Testimonial request: someone who has gone from scrawny to brawny through crossfit

[Justin Wang]

Looking through these crossfit testimonals, I have read many inspiring stories of average joes who have had their lives changed by crossfit. Though there are so many amazing results, I have noticed that they are dominated by stories of ladies and gents who have experienced significant weight loss and improved health, or stories of the already very strong man who has improved from being very strong to being very, very strong.

Is there anyone out there who is a hardgainer or a skinny who has gained significant muscle mass or strength by crossfitting? Are there any testimonials or workout logs out there that I may have missed, documenting any such results? Thanks guys!

[Mark E. Wallace]

Originally Posted by Justin Wang

Is there anyone out there who is a hardgainer or a skinny who has gained significant muscle mass or strength by crossfitting? Are there any testimonials or workout logs out there that I may have missed, documenting any such results? Thanks guys!

There probably are, but personally I would steer a hardgainer/skinny towards a more strength-oriented program such as Starting Strength or Wendler 5/3/1 before having them jump into CF. That, or go for something like Chris Mason's Conjugate CF or CF Strength Bias.

You will probably gain strength through straight CF, but most likely not nearly as quickly as if you were on a pure strength program. What you choose depends on your goals.

- Mark

[Eric Montgomery]

Depends how strictly you interpret what "doing CF" means.

I graduated from college weighing about 175lbs and hung around that weight from around 2004 through 2007. I did affiliate and mainpage programming starting in the fall of 2007 and got down around 170lbs, where I stayed through the fall of 2009. Then I decided I was tired of being 6' and 170lbs with a 225lb 1RM squat, so I started on the 70s Big program and gained 35-40lbs in a few months while adding lots of weight to all my lifts and still maintaining pretty good numbers on metcons. I've done OPT's program in preparation for the Games qualifiers for the last two years, but as of last May I've been focusing on getting stronger. Most recently I've been doing GSLP and have maintained my weight at 205-210lbs for about two years now.

As Mark said, you're unlikely to gain a lot of weight or strength doing CF.com workouts. Your best bet is to do a strength-biased hybrid program and eat a lot.

[David Meverden]

I can say unequivocally that I got a whole lot bigger and stronger because of CrossFit. CrossFit made me put a yard stick to my fitness, put a number on it, and realize that I wasn't that fit, and certainly wasn't very strong. It made me want to be better. It's because of CrossFit that I learned to squat correctly, started deadlifting, learned about a dozen different ways to train, and laid a foundation that could be used to gain real strength.

It wasn't the kinds of workouts that CF is best known for (the high intensity one's performed for time) that got me that strength, it was the time spent under heavy barbells doing hard sets of 5, and 3, and 1 and tough assistance work, but it was this community that made me aware of the right ways to train for that strength and got me motivated to do it.

I posted this in the 1000lb CFT club thread:

First CFT: 6-28-08
Age: 25 5'11" tall, 170#
SQUAT: 235
PRESS: 125
DEADLIFT: 305
TOTAL: 665

CFT Tonight: 10-18-11
Age: 28 still 5'11", 215#
SQUAT: 405
PRESS: 185
DEADLIFT: 455
TOTAL: 1045!

Out of that 3 years I spent 5 months of it on dedicated strength programs (2 months on SS w/gomad and 3 months on GSLP). The rest of the time I was maintaining a fairly high level of conditioning doing just CF workouts, Mason's CF Conjugate, a 5/3/1 hybrid, or just my own thing with extra lifting added in. Now I'm following CrossFit Fairbanks program.

I could have gained that strength a bunch faster, or gotten a lot stronger in the same time period, if I had dedicated myself to nothing but getting bigger and stronger, or if I'd been willing to workout more than 3-4 times a week, but I've enjoyed what I've done and have liked being not just strong, but fit. Enjoyed being someone that could not just lift a decently heavy barbell but jump in with little notice to a 10k, a 4 mile obstacle laden challenge course, a CF competition, or a cyclocross race.

That's my story in a nutshell. You can take it for what it's worth.

[Damon Stewart]

I've went from around 150lbs to just under 180lbs. I program for myself and have been Crossfitting since late 2004/early 2005. I do make a concerted effort to gain weight every year for at least a 6 week cycle. Strength numbers are decent...400+ BS, 340 FS, 225 Sn, 275 C & J, 445 DL. Not too bad, especially at 34.

[Lincoln Brigham]

Damon, I got that beat! I went from 148 (age 37) to 192 (age 50) and kept my waist size to 34".
(Although right now I keep my weight at 165 for the lightweight rowing division. Not all of my training during that time has been Crossfit, either.)
Younger guys putting on weight and strength is fairly common but you don't often see it with the middle-aged guys, not without getting fat at the same time.

