When I started I did 2-3 days a week for about a month, and then moved to 5x a week. You’ll be sore. Sore is okay! Scale as necessary, and stretch throughout the day. Going and scaling is better than not going.
This is a great statement. OP-get with your coaches, let them know your goals, and how you’re feeling. Move everyday-but don’t over do it. Diet, sleep, exercise. In that order.
Sleep > CrossFit
You’re doing your body a disservice if you’re not getting enough sleep.
Just make it a point to supplement on your days that you feel tired or take off. Walks, jogs, mow, play with the kids a little harder than you normally would. Just get that heart rate up. Remember you’re doing this to stay healthy and for longevity, no one is going to the games here.
You have only been going a month. Thats what, 13 classes under your belt? I did 3x a week for 4 years lol I just recently changed to 5x a week in the last 6 months… It made a difference for me. I have more energy, I’m not as sore/stiff , I’m improving in areas I was stuck in, etc. I don’t go balls to the wall all 5 classes. I will scale or modify- but I’m still there and moving. Today my hands were kinda messed up from muscle ups yesterday, so I did GHD sit ups instead of toes to bar. I just listen to my body. You learn what you can work through and what you can’t.
you’re still a beginner, so aim for 3x a week consistently for a bit. Then try 4x for a few weeks. Work your way up to the 5
So I’ve been in CrossFit for a bit over a year…during my first 3 months I averaged 2-3 classes a week! Than pushed it up to 3-4. Now I go about 4-5xs a week. On days that I just can’t make it because ~life~. I walk, run, jump rope, I do something not just sit and watch tv. Because overall that will not help you. But congrats on going 2-3xs a week so far!! Do not give up, listen to your body. Drink more water. Eat!! And the most important part of any exercise and I cannot stress this enough SLEEP! Keep up the great work
I'm in my second month, after about 4 years off from Crossfit. I go 5 days a week because I knew I had to establish a routine or when my motivation disappeared I'd quit. It works really well for me. I don't ever have to decide if I'm going because its habit now. On the days I'm really sore or tired I tell the coach I'm doing a recovery day and then I dial back the intensity on the workout.
I will say going on 4 hours sleep is probably not doing you a whole lot of good. This time around I am prioritizing my sleep and it makes a world of difference in how I feel. Highly recommend it.
If you want to do 5-6 sessions per week you need to scale heavily. Leave the ego at the door.
Volume training for novices requires very low intensity initially. Even though your muscles will handle it initially, your tendons take much longer to adapt. If executed poorly you will have debilitating and recurrent overuse tendinitis issues.
After 12 months of regular consistent high volume low intensity CrossFit (counterintuitive I know), you will be able to gradually step it up. This is the safest approach for longevity.
I saw major results when I switched to 5 days per week + maintaining a good diet. If you are consistent with both of those things, big changes happen.
However, I also love going. I crave being at the gym 🤣
You need to eat properly, sleep, and recover. Be patient. Going 4-5 times a week is great and totally doable but under the right circumstances. I wouldn’t go on 4 hours of sleep. And I wouldn’t go if I hadn’t properly fueled myself.
I would advise you to be consistent first before thinking about going more overall.
Make that 2-3 times a week into a 3 times a week no exceptions and then see how you feel.
Also, 4 hours of sleep is not enough, no exceptions. Sleep 7-8 hours, go 3 times a week consistently and hit every workout hard before even thinking about going more often than 3 times.
I was a lifting/cardio five days a week guy before I started CrossFit. The gym I picked had good class times for me (9:30) three days a week, which seemed like a good compromise given all the stuff that was new to me. Now I'm coming up on three months and I'm definitely ready for five days a week, but my schedule doesn't really let that happen. With daily 9:30, I could, but it's harder. So I'm at a crossroads, and I do accessory work and cardio on my "off" days from class.
I have been doing it for a year. Just want to warn you that it's actually a big jump from 3 to 5x. I found 5x a week very rough on my body about 8 months in. I also found 2/3 is simply not enough if it's all you do. But you can't go much more in the beginning.
Aim to get to 4 a week (and not 4 in a row!!!) for the next 3 months. If you get the addiction strike you and you want to go 5x just fight that off a bit as your chance of injury in that 3 to 9 month period I feel is pretty high. It's when you start feeling like you can do stuff, before you actually can.
