What do you think about CrossFit (I was asked...)

This is my rather long-winded answer that results in: Do it, but not without research and due diligence.

As an active CrossFit “athlete” I’m biased.

However, there was life before CrossFit. A life I lived in many different specialized sports. Alpine skiing, track, soccer, racquetball, tennis, etc. Each sport has left its mark on me, helped me do “things” I didn’t think I was capable of doing when I first started the sport.
The problem with each sport is in that unless you’re a highly competitive athlete, you’re truly specializing in that sport; meaning, you show up to play and participate in that sport. You may even play leagues. Only when you get to semi or pro levels, will most athletes branch into a variety of supplemental physical and mental activities, to increase the overall performance in their chosen specialty.

I was never at the level of considering semi or pro-level status. As an amateur, I specialized. Through the specialization and subsequent repetitiveness, redundancy, complacency and, ultimately, boredom crept into my routine.
Enter CrossFit.

Constantly varied. Handle the unexpected and handle it to the best of your ability. Train for the unknowable. Become a well-rounded athlete through interacting with a seemingly never-ending variety of physical and mental exposure. The only constant within CrossFit is the competitive, yet supportive community. People put their scores on a board, quasi-tracking their workouts, while simultaneously comparing themselves to those in “their league” (although not many admit to that).
What’s interesting though, is that after we’ve written our scores, we turn right around and cheer for those who we just were in friendly competition with.

For the most part, CrossFit invites camaraderie, cheering for the last wo/man working, support and community.
Are there outliers? People, who are uncomfortably competitive? Absolutely.
Enter, again, the aforementioned community. Each CF box/gym has its own vibe. IF uncomfortable competitiveness fits, then that’s “OK” because it’s how that community jives. IF uncomfortable competitiveness is NOT OK, then the individual will usually self-select and leave to workout in another CF box where their attitude is better suited to fit.
Notably, I haven’t reflected upon the workouts yet.

Is CrossFit safe? Yes. Well…No.

CrossFit is as safe as you let it be. If you’re moving without proper instruction by a certified, knowledgeable and GREAT coach, AND, you’re pushing yourself beyond your boundaries, then NO, CrossFit is UNSAFE.
IF you refuse to listen to proper guidance and want to prove yourself when it’s not the time to prove anything, then NO, CrossFit is unsafe.

IF you decide that you should attempt a deadlift at 500lbs when your previous max (PR/Personal Record) was 250lbs, then NO, CrossFit is unsafe.

Yet, the very same standards of being UNSAFE apply to parachuting. If you don’t listen to your instructor, fly above your level, attempt things you’re far from ready for, then you’ll crash. The upside of CrossFit? You usually don’t die if you screw it up. Try that with parachuting…

IS CrossFit safe? Yes. 100%. Absolutely. Injuries happen. You may pull your quad while walking or skipping. You may also roll your ankle slipping down the stairs or stub your toe on the door jam.

IF you select your gym with due diligence. Experience the community and research the coaches, and you conduct yourself without ego, then YES, CrossFit is safe.

What will CrossFit do for you?
It will prevent boredom. It will add a physical and mental variety to your life that no other sport can bring for amateurs. With the right gym, CrossFit goes far beyond ‘merely exercising’. Decent CrossFit boxes are diligent in nutritional advice, do not practice fad diets, adhere to functional fitness standards that anyone (ANYONE!) can participate in and complete, practice and follow principles of functional medicine, have wide-ranging connections to fellow healthcare practitioners, etc.

Wait…I just said “fellow healthcare practitioners”. Let’s face it. Nutrition, exercise and stress reduction are the cornerstones to longevity. CrossFit, although not the cheapest gym option, will impact your healthcare spending. Most often, the impact is in that you’ll see your doctor less frequently, have fewer needs and less reliance on someone else to help you through your day.

In that, a CrossFit gym can greatly reduce or cancel your reliance upon Type-2 Diabetes medication (yours truly can attest to that), lower your BP to where you may be able to reduce or completely lay off blood pressure medication (yours truly can attest to that, too) and give you an incredible excuse to shop for new, stylish and much better fitting clothing (yours…you get it…).

Where does all this leave us:

IF you’re interested in exploring CrossFit, research on Google. Then on CrossFit.com and see whether the box you’ve found is an actual affiliate. Then go through everything social media and read their reviews. Follow up with a “Free Meeting” with a coach. If they don’t have that option but want to sell you into something right from the get-go, then you’ve chosen the wrong box. Walk away.

Beware of “Free” offers. There’s no such thing as free. Especially not in the CrossFit realm, where a lot of human interaction drives the engagement. Staff must get paid, operational costs covered, etc. You’ll find a ton of “FREE Challenge” offers online. None are free. They get you to sign up for a meeting, and then they’ll sell you through bait-and-switch. IF you’re running into such a gym, CrossFit or otherwise, Walk Away!

Once you crossed all the above off the list, and you happen to like what you’ve seen, heard and experienced, join your local CrossFit box for a short-term membership. Pick the shortest possible. If you don’t have any previous experience with the barbell, they’ll likely (hopefully) take you through a safe on-ramp, where they teach you what you need to know. If they don’t…walk out.

Give yourself 90 days at your new gym-home. This allows you to get a feel for the community. If it suits you, stay. It will likely have been the best fitness decision you’ve made in your life.

But to find out, there’s really only one way; try it. Don’t rely on a long-winded online posting.