Our clients in Spring Hill and Thompsons Station, TN often ask if they can do CrossFit if they’re overweight.
The answer: Yes! Anyone can do CrossFit.
In a one-on-one setting, coaches use CrossFit principles to create the perfect workout for a client. Each session is designed to challenge the client at the right level and move the person closer to their goals.
In a group setting, the workout for the class is modified to suit the needs of each participant. In “CrossFit language,” quickly modifying a general workout in a group session is called “scaling.”
For example, imagine a workout like this:
3 rounds of: 20 barbell squats Run 1 mile
That’s tough! But what if we adjusted it for a beginner who wants to lose weight and hasn’t worked out very much in the past? It might look like this:
3 rounds of: 5 body-weight squats Jog or walk 100 meters
At CrossFit Spring Hill, we’re experts at modifying workouts for clients. And we can provide hundreds of examples of how we’ve done it in the past.
But I’ll give you an “easy button” right here: Book a free No Sweat Intro with us. We’ll find out all about your goals and current fitness level, and then we’ll tell you exactly how we can help you.
You Can Do CrossFit If You’re Overweight!
Here’s something to remember: You don’t have to be fit to start training.
Training is the thing that makes you fit. It’s like swimming lessons: You don’t learn to swim before taking lessons. You take lessons to learn.
Maybe you’ve seen top athletes competing at the CrossFit Games. They’re incredible, and they treat CrossFit as a sport or even a full-time job. At our gym here in Spring Hill, CrossFit is just a method we use to help people lose weight or body fat or gain strength, or accomplish any other goal. CrossFit training is a mix of cardiovascular and strength work, which makes it perfect for people who want to change body composition.
With new clients, we always find out what they want to accomplish first, and then we put together a detailed plan. If weight loss is your goal, we’ll explain why the workouts we give you will help you, and we’ll tell you about the other half of the weight-loss equation: nutrition! People always think about working out when they think of CrossFit, but eating right is the foundation of the program.
After we create the perfect plan for you, we’ll help you stick to it and make sure you get measurable results. We’ll track the numbers that are important to you so you know you’re making progress.
This process works like a charm. We’ve had beginners become very fit, we’ve had older clients become fitter than they were when they were younger, and we’ve had people lose impressive amounts of weight and body fat. It’s amazing to watch them progress, and we celebrate every single achievement with them.
If weight loss is your goal and you’re interested in CrossFit, let me assure you that you can do CrossFit if you’re currently overweight. The key is working with a qualified professional who can create workouts that are perfect for you and your goals.
The best part: Your journey won’t start with a workout. It will start with a conversation. That means you’ll get to tell your story, talk about your goals and ask any questions you have. If you’re unsure about anything, we’ll take the time to make you feel totally comfortable. This way, you’ll feel confident in our plan and inspired to take action.
Questions we hear about starting when you are overweight
Do I need to lose weight before I start CrossFit? No. Training is the thing that changes your body, so there is nothing to get ready for first. Every workout is scaled to what you can do the day you walk in.
What if I cannot do a movement? Your coaches give you a version you can do. A pull-up becomes a ring row. A box jump becomes a step-up. A loaded barbell becomes an empty bar or a dumbbell. This happens in every class for someone, and it is the normal way a class runs.
Will I be the only person in the room who is out of shape? No. Most people who start here have not trained in years, and plenty have never touched a barbell. Our members are adults in their thirties, forties and fifties with jobs and kids.
Is CrossFit safe if I am carrying extra weight? It is when someone is coaching you. The injuries people worry about come from unsupervised intensity and from movements loaded before the form is there. Your first week at CrossFit Spring Hill is three one-on-one sessions with a coach for that reason, and a coach is on the floor for every group class after that.
Do I have to work out in front of everyone on day one? No. Your first visit is a 20 minute conversation with no workout in it. Come in whatever you are wearing. We ask what you want to change and tell you honestly whether this is the right place for it.
How long before I notice a difference? Most people feel it in their energy and their sleep before they see it anywhere else, usually in the first few weeks. Body composition takes longer and depends as much on how you eat as on how you train. We will not give you a number, because anyone who does is guessing.
We’d love to use CrossFit to help you lose weight. If that’s your goal, we can help. To meet with a coach and create the perfect plan for success, book a free intro.