My Crossfit trial, and very sore muscles

I attended the free beginner session at the local crossfit gym this last saturday. I'm just now getting over the sore muscles from what was advertised to me as a "toned down, less aggresive for the beginners" workout.

I arrived on time, and fell in with about 40-50 total people there for the session. We started off with a little pep talk, and some preparatory information about what we would be doing. The coach had us split up into groups of 5-7 people, and our very first workout item was a 400 meter run throwing 14 and 20 pound medicine balls around our group. This was fairly light, and not too much trouble.

When we got back from the run, we practiced doing squats while throwing the medicine balls around our group. The squats probably did the most damage to me from a lasting soreness viewpoint.

Next we did an 800 meter run with one set of 35 pound hand barbells per group. Single file line, the first guy in line does a farmers carry of the weights, but there is a catch. You only hold the weights for as long as you can hold your breath, then you put them down and pass them to the next in line. That was brutal. I'm not much of a runner normally, but when you add 70 pounds of weight and holding the breath, WOW.

When we were done with the weighted breath holding run, we headed back inside to learn "kipping pullups". Traditional pullups you hold your body still, underneath the pullup bar, then pull straight up. With kipping pullups, there is a swinging body motion that gets your entire frame up and when you do the pullup, its almost as if you are already horizontal to the bar, followed immediately by a "pushup" off the bar to keep the body swinging motion going.

We did a few of those, then they taught the correct form and motions for an Olympic power clean and jerk lift. No weight, just a PVC pipe, to show the correct body motions.

Then I had to cut out for another appointment, so I didn't even get to participate in the actual workout of the day, which included a 15 minute AMRAP (as many reps as possible) of a couple activities including the kipping pullups and the power c&j lifts.

I was very impressed with the people and leadership there, and I am definitely going to be back for another saturday session before I make any decisions about a membership.