There are some common misconceptions when it comes to CrossFit. Here are the five most common CrossFit myths we hear, and why you shouldn’t believe them.
CrossFit Myth #1: You need to be in shape to start CrossFit.
You don’t need to be “in shape” to start CrossFit. You do CrossFit to get into shape, just like any other form of movement. There’s no one predetermined “shape” for any of us. We each have our own bodies, our own strengths, and our own weaknesses.
The greatest beauty of CrossFit is that it’s modifiable to meet you wherever you’re starting from. Whether you’ve been sedentary your whole life, are a former athlete who misses being on a team, or someone who has worked out for as long as they can remember, there’s a workout for you.
There are many ways to measure your fitness and your progress on your journey. One of our favorite ways is called The Level Method. The Level method both helps determine where you’re starting from, as well as gives you a roadmap to where you’re going. I think of it like a GPS – we determine your starting point, then guide you on the path of where you want to go. The starting point does not matter, as long as we find one.
You do NOT need to be in shape to start CrossFit. Let me say it again for those of you in the cheap seats. YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE IN SHAPE TO START CROSSFIT.
CrossFit Myth #2: You’ll get bulky if you do CrossFit.
Usually “bulky” is used in this way when describing large, muscular people. Typically a body shape desired more by men than women.
So many women start out by saying they don’t want to get bulky. What you don’t realize is the people who are “bulky” by your definition work VERY HARD to look that way on purpose.
Bulky doesn’t just happen. It requires a very regimented way of eating, counting calories and macros, hitting protein goals every single day, and working out multiple times a day.
Trust us when we say, if you go in the gym and move for an hour a day and eat a couple more vegetables and a little less junk food, you will not get bulky. You will feel stronger, healthier, and more confident, for sure.
But bulky, no.
CrossFit Myth #3: You’ll have to follow a crazy diet if you do CrossFit.
Most people find when they start CrossFit, they WANT to begin eating differently. What you eat affects your workout, period. What we put on the inside affects the outside. It all starts with food.
That being said, you do not have to eat any certain way if you do CrossFit. You may find your body asks for a few more nutrients, as you’re asking it to do more than you were asking of it before.
While we do find that eating meats and vegetables is the best fuel for your body, there are no “rules” here regarding what you can eat. We encourage healthy eating, with all things in moderation.
Just check out my food blog over at Paleo Scaleo. I love vegetables, but I also love my cocktails and dessert. There’s a balance.
CrossFit Myth #4: CrossFit is a cult that you’ll never stop talking about.
It’s true, once people fall in love with feeling healthy, confident and strong, they want to share that with other people.
I always say, “you didn’t know you felt bad until you felt better.” And when we see that in people we love and care about, we want to help them to feel better. We feel like we’ve found the magic wand that will brighten anyone’s day.
Of course you’ll feel like telling people about your newfound self. But that doesn’t mean your old self doesn’t still exist. You can still go out with friends, hang with family, and have entire conversations that don’t mention CrossFit once. We do it all the time.
CrossFit Myth #5: You’ll get injured if you do CrossFit.
Sure. You also might get hit by a car when you walk out your front door, but the odds are pretty low.
Not all CrossFit gyms are created equal. Each one is independently owned and run. They have different staff, different philosophies, and different ways of coaching.
Admittedly, some CrossFit gyms are intense. They allow people to go fast and heavy with weight before they know what they’re doing, or they hire coaches that don’t have a trained eye to know when to tell someone to back off before injuring themselves.
When looking for a gym, find one that follows the charter of MECHANICS – CONSISTENCY – INTENSITY. That means you get the mechanics down first.
Once you understand HOW to do something, then make sure you can do it that way every single time. Once you’re repeating correct mechanics consistently, then and only then, should you look at adding in the intensity.
You can get injured doing anything in life. You’re way more likely to get injured doing something on your own than you are with a coach watching you, helping you, and correcting you.
Sure there’s a risk. There’s a risk with everything we do in life. But the risk in a well managed, well coached CrossFit gym is lower than outside of it.
These CrossFit myths are just that – myths. Find a gym that you trust, and stick with it. You won’t be sorry.
If you’re not sure where to start, we always recommend gyms run on the Two Brain Business model or that use The Level Method.
Are You Listening to Yourself, or Talking to Yourself?