Starting Strength or Starting Crossfit?

[Chris Mannion]

Hello all!

First I should introduce myself. After wasting much of the past few years trying the various routines detailed in Mens Health and such I decided to try and actually do some real training. Over the last 12 months I have been training on and off due to work commitments (generally 12 weeks of training followed by 12 weeks of sedentary lifestyle). This has given me the opportunity to sample various different routines on the web, including Crossfit. I was discouraged when a few workouts came up that I didn't have the equipment for and so I moved on to other things (not the point of Crossfit as I've come to realise).

It is now clear that Crossfit is the way ahead. Hence my registration on the forums and subscription to the Journal. I've already started working my way through the extensive Level 1 Guide that contains plenty of valuable information and started to take in the information in the forums.

To aid my request for advice I have a few figures:
Recent Bench Press: 67.5kg for 5 reps (working to max effort)
Recent Squat: 80kg for 5 reps (working to max effort)
Recent Pull-Ups: 12 in first set (working 3 x max reps)

I weigh approx 80kg and measure 6'2. Fairly slim frame.

My goals for the coming year are as follows:
1. Get 1.5mi time under 10mins (previous best is 10min20s)
2. Move to 'Intermediate' category in the powerlifting category level
3. Run a Marathon in October (I have previously run 2 x half-marathons in approx 1hr50m (each) and a 40mi walk/run through hills in 8hr15m).

My question is, based on my current standards, would it be best to start off with a Starting Strength programme (I have just got hold of my first copy) or jump straight in with a scaled WOD programme? I intend to add CFE into whichever programme I go with.

Many thanks in advance for all of your help!

Chris

[Aushion Chatman]

You might as well do Starting Strength, as it stands if you are getting started, it is highly advised to start simple with just a few movements. Starting Strength will do that for you. Jumping right into mainsite programming is going to throw 101 different exercises at you, at this point you don't need that IMO.

Work Starting Strength for a bit, 4-6 months, then begin to learn some of the common gymnastics movements in CF...after gaining familiarity with the bulk of CF's standard movements, then jump into scaled WODs.

That's my advice.

[Jeremy Galo]

waiting for Tamara to bang her head into the wall on this.

OP... in my opinion, do Starting Strength... and ONLY Starting Strength (no CFE). Go get a strength base first then move into WODs later

[Harley Jennings]

If you check facebook Tamara is reducing her skull to paste at the moment.

OP, Are you up to milk requirement that SS demands? GOMAD? You are a slim guy, just curious since if you aren't doing GOMAD you aren't doing SS.

Food for thought....

[Tamara Cohen]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Galo

waiting for Tamara to bang her head into the wall on this.

It already happened, don't worry, Jeremy.

OP, you squat your bodyweight for 5 reps.

Do Starting Strength. And, by that I mean Do. Starting. Strength. Read the book. Also, buy the DVD.

Get rid of this notion that you are also going to do CFE.

In several months, you will be super happy and feel like a man, and then you can go run really fast if you want to.

[Chris Mannion]

Answered my question and straight to the point! Just curious as where I stood in the scheme of things.

Many thanks!

[Chris Mannion]

Originally Posted by Harley Jennings

If you check facebook Tamara is reducing her skull to paste at the moment.

OP, Are you up to milk requirement that SS demands? GOMAD? You are a slim guy, just curious since if you aren't doing GOMAD you aren't doing SS.

Food for thought....

I hadn't intended to do GOMAD. Current diet looks like:

B-Fast: 3 x Eggs on toast

Snack: Banana and Protein Shake w/Creatine

Lunch: Fist worth of chicken, fill rest of plate with salad, half a bowl of fruit.

Snack: Apple and Protein Shake w/Glutamine

Dinner: Similar to lunch

Late night snack (if hungry): Either Protein shake or glass of milk with 2/3 x peanut butter on toast.

Would struggle to GOMAD where I am but could perhaps do it when I return home.

[Jeremy Galo]

Originally Posted by Chris Mannion

I hadn't intended to do GOMAD. Current diet looks like:

B-Fast: 3 x Eggs on toast

Snack: Banana and Protein Shake w/Creatine

Lunch: Fist worth of chicken, fill rest of plate with salad, half a bowl of fruit.

Snack: Apple and Protein Shake w/Glutamine

Dinner: Similar to lunch

Late night snack (if hungry): Either Protein shake or glass of milk with 2/3 x peanut butter on toast.

Would struggle to GOMAD where I am but could perhaps do it when I return home.

You need to at a lot more than that. Seriously dude. Double that.

[Chris Mannion]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Galo

You need to at a lot more than that. Seriously dude. Double that.

Roger, will double intake (gonna be tough) and commence SS tomorrow!

I'll give it a couple of weeks and let you know how I get on!

[Jay Rhodes]

I think you are perhaps the most co-operative/willing to take advice poster I've seen.

Some good advice here. Get strong, period.

Looking forward to seeing the progress.