. Crossfit is a tool to exercise, and if you do it right, you won't be injured (any sport can get you injured.) I started off in last place, not being able to finish ANY workouts at all, but I didn't let that phase me, just as long as I kept going until time cap.

Fast forward to today, Oct 2014, I'm 184 lbs., and I'm lifting more than I was back when I was 275 lbs. (yes, being big helps you lift more too). I can do a full olympic snatch @ 155 lbs (I know it's not much, but I'm not going for the oly's, hell I'm 33) and I can do a 300 back squat. My split row times are 1:30, and my mile time is 6:25. My bench is 215, deadlift is at 400.

I don't attribute my success to crossfit, but my determination. Crossfit was just the tool to get me where I want to go. There's one thing I learned about being in various different sports throughout high school and college, and extra curricular activities: They all have a possibility for injuries, not everybody is going to like them, and you can't force anybody to try anything. Body Building is a whole sport in itself, and they require a different kind of discipline. So does martial arts. So does, Crossfit. Hell so did swimming. I ran track in High School, Did martial arts at the same time, did gymnastics, swam in high school... and now I do crossfit. There was a period of time I did nothing, so hence my weight gained significantly from ~180 to 275. My intake was about the same when I was highly active, so the only thing that can happen when I stop working out is gain weight!

Anyways, hope this helps! Keep it up!

Congrats on your success and thanks for sharing. I agree that determination and care are key.

As for diet, I can't say why because I honestly have no idea. Maybe my mind is just in the right place now. But I am not having any problems whatsoever following my new diet. For the first time in recent memory, I am not hungry "all" the time and I am not craving sugar. I was an avid soda drinker at one time. Used to have at least one or two a day. Now for some reason I don't crave it. I haven't had one in almost two and a half weeks and I don't have any desire to drink it.

Not that I am complaining. I have struggled with what I call a junk food "addiction" for a long time. There was a time not too long ago where I would argue with myself as I pulled into a fast food drive through, telling myself "don't eat this sh!t! You shouln't be eating this sh!t." After which I would order a full meal (typically burger, fries and soda) to eat on the way home (after which I would eat dinner that my wife prepared so that she would not suspect). Its embarrassing to admit, but at those times I literally could not stop myself from eating that crap. Heck, on occasion I still feel strong urges to drive into a fast food joint when I see one coming up on the road. Often when I see a fast food place I will get a sudden strong mental "urge" to drive in. When that happens it becomes physically difficult for me to drive past the restaurant. But once I drive past the place the urges suddenly stop and I can move on.

I know it sounds silly and a bit sad. But I honestly think I did (and perhaps still do) have an honest to goodness junk food addiction. Thinking on it a bit the physical and mental "pull" or "drive" to eat that crap is/was extraordinary.

Anyway I wanted to thank you for your story, as I think it is inspirational. :thumbsup:

 

[SP33Demon]

One way to break the bad junk food addiction is to know how much it will hurt your workouts. This includes alcohol. Want the fastest gains? Then don't eat or drink that stuff. Every time you eat or drink something bad, you are erasing a portion of your hard earned workouts. Alcohol is killing your strength gains by 5-25%. Dense trans-fat foods are going to up your caloric intake (not to mention cholesterol), which will in turn put you at risk for eating too many calories. Not eating enough protein will slow down your weight loss because your muscle can't grow - last I checked pizza has almost no protein. So on and so forth.

After you start seeing newb gains and realize how badly you don't want to go back to the old you (and quite frankly most of the general obese populace!), then your eating habits will follow. The mouth will follow what the heart desires, just ask Jenna Jameson.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Update in OP - pounds continue to be shed. This is going to be an epic transformation I can tell. In a few months I might have to post one of those photo morph collages.

 

[finbarqs]

The hardest are going to be the last few of your goal: You'd have to really be strict on it. Some gyms will tell you "don't count the calories" But if your goal is to lose weight, you almost have to! Whatever you take in, you better be using it and then some! And once you hit your goal weight, you have to think about your "realistic" weight. That is, your weight you can sustain at while maintaining your lifestyle!

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Just a quick update - weighed in at 228lbs this morning. Down from 250lbs on October 6. Minus 22lbs in just over a month! Not bad!

As I may have mentioned I upped my calorie intake a bit because I was losing weight too fast (lost 15lbs in 15 days). Seems to have helped. I certainly feel better. Still eating much better food. Had a rough weekend in there diet wise (prompted by, of all things, my friend who is an avid bodybuilder (he was in the amateur national bodybuilding comp 5-6 years ago)), but I am back on track now.

Crossfit is still going well. I finished the intro sessions last week and have been to two "regular" sessions - one this past Saturday and one this morning. To say that I "survived" them is probably most accurate. Still getting used to the movements and the pace. Poor cardio is probably the most limiting factor at the moment.

As a side-note - anyone have any tips for squat cleans? I can do a clean and then a squat just fine, but catching the bar at the bottom of the squat is incredibly hard for me right now. Will I just progress into it over time?

 

[Blackjack200]

As a side-note - anyone have any tips for squat cleans? I can do a clean and then a squat just fine, but catching the bar at the bottom of the squat is incredibly hard for me right now. Will I just progress into it over time?

Pure speculation from me since I don't do cleans, but I bet if you build a bit of strength in your front squats that would help.

Like, if you could front squat 135 lbs, then catching a 95 lb. squat clean would probably be manageable.

Edit: And congrats on the weight loss. I'm not a personally a fan of crossfit, but I support anyone doing what works for them.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Pure speculation from me since I don't do cleans, but I bet if you build a bit of strength in your front squats that would help.

Like, if you could front squat 135 lbs, then catching a 95 lb. squat clean would probably be manageable.

Edit: And congrats on the weight loss. I'm not a personally a fan of crossfit, but I support anyone doing what works for them.

Thanks, that makes sense. It also may explain the problem, in that I am probably going too heavy on the squat clean. Will try to lighten it up for a bit and see what happens.

And thanks for the congrats. I got into size 36 pants for the first time in a year and half this morning, and they are only just a smidge tight. A month ago size 40s were feeling tight.

 

[blackdogdeek]

Are you saying that you can power clean X lbs and then front squat that same weight but are having problems squat cleaning the same weight?

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Are you saying that you can power clean X lbs and then front squat that same weight but are having problems squat cleaning the same weight?

Its a bit weird I know, but yes that is what I am saying. I can clean and then front squat X lbs, but doing a proper squat clean at that weight is seemingly impossible right now. I feel like I completely lose control of the bar during the transition from the clean to the squat. As a result my legs tighten up too fast and I never make it to the bottom of the squat. And yes, I can do a "proper" front squat (chest up, thighs below parallel, etc.).

I think it is either due to the weight, or to some loss of balance during the transition between the clean motion to the squat motion. I feel like I have a tendency come up just a bit on my toes during the transition, which throws the whole balance of the movement off.

I probably just need to practice the motion with very light weight for a while. I only learned the basics of the movement a few weeks ago . . .