Did my foundations class. Not sure what I'm getting myself into. Haha. I really enjoyed it. Never thought I would be able to do something like this. Totally psyched! And tips from the pros are much appreciated.

Go go!!!! That is awesome!

Really awesome to hear this!!! You will not regret it.

I think you live near me close to Snohomish right? Which box?

Thanks guys!

Fiddle, I actually live in North Carolina. Any tips for me?

I hope I can survive this first week! They say it gets easier from here. We shall see.

I've been deciding on if I should do it or not, but it looks so hard, did you like it? What did you have to do for the foundations class? They have a great Groupon deal going on and I'm trying to decide if I should try it or not..Any info would be helpful..thanks. Kari

Actually I think it gets easier after 3 months, but that is just me. Best advice I can give you is keep showing up, don't miss an appointment. Improvement comes from always trying to better yourself. Don't directly compare yourself to others in the box. There are people who are super fit and people who are just starting out. However, it might be good to have a role model. If you can afford it, get a trainer. This was key for me because we come from a non athletic background and need the help to catch up, so to speak. Again, that holds true for me but may not for you.

An hour before the workout, eat a balanced meal or a good Protein shake that balances the macro nutrient ratios. For food, I like to have 2 apple slices with nut butter and 1-3 ounces of lean protein or a Protein Shake and 2 energy squares from nuts.com. 15 minutes before the workout, take your amino acids. I like to take catalyst, but you can really take any form of the complete set of amino acids. Recently mark! gave a good recipe for an amino acid mix he prepares by hand on a response to one of my fitness threads on fat %. The amino acids make a huge difference in your stamina and response during the WOD. Really, it does. I do not know the exact science behind it, but it was recommended by my trainer many months ago. In fact, at the end of my first session with her.

Always do a warmup. Always. You do not want to hurt yourself during the WOD. Spend time to work on mobility after warming up. Stretch, stretch and stretch. My biggest weakness is mobility, but I have been working on it for 6 months.

In the last few weeks, I have just started to make huge gains in my lifting stamina, technique and strength because mobility is finally improving. Form is everything. Repeat. Form is everything. Do not curve your back on dead lifts. Always keep your butt back, chest up and back flat or slightly inverted. Do not get cocky and lift too much in a WOD as that is only going to hurt you. Do not show off. you are not in cross fit to impress anyone, but yourself. stay super focused. Push yourself. Turn off any negative self talk. It is only you and your workout.

if you need a preworkout drink to help with concentration and focus, by all means take one. I take c4, Hyde and no explode 2 at different times. You have to cycle on them for your body to remain effective with them and not to intoxicate your liver or kidneys. I have been good so far, but will be getting blood work done soon for my 1 year post op. knock on wood.

After the work out, cool down and stretch. Stretch, stretch and stretch. You do not want sore muscles to bite you in the ass the next day. Drink a high quality recovery protein shake. I drink synth 6 now and it is high calorie for 40 g, but complete worth it. The extra calories (400) mean nothing in scale weight, but mean everything in building lean muscle. My weight is dropping and body fat is dropping daily. You want to eat as clean as possible to support your cross fit workouts. Cross fit is like Paleo fitness so it is best to eat Paleo nutrition to optimize your efforts.

There is a careful balancing game when calculating how much to eat to hit the sweet spot of leaning out while gaining lean muscle, not losing lean muscle. It has taken me months of trial and error, but think I have a natural eating flow that is easy to maintain and also supports goals of leaning out and gaining lean muscle while being active intense workouts 5 days a week. Others can help you put together this eating plan, but it is really individual based pong your body composition, weight, height, etc.

Take some BCAA and creatine with your shake after working out to optimize muscle repair. Always take large amounts of Omega 3 to combat stiffness and soreness. I have not felt sore once the next day when taking the BCAA and omega 3 supplements. This week I just started experimenting with 10 g creatine monohydrate before and 10 g monohydrate afterwards and man, it makes a huge difference. Some guys in the box are loading with way more creatine, but it is not really worth it to go above 20 g. Creatine monohydrate is cheap.

And most important, have fun and always look on how to improve during every workout. I promise you that cross fit is going to add a new dimension to your life and your presence around others. Stick with it. Push through the pain as long as it is good pain. Do not push through bad pain as you do not want side lining injuries. Talk about your successes and challenges on VST. VST continues to be a problem solving atmosphere for fitness because there is a lot of existing experience ( like aroundhdk, mark, btb and mike ross) and new experiences ( like me and others).

Hope this helps. It is a bit of a mind dump, but these tips have paved the way to my success. Sorry for the long verbose length of this post, but there are truly a lot of balls you need to keep in the air to optimize your success at Crossfit. Next year, I hope to be competing with the big guys at regionals.

Can someone pin this post? It is good information.

I agree on Pinning the post! I also agree on the trainer if you can afford one.

Actually I think it gets easier after 3 months' date=' but that is just me. Best advice I can give you is keep showing up, don't miss an appointment. Improvement comes from always trying to better yourself. Don't directly compare yourself to others in the box. There are people who are super fit and people who are just starting out. However, it might be good to have a role model. If you can afford it, get a trainer. This was key for me because we come from a non athletic background and need the help to catch up, so to speak. Again, that holds true for me but may not for you.

