Better CrossFit or Gym?

With which discipline will I lose weight more easily? Which is better for gaining muscle gym or CrossFit? 

It is clear that they are two different sports modalities, so the results will also vary.

The most important thing is to know your goals and valuing what each sport brings you can choose the one that will help you achieve them.

Stay on this post and you can have the best information to know what is best for you.

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Advantages and disadvantages of CrossFit

Advantages

  • Functional trainingThe exercises integrate different parts of the body and are not analytical. In addition, they can vary a lot in their modalities, so you can work at the same time different skills such as strength, power, endurance, cardiorespiratory capacity...
  • High intensityFor beginners, it helps you see great results in a very short time. Improved skills, more muscle, less fat. You can see in more detail this article about how to lose weight in CrossFit.
  • The communityThe feeling of belonging to a group is very strong. This not only makes the workouts more enjoyable, but also helps you to be more consistent in your workouts. This is partly the key to seeing results, not skipping workouts out of laziness or making "better plans".
  • Constant motivationCrossFit: By training with a wide variety of exercises, it's hard to find a CrossFit class boring. Again, this reinforces your commitment to keep coming back to train.
  • Only one hourThe wod is so intense that the warm-up, the day's work and stretching are completed within an hour.

Inconveniences

  • Complexity in movements. Technique is an important requirement and especially at the beginning the exercises are very new and it is likely that you do not know how to do them well. With perseverance you will gain in technique.
  • Price:Compared to a traditional gym (even more so to a low cost gym), the box fee is about double that of a gym.
  • Fixed hoursAs guided classes are given in the box, you will have to go at the agreed times. In fact, it is necessary to book the class in advance to ensure a place and if you do not do it in advance, the class may be full.
  • No extra zonesIf you sign up for the box, you can only attend the classes or the open box. There are no water areas, no sauna....
  • Increased likelihood of overtrainingMany people when they start with this sport fall in love and become so enthusiastic that they only think about CrossFit. They do long Open sessions or add several sessions a day despite the accumulation of fatigue... and this can lead to overtraining and consequently stagnation in progress.

Advantages and disadvantages of the gym

Advantages

  • Guided exercisesFitness machines: when using fitness machines in which the movement is guided, you don't need to be an expert to do the exercise.
  • Analytical exercisescan help you to focus more specifically on a weakness, as it allows you to work in isolation.
crossfit or traditional gym

Inconveniences

  • Lack of good programmingIt is usual to follow a table made by the room monitor and change it every 12 weeks. If these tables are not made with special attention, it is very likely that the progressive load criterion will not be applied. This is a key element to continue evolving. So even if we are very consistent in our workouts, if the programming is not good we will easily stagnate.
  • Lack of consistencyIt has always been said that gyms come from the dues of those who never go. A large percentage of members don't go as much as they expected when they initially signed up. Many people find it boring to work out at the gym and end up quitting.
  • Few motivating incentivesThe fact of having to train on your own can be a problem for some people who find it hard to find the motivation to stick to their training.
  • Little supervisionAlthough it is not usually very difficult to follow a table of machines with guided exercises, it is difficult to have the support of a professional who can help in a fitness room where there are a lot of people. Some people feel a bit intimidated in this space and do not ask for help or answer questions, so they may train at a loss.
  • Time per routineIt is common that after doing your machine chart your routine will add "x cardio". To comply with the guideline you will have to dedicate more than 1 hour, at least on the days you have to do "machines+cardio".
crossfit vs gym

CrossFit vs Gym

As a summary we make this comparative table. Although we speak in a general way, it is clear that a gym can do CrossFit type exercises, but for the comparison we refer to the more traditional training.

CrossFitGym
Functional trainingyespossible but unlikely
High intensityyesless likely
Communitystrongmany train alone
Complexity of movementsyesno
Motivationhighis usually low
Price:expensivecheap
Scheduleclosedflexible
Programmingis usually goodineffective guidelines
Time per session1 hourmore than 1 hour
Supervision1 coach per class (15 people on average)1 room trainer for all (no limit to the number of people)

Conclusion: is CrossFit or gym better?

  • If you are highly motivated and committed to following a good training plan (designed to keep you from stagnating), you can go to the gym without following class schedules and save on your membership fee.
  • If you are a person who needs the motivation of a group, the stimulus offered by challenging yourself in each workout and the price of the fee or attending a fixed schedule is not so important, CrossFit will be your best choice.

Most people aim to improve their fitness and how they look in the mirror. If the training programs are well planned you will be able to achieve your goals on both sides, as the most important thing will be consistency.
In this case choose the way in which you are going to commit to the training.

If you have very specific aesthetic goals and you have a good planning, it is better to choose the gym, because in the box you will not be able to individualize the workouts to your specific goals, but you will follow the programming for the whole class.

If you go to the gym, but you don't see results even if you put all your efforts, something that happens to a very high percentage, it is because the programming is not good. I recommend these programs and I assure you that you will see results. spartan warrior or open bar .

best crossfit or gym

Nutrition as important as training

Don't forget that to achieve your health and aesthetic goals you need to put as much good intentions into your training as you do into your food.

Chances are you think you are eating "healthy" but the misinformation is so great that most are lost.

If you want to learn once and for all how to eat healthy without having to depend on nutritionists' diets ever again, go paleo.

Anabel Avila

With a degree in business administration and management, I changed the course of my life by starting this blog that has become one of the references in terms of information about CrossFit. I fell in love with this sport in 2014. I have covered CrossFit news in Diario AS and I have visited the CrossFit Games 3 times.