From Couch to… What You Need to Know Before Diving Into an Intense Workout
MAP MY RUN—Leading up to the new year, you might have been blowing off workouts for weeks — heck, maybe months. And now that you’re ready to get back on track, you might be wondering: What would happen if I went straight from my couch to CrossFit?
Would you pass out and die? Probably not, but it’s hard to say exactly what to expect. The reason: No two CrossFit locations are alike. CrossFit is a corporate entity that licenses its name out to various facilities around the globe — like Dunkin’ Donuts.
The certification process to become a CrossFit Level 1 coach is two days long, which means it’s relatively easy to become a trainer. That may, unfortunately, compromise quality control and, ultimately, lead to coaches prescribing irresponsible workouts that result in people getting hurt.
Now, a deconditioned athlete who’s sick of their “Netflix and chill” holiday and ready to hit the ground running (literally) may need to take responsibility for keeping their own enthusiasm in check. Sure, you’d hope a good coach would have your back and tell you not to keep up with the guy next to you deadlifting two times his body weight and running a 6-minute mile. But if you don’t, and you start going too hard, too soon, here’s what may happen to you…
