How long before you saw results

[Michael Capalbo]

I'm not sure how you precisely define progress. Faster times on the metcons relative to the rest of your class? Heavier lifts? And I'm not nitpicking either! As you've been doing this for only a month and the programming at your box probably emphasizes variety, chances are you haven't gotten to see any workout twice yet.

Anyway, I have been doing this for several months, and surprisingly, I have seen a good amount of my improvement the *last few* months, and by improvement I mean my max lifts and my times relative to the rest of the class. Some things that I had to realize:

--The way to make the most improvements in the metcons for *most* people coming in is really to gain strength. It's hard to do "Diane" (21-15-9 225# deadlifts/HSPUs) fast, for example, if your max deadlift isn't that far above 225#, or if you can hardly do a HSPU. It is hard to gain strength if you are overtraining. 4 days on/one day off is 5 or 6 days a week, which is overtraining for probably damn near everyone.

--Many of the workouts require movements that take time and regular repetition for most people to get down. Examples include snatches, overhead squats, cleans, and muscle-ups (especially). As (as mentioned before) the programming at your box probably emphasizes variety, you might see any one of these movements only once every few weeks. It is hard to get proficient at most anything if you only get to do it a couple times a month. So I started to come in to my box about 15 minutes before class to work on a specific movement so I would see it a few times a week. It would be the same movement for a couple months and than after I made enough progress, I'd keep on coming in early but I would move on to something else. For the past couple months it has been overhead squats. I finally did my bodyweight last week. I'm going to keep coming in early, but starting next week I am doing to work on snatches instead.

--Last but not least, you might improve in one thing and not in another. For example, my max lifts have gone up but my ability to crank out ring dips not nearly as much. Well that's because I have put on 15 pounds of muscle mostly in my lower body! All that extra 'junk in the trunk' does add a challenge to pushing myself up on the rings.

So this is what I would advise: Come 3 or 4 times a week (instead of 5 or 6), and when you do come, come into class early or stay late to work on one specific movement--snatches or overhead squats or something else. Keep on working on that movement for a month or two, and then when you make enough progress with that, move on to something else. Eventually you'll get better at most everything.

[Milton Brisson]

Originally Posted by Jason Panicaro

Yeah we log every workout, I printed a big sheet to log our workouts, we write down the date and what our time was with every workout. But like I said we havent yet repeated any workouts to compare our times.

I would also suggest that you start up a thread in the Workout Log section. If you want specific advice about something, you can reference to it. Alot of people here have their workout log linked in the signature, makes it convenient to find...

As for your original question, I started seeing my endurance increase almost immediately, times went down, and reps and weight and weight went up after about two weeks - about a month in my body shape started to change for the better. I have lost about 20#, but I attribute that to cleaning up my diet.

Good luck with CF - and take the advice of previous posters and do not over do it....

[Jason Panicaro]

Originally Posted by Milton Brisson

I would also suggest that you start up a thread in the Workout Log section. If you want specific advice about something, you can reference to it. Alot of people here have their workout log linked in the signature, makes it convenient to find...

As for your original question, I started seeing my endurance increase almost immediately, times went down, and reps and weight and weight went up after about two weeks - about a month in my body shape started to change for the better. I have lost about 20#, but I attribute that to cleaning up my diet.

Good luck with CF - and take the advice of previous posters and do not over do it....

I will look into starting a workout log today, thanks to everyone for the great advice and your results. Obviously the big factor is always going to be diet, you can workout as much as you want ut if you eat 5000 cals a day your not going to lose weight

[Gillian Steele]

I haven't lost much weight since I started CF only about 11kg, but performance has increased.

My 2.4km run time used to be 26 minutes and now its at 19:58, which is a massive improvement for me. I'm also lifting heavier and I'm also finding I'm mentally tougher and push myself further through a WOD without giving up easily.

I especially notice increase in endurance (as has my partner ) and I'm more alert and am full of energy, I also follow paleo, which definately helps!

[Jason Panicaro]

This is off topic from my original post, but its my thread so I figured I would hijack it. I have an oppurtunity to get a great deal on a TRX suspension setup, has anyone used this? If so is it worth it? I have seen it used and used it a few times and loved it. But my main question is are there any WOD's where I can use it? The one thing I am really missing in my garage gym is a pullup bar, would the TRX work for this or no?

[Jason Panicaro]

Figured I would give a little update. This week marks a full month of crossfit, over the course of 11 weeks I have done some type of workout and started to eat better. Yesterday I weighed myself and I have lost 20 lbs so far!!! Im extremely excited about this. I am 110% certain that crossfit and this board and everyones knowledge has helped me do this. Because the globogym workout wasnt doing it. Thanks guys

[Mark E. Wallace]

Originally Posted by Jason Panicaro

Yesterday I weighed myself and I have lost 20 lbs so far!!! Im extremely excited about this.

This is good, but don't get carried away with using the scale as a means of determining your progress. You're better off going by clothing fit, performance in the gym, and BF%.

- Mark

[Keith Dalluhn]

Originally Posted by Mark E. Wallace

This is good, but don't get carried away with using the scale as a means of determining your progress. You're better off going by clothing fit, performance in the gym, and BF%.

- Mark

I am with Mark on this one. I have been eating Paleo and doing crossfit for a little over a month now. I don't have a scale that will go as high as my weight, but I have had to put new holes in my belts, and I grabbed an old pair of jeans that I kept around to "get back into someday" I was pretty sure they were 52s. My normal size was 54. They were a bit snug, but not uncomfortable. I wore them to go to the mall and have have dinner out. I got home, took them off and looked and they were 48s. That is 6 inches of waist.

"Seeing" results for me is a lot tougher than "feeling" results. I still "SEE" a big fat guy in the mirror. BUT I feel stronger, I feel like I have more stamina, I feel proud that I am doing something. I feel better.

[Jason Panicaro]

Originally Posted by Mark E. Wallace

This is good, but don't get carried away with using the scale as a means of determining your progress. You're better off going by clothing fit, performance in the gym, and BF%.

- Mark

Yeah obviously my main thing is the mirror and clothes and strength. I can see it and feel it in all those categories.

[James White]

Originally Posted by Keith Dalluhn

I am with Mark on this one. I have been eating Paleo and doing crossfit for a little over a month now. I don't have a scale that will go as high as my weight, but I have had to put new holes in my belts, and I grabbed an old pair of jeans that I kept around to "get back into someday" I was pretty sure they were 52s. My normal size was 54. They were a bit snug, but not uncomfortable. I wore them to go to the mall and have have dinner out. I got home, took them off and looked and they were 48s. That is 6 inches of waist.

"Seeing" results for me is a lot tougher than "feeling" results. I still "SEE" a big fat guy in the mirror. BUT I feel stronger, I feel like I have more stamina, I feel proud that I am doing something. I feel better.

Awesome work!