Crossfit and Me

I would never join Crossfit.

Please! Hear me out. No?

Cross-fitter Kaitlyn Kassis to grab your attention, obviously.

Got your attention?

Great!

I am neither against Cross-fit nor am I trying to gatekeep traditional workouts. As an everyday Joe who lifts, here is why I personally would not join cross-fit, nor recommend it to my friends

1. I have a bad knee — I have had knee problems from my 5th grade. You see I thought I would become a champion footballer. I then met with a gruesome accident and my knee was never the same again. I struggled with leg training for years till my trusted physio showed me how I could heal it. Even today, I don’t test the limits on the my foot. The rest of my body can suck it.
2. Cross-fit focuses less on form — Very controversial, I know. But from what I have seen in person and from my friends’ videos — Cross-fit’s focus is certainly on pushing your limits and not how well it is done. When I saw people bending their backs on dead lifts, I almost puked. These things happen in regular gyms too, but there are dozens are gym bros who will come over and lecture you about proper form. The risk of injury is also smaller IMO.
3. Cross-fit’s trainers — Add on to the previous controversial point. India rarely has qualified trainers for fitness. But the good thing is gym owners and Gym trainers usually rely on their experience to make sure that you are on a leash. Their knowledge is sufficient for more than 90% of gym-goers in India as they all follow conventional workouts. For the elite athletes and high performance training, these guys are usually no good. Cross-fit largely depends on how good your trainer is, so nope I am not betting my health on that. Besides good trainers are costly. See point 5.
4. Cross-fit’s cult is scary — I don’t necessarily hate working out in groups, but I am mostly a private guy. I like being around friends in gyms, but that is about it. The flashy ‘Hey look I am working out’ culture of cross-fit is not for me. Yes there are gyms where you can cross-fit in private once you learn the basics, but then again I am better off with conventional workout routines.
5. Expensive — This is the part that really,really threw me off. The first time I hit the gym in India, I paid 125 Indian rupees(~$2) per month. The highest I have ever paid is $80 a month in UK’s Virgin Gym. So money is not the problem for me. The fact that people who cannot afford it cannot get into crossfit is quite suspicious for me. Fitness does not need to be that expensive. Besides, the training routines are certainly not ‘special’ to warrant that cost IMO.
6. Lifting too heavy too soon — Another controversial point. I believe in the old school way of lifting within your limit and then moving ahead with higher weights when you are comfortable. There are even conventional gyms that wont agree with me. But cross-fit seems to take it to the next level. Most people I see cross-fitting lift way more than they can without a good understanding of form. That is asking for danger.
7. Cross-fit’s marketing — The way it is marketed is very very suspicious. In most gyms in India, you rarely find pretty women. If at all you see them, it is probably in corporate and shared office gymnasiums. Most Indian women at least do not hit gyms to get all muscular, they usually come over just to stay fit or in shape. This is a massive difference. It is also why women prefer aerobics and dance over working out. But in any cross-fit zone, you often see young, fit women. Maybe I am just paranoid, but I am not buying that.

Yes, I took a leaf out of the cross-fit cookbook to lure you into this answer.

Also:

• I am happy with conventional workouts. They are simple. I hit less injuries. The routines are calming as well.
• I don’t need to test my limits. I have tested them enough and I didn’t really enjoy it.
• I have the necessary know-how on basic physical therapy. I learnt a thing or two from my therapist. It helps me deal with pain and recovery.
• I have my own equipment and I do not need to depend on expensive gyms or other people’s sweat
• There is a great community that focuses on longevity as well as living healthy in your old age