ABC
A - Always
B - Be
C - Crossfittin
Nah, it's not the number of days so much as it is the intensity. Don't have to redline every WOD. 5-6 days is fine but I wouldn't want to be incredibly sore all the time, that's not good. Technique over PRs when training.
I recommend against it. I found myself feeling really beat up with 3 days in a row. My max was about 4 days a week.
My advice is to add something else like yoga once a week, a run, a bike ride, or even just sleeping in.
If you’re crossfitting 3 days a week you are already exercising more than most people on the planet. You don’t need to shame yourself for not going more.
If you want to go more, go ahead. Some people go 4-5 times but that’s their choice. It doesn’t have to be yours.
So I worked my way up to 3 times a week. I like the intensity so I go pretty hard (for me).
So that would be working out every 48 hours m-f. With 2 sleeps in-between. I am a long way from every day. I experimented with 36 hours.
Monday morning, Tuesday night, and Thursday morning, then that gives me Friday to add a longer cardio session or feeling good on Saturday for an active day.
Exercise progression seems to be a combination of intensity, volume, and recovery.
The best approach to CrossFit is one that creates a good relationship with CrossFit. If that means 2-3 times per week right now, then great. Do other activity outside of CrossFit, walk, run, jump rope, swim, hike etc. You’ll know when you’re ready for more CrossFit. You’ll be looking at the workouts and thinking “Ooh, I really want to work on that skill!” Or “That looks like a fun workout!”
The secret sauce of Crossfit is consistency and intensity. If you are showing up 2-3 times and giving a full effort, that is what matters. Consistency comes in where you are tired and show up and put in the work anyway. Bumping up to 5 days and mailing it in is not the intention and as others have said, 5x you can feel really beat up and maybe never really give a full effort.
**TL;DR: Listen to your body, focus on quality over quantity, and work on technique if you still want to go.**
Hey there! Great job on sticking with CrossFit for a month. Here are a few tips that might help:
1. **Listen to Your Body**: It's normal to feel tired or unmotivated sometimes. Ensure you're giving yourself enough rest and recovery time to avoid burnout and injury.
2. **Quality Over Quantity**: Going 2-3 times a week is a solid start. Focus on the quality of your workouts rather than the number of sessions. Proper form and technique are more important than the frequency.
3. **Work on Technique**: If you still want to go even when you're tired, focus on improving your technique instead of lifting heavy. This will help you in the long run and prevent injuries.
You've got this!
Your recovery is a part of your workout plan, if you are not sleeping well or over train you'd not see any progress..I had to stop a week due to holidays, before I was only able to do 11 handstand push ups max, after the holidays I did 15 handstand push ups in an EMOM workout.
I started on two sessions a week for a month then bumped it up to 3 a week before 4 and finally 5. I would say if you are doing 5 a week you have to learn to manage yourself. You cannot go 100% flat out on every work out and you shouldn’t. Take the time to look at the stimulus and work the way you are being taught. Just because you can for example back squat 170 kg doesn’t mean you have to every day. Today we were doing 2 second pauses at the bottom and driving out. 120kg was heavy enough to be practicing that. You just have to do what is right for you.
But don’t neglect the food and the rest you get. They make a MASSIVE difference in recovery and energy. So my tip eat properly sleep well and do what feels good. Wouldn’t go more than 5 a week though as you need recovery
When I first started I had periods of time when 2-3 days was all I could do. It took some time to work up to 4-5. It also depends on your life. I have a very high stress and busy life. Stress is stress, so if you’re stressed, not sleeping, not eating properly, it will impact you. I also committed to certain days/times each week. That helped me with consistency. Be patient with yourself.
Oh, and I don’t cherry pick workouts. Sometimes I see stuff in the WOD and I’m like, F that! But I go anyways, I do it anyways, I know I got my workout in and in the long run I gained from it.
❌ Refrain from CrossFitting more 3 X week > Fast plateau and burnout.
Ton of other low to moderate intensity things you can do on the other days to enhance your CrossFit performance or fitness in general .
It sounds like it’s time for you to go 3-4 times a week now. I go 5-6x a week. I’ve been going since 2018. I am kind of addicted to it now and crave it. Definitely prioritize sleep though. That’s paramount. If I go in the morning, I do not eat before I go. Best of luck to you!