An hour before the workout, eat a balanced meal or a good Protein shake that balances the macro nutrient ratios. For food, I like to have 2 apple slices with nut butter and 1-3 ounces of lean protein or a protein shake and 2 energy squares from nuts.com. 15 minutes before the workout, take your amino acids. I like to take catalyst, but you can really take any form of the complete set of amino acids. Recently mark! gave a good recipe for an amino acid mix he prepares by hand on a response to one of my fitness threads on fat %. The amino acids make a huge difference in your stamina and response during the WOD. Really, it does. I do not know the exact science behind it, but it was recommended by my trainer many months ago. In fact, at the end of my first session with her.

Always do a warmup. Always. You do not want to hurt yourself during the WOD. Spend time to work on mobility after warming up. Stretch, stretch and stretch. My biggest weakness is mobility, but I have been working on it for 6 months.

In the last few weeks, I have just started to make huge gains in my lifting stamina, technique and strength because mobility is finally improving. Form is everything. Repeat. Form is everything. Do not curve your back on dead lifts. Always keep your butt back, chest up and back flat or slightly inverted. Do not get cocky and lift too much in a WOD as that is only going to hurt you. Do not show off. you are not in cross fit to impress anyone, but yourself. stay super focused. Push yourself. Turn off any negative self talk. It is only you and your workout.

if you need a preworkout drink to help with concentration and focus, by all means take one. I take c4, Hyde and no explode 2 at different times. You have to cycle on them for your body to remain effective with them and not to intoxicate your liver or kidneys. I have been good so far, but will be getting blood work done soon for my 1 year post op. knock on wood.

After the work out, cool down and stretch. Stretch, stretch and stretch. You do not want sore muscles to bite you in the ass the next day. Drink a high quality recovery protein shake. I drink synth 6 now and it is high calorie for 40 g, but complete worth it. The extra calories (400) mean nothing in scale weight, but mean everything in building lean muscle. My weight is dropping and body fat is dropping daily. You want to eat as clean as possible to support your cross fit workouts. Cross fit is like Paleo fitness so it is best to eat Paleo nutrition to optimize your efforts.

There is a careful balancing game when calculating how much to eat to hit the sweet spot of leaning out while gaining lean muscle, not losing lean muscle. It has taken me months of trial and error, but think I have a natural eating flow that is easy to maintain and also supports goals of leaning out and gaining lean muscle while being active intense workouts 5 days a week. Others can help you put together this eating plan, but it is really individual based pong your body composition, weight, height, etc.

Take some BCAA and creatine with your shake after working out to optimize muscle repair. Always take large amounts of Omega 3 to combat stiffness and soreness. I have not felt sore once the next day when taking the BCAA and omega 3 supplements. This week I just started experimenting with 10 g creatine monohydrate before and 10 g monohydrate afterwards and man, it makes a huge difference. Some guys in the box are loading with way more creatine, but it is not really worth it to go above 20 g. Creatine monohydrate is cheap.

And most important, have fun and always look on how to improve during every workout. I promise you that cross fit is going to add a new dimension to your life and your presence around others. Stick with it. Push through the pain as long as it is good pain. Do not push through bad pain as you do not want side lining injuries. Talk about your successes and challenges on VST. VST continues to be a problem solving atmosphere for fitness because there is a lot of existing experience ( like aroundhdk, mark, btb and mike ross) and new experiences ( like me and others).

Hope this helps. It is a bit of a mind dump, but these tips have paved the way to my success. Sorry for the long verbose length of this post, but there are truly a lot of balls you need to keep in the air to optimize your success at Crossfit. Next year, I hope to be competing with the big guys at regionals.

Can someone pin this post? It is good information.[/quote']

Great info. Crossfit it is a fun way to exercise and a continued challenge with ourselves

Crossfit day 2. What was I thinking??? Lunges, wall climbs, a million push ups! Oh my!! I'm wobbly but I feel great!

Crossfit day 2. What was I thinking??? Lunges' date=' wall climbs, a million push ups! Oh my!! I'm wobbly but I feel great![/quote']

Hang in there.....the pain is just a few days. You will survive :-)

It gets easier. Just keep showing up.

Day 3. I m soooo sore. It's a good kinda sore. It is a constant reminder of what I'm doing and why I'm doing this.

Hi - be sure to:

1. Do a cross fit warm up

2. supplement with bcaas before and after

3. stretch before and after

4. If necessary, take an NSAID. If that is an issue, take a hot shower, etc.

It will get better after a few weeks. Keep showing up and have fun!

I did deadlifts with weights today..to think I started with the trainer using a freaking wooden stick...

Awesome. That is great news. I started with PVC pipe, then moved to just a bar (45 lbs) and then started adding weight over time to improve my max 1 rep and to find my sustainable 70% max weight for sets. What I really like about cross fit is that it always gives me a chance to 1-up myself within a progression over time. For example, I started out at 125 lb deadlift several months ago and can now do 320 lb deadlift as max 2- rep. I really like the feeling and sound of dropping heavy weight at the end of a set whether the set contains 1 rep, 2 rep, 5 rep or 10 rep.

One of the best tips I can give you is go slow enough in your cross fit sessions to maintain good form. There are a kabillion things to remember when you are new, but it becomes second nature after a while like driving a car. I am still considered new as a lifter, but am starting to get good form on the heavy compound lifts. Me, a lifter? Who knew. I was so weak just back in February and no upper body strength. zero, zilch, nada. Today, I am much stronger. I can do any body weight exercise, including pull-ups, and lift a lot of weight.

Wls4me- are you feeling less sore today?