The whole point of CrossFit is to get you in to amazing shape and fast. The majority of people in our classes are regular people with busy lives just like you. The only thing you need before you start is an open mind willing to learn.] When I first started CrossFit in a dusty garage in early 2009, I knew that this was exactly what I was looking for. Coming from a ‘not-very-sporty’ background, I wasn’t exactly the easiest person to motivate to train hard and eat well. I like to think this was because I was studying at the time, and just like any 19 year-old university guy, I loved to party!
I was hooked straight away, and I hadn’t experienced the community or coaching at that point as it was just me and a friend crawling through a dirty doorway to get into a garage with our equipment. To me, this stuff was awesome! I could work hard and be out of the gym within no more than an hour drenched in sweat.
If back then you had asked me why someone shouldn’t do CrossFit I would have said “are you kidding me? This stuff is awesome”. And seriously, I went from 110kg to about 85kg in about 6 months. I was encouraged to eat more nutritious food, drink less and be more active. For me, a guy with little experience in CrossFit at the time, I couldn’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t find this type of training amazing!
So where did all those misconceptions about CrossFit come from?
Over 6 years later I have found that the people who spread these misconceptions the most are those who haven’t done it before, or have something to lose. So here are 7 misconceptions about CrossFit that just aren’t true.
1. YOU WILL GET INJURED
When I was about 12 I went to a water-park in Spain that had a slippery slide in the shape of a soccer field. We played a game for 20 minutes, and as I was stepping off the field I slipped and dislocated my shoulder. Injuries happen when you are active, and usually when you least expect it. Check out our recent post on Does CrossFit Cause Injuries? I’ll give you a quick rundown… It doesn’t.
2. COACHES AREN’T QUALIFIED
I really don’t know where this claim comes from. It seems like such a strawman attack that really has no basis at all. In fact myself and one other coach at our gym have both studied exercise science in depth at university, and one of our other coaches is furthering his knowledge at the moment. There are some incredible coaches in and out of the CrossFit world, and I’d argue that there are more poorly qualified Personal Trainers masquerading as professionals than there are CrossFit coaches.
3. IT’S ONLY FOR FIT PEOPLE
Saying you’re too unfit for CrossFit, is like saying you’re too dirty to have a bath…
The whole point of CrossFit is to get you in to amazing shape and fast. The majority of people in our classes are regular people with busy lives just like you. The only thing you need before you start is an open mind willing to learn. Nobody expects you to go at 100mph as soon as you start. Instead we want you to focus on good form and getting your habits in check.
4. THERE’S TOO MANY EGOS
I love when I hear this one. I have struggled with my body image for most of my life, and it’s been a long road of frustration. “Any trainer who doesn’t have a six pack is nothing”, these are the words that have echoed around my head after hearing it from another non-crossfit trainer directed at me. This type of negative ego is destructive and the only place I ever see it is those looking in on what we do. The type of ego you see at our gym is someone with a big smile on their face because they just deadlifted more weight, jumped up on the 20” box, or got their first pull-up getting high-fived by other people in their class.
5. CROSSFIT TEACHES BAD FORM
Imagine a martial arts class that just tells you to go and fight each other. That’s how ridiculous it sounds when someone says we don’t teach form. The truth is that before you even join our regular classes you MUST complete 3 beginners sessions focusing solely on technique. Then in each and every class your coach will recap, demo and coach you to move better before you add more weight.
6. CROSSFITTERS DO CRAZY DIETS
We promote balance around your life. If you are busy, time-poor and need structure then we encourage and teach you how to meal-prep. If you have social events, we show you how you can damage control so you don’t blow out. For us food is a luxury that we have in our culture that should be enjoyed as well as providing fuel for our bodies. We help you to build a diet around your lifestyle that suits you.
7. YOU NEED TIME
I’ll start with this.. EVERYONE has time. If we break up the working week into hours (not including sleep, approx 7-8 hours) you have 40 waking hours to do just 3 hours of exercise. For me, my fitness is a priority so making sure that I get a minimum of 3 sessions a week is important to me. When being fit is something you really want, you will make time for it.
I’m sure there are others that I haven’t included, and I’d love to hear about them from you. However, with a solid beginner program such as our Elements Course and great coaching, starting CrossFit will be the best thing you have done for your fitness. Maybe one day you will be writing an article like this.