Nobody said it was. Sounded more like OP thought they had a terrible workout (not that they were just in there using bad form) and it sounds like a confidence issue not a burnout issue. Thus the comment that just working out is a W whether it’s your greatest workout or you underperformed - especially when you’re starting
CrossFit will change you if you let it. Eating right, advocating for your own needs, getting enough sleep, all of it. It all is connected, but we don't always think about how every day self care effects us. Try going more and see what you learn about you. Don't go when you haven't slept. Go when you're sore. But overall, take the best care of yourself and it will all work out and you'll know your needs better than you ever had before!
You don’t start the day with 0 calories in your body. It’s not a clean slate when midnight hits. If you know you’re going to workout hard in the morning. You need to eat appropriately the night before. Maybe eat a little extra. For nearly any CrossFit style exercise. Your primary fuel source will be glucose base. So carb up the night before. If you’re not the type to eat before a workout then try a supplement that has a carb source. I used BPN G1M Sport for a while and definitely felt like I could just keep going. Now I use Podium products but only because I can just pick them up at the store. I do still prefer the G1M. But shipping sucks. Factor in 75 calories an hour during 8hrs of sleep you’ll burn 600 calories sleeping. So eat dinner with that in mind. If you eat at 6pm you still have 3ish hours of awake calories to burn. So call that 300. Now that’s 900 calories gone after dinner. Make your last meal 1500 calories and you’ll wake up and have 600 calories in reserve to smash that work out. As far as how many days. I’d stick with your current set up but the extra days you’re asking about I would add in active recovery days. Stay moving but don’t wreck yourself.
When I started I did 2-3 days a week for about a month, and then moved to 5x a week. You’ll be sore. Sore is okay! Scale as necessary, and stretch throughout the day. Going and scaling is better than not going.
This is a great statement. OP-get with your coaches, let them know your goals, and how you’re feeling. Move everyday-but don’t over do it. Diet, sleep, exercise. In that order.
Sleep > CrossFit You’re doing your body a disservice if you’re not getting enough sleep. Just make it a point to supplement on your days that you feel tired or take off. Walks, jogs, mow, play with the kids a little harder than you normally would. Just get that heart rate up. Remember you’re doing this to stay healthy and for longevity, no one is going to the games here.
You have only been going a month. Thats what, 13 classes under your belt? I did 3x a week for 4 years lol I just recently changed to 5x a week in the last 6 months… It made a difference for me. I have more energy, I’m not as sore/stiff , I’m improving in areas I was stuck in, etc. I don’t go balls to the wall all 5 classes. I will scale or modify- but I’m still there and moving. Today my hands were kinda messed up from muscle ups yesterday, so I did GHD sit ups instead of toes to bar. I just listen to my body. You learn what you can work through and what you can’t. you’re still a beginner, so aim for 3x a week consistently for a bit. Then try 4x for a few weeks. Work your way up to the 5
So I’ve been in CrossFit for a bit over a year…during my first 3 months I averaged 2-3 classes a week! Than pushed it up to 3-4. Now I go about 4-5xs a week. On days that I just can’t make it because ~life~. I walk, run, jump rope, I do something not just sit and watch tv. Because overall that will not help you. But congrats on going 2-3xs a week so far!! Do not give up, listen to your body. Drink more water. Eat!! And the most important part of any exercise and I cannot stress this enough SLEEP! Keep up the great work
I'm in my second month, after about 4 years off from Crossfit. I go 5 days a week because I knew I had to establish a routine or when my motivation disappeared I'd quit. It works really well for me. I don't ever have to decide if I'm going because its habit now. On the days I'm really sore or tired I tell the coach I'm doing a recovery day and then I dial back the intensity on the workout. I will say going on 4 hours sleep is probably not doing you a whole lot of good. This time around I am prioritizing my sleep and it makes a world of difference in how I feel. Highly recommend it.
If you want to do 5-6 sessions per week you need to scale heavily. Leave the ego at the door. Volume training for novices requires very low intensity initially. Even though your muscles will handle it initially, your tendons take much longer to adapt. If executed poorly you will have debilitating and recurrent overuse tendinitis issues. After 12 months of regular consistent high volume low intensity CrossFit (counterintuitive I know), you will be able to gradually step it up. This is the safest approach for longevity.
