Transitioning to Cross Fit

[Dave Riley]

I'm 60 y/o and came upon this CrossFit thingy ten days ago and have been lurking and touring the site since my initial discovery -- trying to get a handle on it

While I've got a weekly personal trainer -- X 30 minutes -- and do a workout session, at home or at my boxing gym, 4 or 5 days out of any one week, what CF seems to offer me is an exercise philosophy I can use to format my approach, and confidence. -- especially with the prospect that maybe I can do that!

So now as I begin to think in CF mode I see that I have to take charge of my own routine a lot more and tell my trainer ( a boxer who hadn't heard of CF) what I want to do. Obviously he can get me to do it right because that's his job which he does very well indeed

But there's a bit more to it, right?



It's not just what you do but how you do it..and how often.

So in that sense I guess the CF approach calls for what?

(1) large numbers for the reps but graded
(2) fast lifts/ slower return
(3) short rests ( by what factor)
(4) variation -- ie: moving straight onto another exercise or device asap.

Given my gym's hardware resources -- and I'm no good at work out lingo -- I've got at my disposal:

Punching bags
Kettlebells
(i)A pull up bar and (ii)a pull up spring thingies that help you pull up.
Bench presses
Weights on bars
Outside I've got a range of tires.
No rowing machine....
Dumbbells
No rings...

Since I'm a kettlebell fanatic that's OK I guess.
I want to move onto clean squats ASAP..but I'll work with my trainer to do the simple squat to get it right before I start lifting -- as we have done with the kettlebells, of course.
Then master a pull up -- if I manage one complete pull up over the next year I'll be very happy.

So whats' the formula for the reps? That confuses me. I cannot quite comprehend the logic.If I knew the theoretical name or something I can get my trainer to set that for me as we've done a lot of different rep approaches before.

This Cross Fit Start Up Guide is very useful. From there I'll work through the journal and videos in greater detail.

[Nick Cummings]

I suggest you try to find some CrossFitters where you are at. It sounds like you are interested but do not really understand the idea. I am not trying to judge. I think that meeting some others who have been doing it for awhile would answer a ton of your questions.

[Steven Matheson]

This is the local Brisbane CF Facility. I'd give them a call if I were you! Good Luck!

http://cfb.typepad.com/ (WFS)