[Helen M Brennan]

Originally Posted by Lincoln Brigham

Damon, I got that beat! I went from 148 (age 37) to 192 (age 50) and kept my waist size to 34".
(Although right now I keep my weight at 165 for the lightweight rowing division. Not all of my training during that time has been Crossfit, either.)
Younger guys putting on weight and strength is fairly common but you don't often see it with the middle-aged guys, not without getting fat at the same time.

impressive!
just goes to show that middle age spread is not mandatory..
i have more strength and no middle age spread since i started CF ( and yup started late in life) many women comment on how lucky i am to be lean and are surprised when i say that i am a newb to leaness and in my journey to fitness have shed 22kgs.. Helen

[Jay Rhodes]

Originally Posted by David Meverden

I can say unequivocally that I got a whole lot bigger and stronger because of CrossFit. CrossFit made me put a yard stick to my fitness, put a number on it, and realize that I wasn't that fit, and certainly wasn't very strong. It made me want to be better. It's because of CrossFit that I learned to squat correctly, started deadlifting, learned about a dozen different ways to train, and laid a foundation that could be used to gain real strength.

It wasn't the kinds of workouts that CF is best known for (the high intensity one's performed for time) that got me that strength, it was the time spent under heavy barbells doing hard sets of 5, and 3, and 1 and tough assistance work, but it was this community that made me aware of the right ways to train for that strength and got me motivated to do it.

I posted this in the 1000lb CFT club thread:



Out of that 3 years I spent 5 months of it on dedicated strength programs (2 months on SS w/gomad and 3 months on GSLP). The rest of the time I was maintaining a fairly high level of conditioning doing just CF workouts, Mason's CF Conjugate, a 5/3/1 hybrid, or just my own thing with extra lifting added in. Now I'm following CrossFit Fairbanks program.

I could have gained that strength a bunch faster, or gotten a lot stronger in the same time period, if I had dedicated myself to nothing but getting bigger and stronger, or if I'd been willing to workout more than 3-4 times a week, but I've enjoyed what I've done and have liked being not just strong, but fit. Enjoyed being someone that could not just lift a decently heavy barbell but jump in with little notice to a 10k, a 4 mile obstacle laden challenge course, a CF competition, or a cyclocross race.

That's my story in a nutshell. You can take it for what it's worth.

Originally Posted by Damon Stewart

I've went from around 150lbs to just under 180lbs. I program for myself and have been Crossfitting since late 2004/early 2005. I do make a concerted effort to gain weight every year for at least a 6 week cycle. Strength numbers are decent...400+ BS, 340 FS, 225 Sn, 275 C & J, 445 DL. Not too bad, especially at 34.

Originally Posted by Lincoln Brigham

Damon, I got that beat! I went from 148 (age 37) to 192 (age 50) and kept my waist size to 34".
(Although right now I keep my weight at 165 for the lightweight rowing division. Not all of my training during that time has been Crossfit, either.)
Younger guys putting on weight and strength is fairly common but you don't often see it with the middle-aged guys, not without getting fat at the same time.

Got a couple winners here!!

I went from about 178lbs....not sure what BF%, but I'll guess 15ish, waist size 31-32. down to probably 159-160 at my absolute lightest during CF. Lost all my BF, but didn't have too much muscle...
Now am back up to 173-174lbs, BF 5% and waist is back down to 29-30....quads don't fit the pants though

[Hector Santiago]

Originally Posted by Justin Wang

Looking through these crossfit testimonals, I have read many inspiring stories of average joes who have had their lives changed by crossfit. Though there are so many amazing results, I have noticed that they are dominated by stories of ladies and gents who have experienced significant weight loss and improved health, or stories of the already very strong man who has improved from being very strong to being very, very strong.

Is there anyone out there who is a hardgainer or a skinny who has gained significant muscle mass or strength by crossfitting? Are there any testimonials or workout logs out there that I may have missed, documenting any such results? Thanks guys!

there is your Answer!!

ME!!

before about 126 LB when i started, Now about 150 in a heavy day.

now 2:37 Fran Rx'd
3 x BW deadlift 450 LB
225LB Clean and jerk
165 Snatch

new Goals by the end of this Year.
265LB Clean and jerk or more weight
225 LB snatch

only doing Oly lifting for a while though and getting better at the lifts. my Friend went to from weighting 150 to 194 LB and he used to Clean and jerk 225 now he clean and jerk 305 LB, snatch his went from 165 LB to 265 LB

SANTI

http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=62130 (WFS)