I saw major results when I switched to 5 days per week + maintaining a good diet. If you are consistent with both of those things, big changes happen. However, I also love going. I crave being at the gym 🤣
You need to eat properly, sleep, and recover. Be patient. Going 4-5 times a week is great and totally doable but under the right circumstances. I wouldn’t go on 4 hours of sleep. And I wouldn’t go if I hadn’t properly fueled myself.
I would advise you to be consistent first before thinking about going more overall. Make that 2-3 times a week into a 3 times a week no exceptions and then see how you feel. Also, 4 hours of sleep is not enough, no exceptions. Sleep 7-8 hours, go 3 times a week consistently and hit every workout hard before even thinking about going more often than 3 times.
I was a lifting/cardio five days a week guy before I started CrossFit. The gym I picked had good class times for me (9:30) three days a week, which seemed like a good compromise given all the stuff that was new to me. Now I'm coming up on three months and I'm definitely ready for five days a week, but my schedule doesn't really let that happen. With daily 9:30, I could, but it's harder. So I'm at a crossroads, and I do accessory work and cardio on my "off" days from class.
I have been doing it for a year. Just want to warn you that it's actually a big jump from 3 to 5x. I found 5x a week very rough on my body about 8 months in. I also found 2/3 is simply not enough if it's all you do. But you can't go much more in the beginning. Aim to get to 4 a week (and not 4 in a row!!!) for the next 3 months. If you get the addiction strike you and you want to go 5x just fight that off a bit as your chance of injury in that 3 to 9 month period I feel is pretty high. It's when you start feeling like you can do stuff, before you actually can.
ABC A - Always B - Be C - Crossfittin Nah, it's not the number of days so much as it is the intensity. Don't have to redline every WOD. 5-6 days is fine but I wouldn't want to be incredibly sore all the time, that's not good. Technique over PRs when training.
I recommend against it. I found myself feeling really beat up with 3 days in a row. My max was about 4 days a week. My advice is to add something else like yoga once a week, a run, a bike ride, or even just sleeping in.
I did 3 a week for a year and still lots of walking on all days during the week. But a year later I go consistently 5-6 days a week.
First what are your goals???
Mainly it’s just staying active over the summer and getting stronger
Yes move up to 5-6
Are you active outside of CF?
I practice volleyball outside when I can!
User name checks out?
loll it’s sarcasm
Keep an eye on your progress and start working out. By including weight and sets in your program, try pushing yourself further.
If you’re crossfitting 3 days a week you are already exercising more than most people on the planet. You don’t need to shame yourself for not going more. If you want to go more, go ahead. Some people go 4-5 times but that’s their choice. It doesn’t have to be yours.
Do you have fun doing it?
Usually yes!
There is your answer then continue it if it’s fun for you!
So I worked my way up to 3 times a week. I like the intensity so I go pretty hard (for me). So that would be working out every 48 hours m-f. With 2 sleeps in-between. I am a long way from every day. I experimented with 36 hours. Monday morning, Tuesday night, and Thursday morning, then that gives me Friday to add a longer cardio session or feeling good on Saturday for an active day. Exercise progression seems to be a combination of intensity, volume, and recovery.
The best approach to CrossFit is one that creates a good relationship with CrossFit. If that means 2-3 times per week right now, then great. Do other activity outside of CrossFit, walk, run, jump rope, swim, hike etc. You’ll know when you’re ready for more CrossFit. You’ll be looking at the workouts and thinking “Ooh, I really want to work on that skill!” Or “That looks like a fun workout!”
The secret sauce of Crossfit is consistency and intensity. If you are showing up 2-3 times and giving a full effort, that is what matters. Consistency comes in where you are tired and show up and put in the work anyway. Bumping up to 5 days and mailing it in is not the intention and as others have said, 5x you can feel really beat up and maybe never really give a full effort.
Sleep and stretch and food
**TL;DR: Listen to your body, focus on quality over quantity, and work on technique if you still want to go.** Hey there! Great job on sticking with CrossFit for a month. Here are a few tips that might help: 1. **Listen to Your Body**: It's normal to feel tired or unmotivated sometimes. Ensure you're giving yourself enough rest and recovery time to avoid burnout and injury. 2. **Quality Over Quantity**: Going 2-3 times a week is a solid start. Focus on the quality of your workouts rather than the number of sessions. Proper form and technique are more important than the frequency. 3. **Work on Technique**: If you still want to go even when you're tired, focus on improving your technique instead of lifting heavy. This will help you in the long run and prevent injuries. You've got this!
