Workout
I joined a CrossFit box in November, and I have to get a couple of things off my chest :P
While researching, I found that CF, just as any other sport, theoretically puts you "at risk" for rhabdo. In short: it's a disease where, after you severely overwork yourself, your muscles begin to break down, causing, in turn, your kidneys to break down. If treated immediately, it usually doesn't leave lasting damage, but it's still serious and if you experience the warning signs, go to an ER immediately.
Anyway, just as with any other sport, it only happens when you don't listen to your body and are stupid (e.g. more than one heavy workout a day; no rest day, ever; continuing until you puke...). Yes, CF can easily lend itself to that if you don't check your ego at the door and try to get too many reps in even though your body has given up 5 minutes ago.
That being said, CF is often criticised for downplaying the issue. Thing is, in every single article I found about rhabdo that was written by a CrossFitter, it listed the warning signs and told you to go to an ER the instant you notice any of the signs.
In contrast to that, I found this article by a runner: " Exercise-associated rhabdomyolysis in and of itself is not dangerous..." (http://www.ultrarunning.com/features/running-rhabdomyolosis-and-renal-failure-whos-at-risk/).
Now, who is really downplaying the effects rhabdo can have on your body?
Secondly: My only other experience with strength exercise so far has been a run-of-the-mill gym. You know, the ones that give you a plan of 6 machine exercises to do and then that's it. There's no supervision, no variety. Nobody to check if you're doing it right. No bodyweight exercise, no free weights... and thus no progress.
CF is more expensive, but there's always at least one coach around, checking everybody, checking everybody's form, helping with scaling the exercise to one's abilities and making sure no one is overdoing it.
I don't know yet if I'm gonna stick with it; but given the choice between a normal gym and CF, I know where my preference lies.
PS: New deadlift PR this week. It's puny, but I managed to do 35kg for a set of 7 and still had some left in me. Which means my 1 rep max is now probably at something like 45kg. Yes, something any weightlifter will laugh at ;) but you gotta start somewhere ;)
While researching, I found that CF, just as any other sport, theoretically puts you "at risk" for rhabdo. In short: it's a disease where, after you severely overwork yourself, your muscles begin to break down, causing, in turn, your kidneys to break down. If treated immediately, it usually doesn't leave lasting damage, but it's still serious and if you experience the warning signs, go to an ER immediately.
Anyway, just as with any other sport, it only happens when you don't listen to your body and are stupid (e.g. more than one heavy workout a day; no rest day, ever; continuing until you puke...). Yes, CF can easily lend itself to that if you don't check your ego at the door and try to get too many reps in even though your body has given up 5 minutes ago.
That being said, CF is often criticised for downplaying the issue. Thing is, in every single article I found about rhabdo that was written by a CrossFitter, it listed the warning signs and told you to go to an ER the instant you notice any of the signs.
In contrast to that, I found this article by a runner: " Exercise-associated rhabdomyolysis in and of itself is not dangerous..." (http://www.ultrarunning.com/features/running-rhabdomyolosis-and-renal-failure-whos-at-risk/).
Now, who is really downplaying the effects rhabdo can have on your body?
Secondly: My only other experience with strength exercise so far has been a run-of-the-mill gym. You know, the ones that give you a plan of 6 machine exercises to do and then that's it. There's no supervision, no variety. Nobody to check if you're doing it right. No bodyweight exercise, no free weights... and thus no progress.
CF is more expensive, but there's always at least one coach around, checking everybody, checking everybody's form, helping with scaling the exercise to one's abilities and making sure no one is overdoing it.
I don't know yet if I'm gonna stick with it; but given the choice between a normal gym and CF, I know where my preference lies.
PS: New deadlift PR this week. It's puny, but I managed to do 35kg for a set of 7 and still had some left in me. Which means my 1 rep max is now probably at something like 45kg. Yes, something any weightlifter will laugh at ;) but you gotta start somewhere ;)