Anyone do Crossfit?

I started three months ago as a not particularly fit 56 year old. I have never really done organized exercise before but I wish now I had started earlier. I am really enjoying it but it is painful and humbling. The women in the class are mostly older than me and all lift far more than me. The only thing I can keep up to them in are the short runs we do some days. I go five days a week and I can already see and feel a difference.

I do not actively train crossfit, but I have recently trained for and participated in a "BERT" with a bunch of classmates, and I have friends who are pretty active crossfitters. I can see its appeal. 

Edit:  currently 50yo and took up the BERT training about 4-5 months ago I think.

I am not sure what BERT is. Is that the BERT crossfit workout?

I don't, but I've been considering it.

Convince me, if you can.

In reply to bearmtnmartin (Forum Supporter) :

It is one of the Crossfit "Hero" workouts. The ones I knew about are tributes to fallen soldiers. I only knew the BERT and the Murph, but a quick google pointed to many more.

The BERT:

50 Burpees

400M (1/4 mile)  Run

100 Push ups

400M run

150 Lunges

400M run

200 Air squats

400M run

150 Lunges

400M run

100 Push ups

400M run

50 Burpees

The goal is to complete the whole thing in 60 minutes. I didn't, but came reasonably close. Our next group attempt is in another 10-12 weeks, and I think I should be able to complete it in 60 min then. 

In reply to Brett_Murphy (Agent of Chaos) :

I do not do well with exercising on my own so running and the gym wind up being pretty sporadic.  I was very active for most of my life but now I mostly drive a laptop so things were starting to slip.  Then I watched an interview with an old guy and he was describing his crossfit workouts and I thought if he could do it then so could I so I signed up.  I went to a free trial and got some really awesome one on one coaching and did a very easy version of the workout. I thought the instructor and some of the others were in their thirties or forties but it turns out they are all older than me and fit as berkeley. That sealed the deal. I want to get to where they are. The workouts are tough but scalable so always manageable but I work my ass off because everyone else does. Its a real group struggle. And the great thing is that the workouts are only 9 to 15 minutes long! I can hurt for 15 minutes. The warmups are longer but much easier than the workout itself. I hurt every day (by choice) but I  am finding that everything that usually hurt (back and hips) do not hurt nearly as much any more. And after three months I am already no longer the weakest in the class, but still weaker than all the women who have been doing crossfit for years. 

I will say that I think the coaching is very important. I am told some gyms do not have good coaching and people get hurt. I have a really bad back and they watch my lifting very carefully and they will stop me if my form is bad. Today we did dead lifts. I did 5 sets of five with 215 pounds and then four sets of 9 with 145 pounds with wall walks between the sets. (walking your legs up the wall to a hand stand). My back feels just fine but every muscle I used hurts on top of the ones that still hurt from yesterday. Not sure if any of that is convincing but i can see results and I am really enjoying myself. Now if I can just outlift that 62 year old lady.....

In reply to MrJoshua :

I have only done one of the hero workouts and I think they are all pretty brutal. 

Been doing CrossFit for almost 10 years now. I kinda stumbled upon it by luck as my previous company had outsourced the onsite fitness center to a well established local CrossFit gym and sessions were free for employees. First few months were tough as my body was not used to the workout intensity and needed to improve my conditioning but over time it's become second nature.

I've since left that company and signed up as a paid member at the same CrossFit gym outlet. Good coaching is key for motivation/avoiding injuries and we're blessed to have top notch ones at our location. Also listen to your body and don't over do it; every workout is scalable. I'm in my late 40's now and fitter than I was in my early 20's so for me CrossFit has truly been life changing. 

Crossfit is excellent exercise, just make sure you warm up all your joints and protect yourself, especially if you're attempting any olympic lifts. I used to do a lot of crossfit when I was in the Army. My wife is a big fan of it as well.

I do CrossFit on and off for three years. But this summer it has taken a back burner to Triathalon training.  You think an overhead squat is hard, try swimming. I forgot how hard that is to do for any distance. 

also my back is currently hurt from CrossFit. Seems to happen to me mostly with kettlebell swings. I just can't get the motion down and when I do it wrong it's weeks of Oww 

I started doing it last fall, and I've found it really beneficial. I'm close to 40, and since a career change 6+ years ago, I spend most of my time staring at computer screens. 

While there are set workouts that are geared to elite level athletes (at least 1 former NHLer is a member at my gym), there are scaling options so that all levels of fitness can complete the workout. I gravitate towards the strength aspects of the workouts, and have found that I've made massive improvements in my strength (both my physical appearance and measured performance) since I started.

I don't do CrossFit (tm) but I have been working with a trainer for years. I'm mostly interested in injury prevention and functional strength. I know some CrossFit gyms tend to put a little more emphasis on speed over form, and that's more likely to get you hurt. So take the time to get your form down before you start watching the clock.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

There is one guy who likes to pound out the exercises as though he is in a competition and I can see that as a pretty fast way to injury but most of us are not racing. It's hard enough without adding speed anyway. 

I've gone to a few crossfit gyms as well as cross-training gyms that aren't officially "Crossfit" because not affiliated.

It works.  The community aspect of it is powerful.  Don't push yourself out of your comfort zone on the big lifts w/ respect to form.

I use a home gym now that's cheaper and much, much, much more schedule friendly.

I did crossfit for just over 10 years and really enjoyed it.  This fall we moved and rather than arrange my life around class I went back to running since I live in a great spot for it as the florida trail is only about a mile and a half away.  I've found that I enjoy very long runs, but to be honest I do miss the larger muscles.  With all that said, I've lost weight, thinned out, and am less sore.