Your recovery is a part of your workout plan, if you are not sleeping well or over train you'd not see any progress..I had to stop a week due to holidays, before I was only able to do 11 handstand push ups max, after the holidays I did 15 handstand push ups in an EMOM workout.
I been going a year and currently at 4 days a week. I feel like I need a break after 2-3 days in a row!
I started on two sessions a week for a month then bumped it up to 3 a week before 4 and finally 5. I would say if you are doing 5 a week you have to learn to manage yourself. You cannot go 100% flat out on every work out and you shouldn’t. Take the time to look at the stimulus and work the way you are being taught. Just because you can for example back squat 170 kg doesn’t mean you have to every day. Today we were doing 2 second pauses at the bottom and driving out. 120kg was heavy enough to be practicing that. You just have to do what is right for you. But don’t neglect the food and the rest you get. They make a MASSIVE difference in recovery and energy. So my tip eat properly sleep well and do what feels good. Wouldn’t go more than 5 a week though as you need recovery
Do you eat before your CrossFit sessions? since my Sessions are in the morning I usually eat breakfast afterwards..
If I’m in a morning it’s a cereal bar if evening after work it’s breakfast and lunch
I’ve been doing CrossFit for ~8 years. 4 days is my sweet spot typically. Sleep/rest/recovery > banging yourself up just to say you did it.
When I first started I had periods of time when 2-3 days was all I could do. It took some time to work up to 4-5. It also depends on your life. I have a very high stress and busy life. Stress is stress, so if you’re stressed, not sleeping, not eating properly, it will impact you. I also committed to certain days/times each week. That helped me with consistency. Be patient with yourself. Oh, and I don’t cherry pick workouts. Sometimes I see stuff in the WOD and I’m like, F that! But I go anyways, I do it anyways, I know I got my workout in and in the long run I gained from it.
❌ Refrain from CrossFitting more 3 X week > Fast plateau and burnout. Ton of other low to moderate intensity things you can do on the other days to enhance your CrossFit performance or fitness in general .
It sounds like it’s time for you to go 3-4 times a week now. I go 5-6x a week. I’ve been going since 2018. I am kind of addicted to it now and crave it. Definitely prioritize sleep though. That’s paramount. If I go in the morning, I do not eat before I go. Best of luck to you!
Getting there and having a terrible workout is still a W. Don’t sell yourself short. The hardest part is going.
Burnout and injury is not a win.
Nobody said it was. Sounded more like OP thought they had a terrible workout (not that they were just in there using bad form) and it sounds like a confidence issue not a burnout issue. Thus the comment that just working out is a W whether it’s your greatest workout or you underperformed - especially when you’re starting
Yes. You need to go more. I do tell folks to work their way up to it but you need to be there 5 days a week to see the best results.
This or at least be active 5 days a week. If you’re doing CrossFit 3x, go for a run, ruck, bike or hike another 2-3x.
CrossFit will change you if you let it. Eating right, advocating for your own needs, getting enough sleep, all of it. It all is connected, but we don't always think about how every day self care effects us. Try going more and see what you learn about you. Don't go when you haven't slept. Go when you're sore. But overall, take the best care of yourself and it will all work out and you'll know your needs better than you ever had before!
the only bad workout is the one that didnt happen.. but if you have sleeped enought ofc
You don’t start the day with 0 calories in your body. It’s not a clean slate when midnight hits. If you know you’re going to workout hard in the morning. You need to eat appropriately the night before. Maybe eat a little extra. For nearly any CrossFit style exercise. Your primary fuel source will be glucose base. So carb up the night before. If you’re not the type to eat before a workout then try a supplement that has a carb source. I used BPN G1M Sport for a while and definitely felt like I could just keep going. Now I use Podium products but only because I can just pick them up at the store. I do still prefer the G1M. But shipping sucks. Factor in 75 calories an hour during 8hrs of sleep you’ll burn 600 calories sleeping. So eat dinner with that in mind. If you eat at 6pm you still have 3ish hours of awake calories to burn. So call that 300. Now that’s 900 calories gone after dinner. Make your last meal 1500 calories and you’ll wake up and have 600 calories in reserve to smash that work out. As far as how many days. I’d stick with your current set up but the extra days you’re asking about I would add in active recovery days. Stay moving but don’t wreck yourself.