Challenged CrossFit “Athletes” to Competition

5/10

This is a real challenge I threw out there. I’m not trolling.

I assume you're trolling but I did that Murph workout at age 53 in 36 mins. It's far from impossible to do 100 pull ups.

but nice job you got a lot of us to respond.

That’s impressive with the 100 pull-ups at age 53. Since you’re on this site I assume you’re a former college athlete, like me, or perhaps even better. I doubt my local CrossFit will have any age 55 plus dudes who can do that. If they do, I’ll be shelling out for a membership because I can’t do that.

This is not trolling. I really did this. I’m in the Houston area and the CrossFit gym is in the closet suburban neighborhood to downtown.

The sales guy turns out to be the owner of the CrossFit. Since he gave me an idea of the structure off the challenge, it seems he’s going to find a member to go up against me.

I’ll step up my weight training g and destroy the pretender they put up.

If he gets to set the challenge, you're gonna be joining his gym. Have fun! You better make friends because you're gonna be guy mates.

Sounds like this is essentially a cross-fit competition between over 55s that actually work out, specifically at cross-fit, versus an untrained over-55 equipped with arrogance and some antique running trophies. I think you will probably get smoked unless the 3 competitions turn out to be 'light weights' 'jogging' and 'stretching' which you will be well-prepared for! But maybe you will prove me wrong. In any case please post the event on youtube for us either way., and good luck!

Also want to add that whoever the gym owner selects as their 'champion' for this competition is probably going to be in EXTREME try-hard mode, as crossfit is a bit cult like and they will not want to bring dishonor to their sensei or whatever. Get your game face on!

I am a former collegiate runner. If you spend a month or two training you can do all that stuff, but you will have to train. I agree to avoid lifting heavy weigh for time. That is dangerous, idiotic, and pointless. Don't agree to any of that.

At the gym I attended there were only 3 guys that finished faster than me and they were in their 20's. So not even a close comparison, they literally could have been my kids.

Good luck.

The over 55 crowd tend to excel at donkey calf raises, especially in the shower... have fun.

Lose the challenge and don't sign up. That's win-win

My guesses wrote:

I think you'll win the endurance activity, but get destroyed on the strength activity, and then you'll be middle of the show on the mixed modal activity.

If you joined the class your endurance would still be about the same, your strength would improve a fair amount, and this would bring that mixed modal activity quite a bit of improvement as well. You'd probably gain 5-10 pounds of muscle mass which wouldn't be bad on a 6 foot frame to be 170's. But is it worth the money and the extra time? Maybe not.

Depends on what the "endurance" activity is. If it doesn't involve running he's going to get smoked. It's probably going to be something on the rower.

Alan

EZ10Miler wrote:

I am a former collegiate runner. If you spend a month or two training you can do all that stuff, but you will have to train. I agree to avoid lifting heavy weigh for time. That is dangerous, idiotic, and pointless. Don't agree to any of that.

This. I attended a Crossfit box for a month on a promotional trial membership before deciding it wasn't for me. Doing barbell free weights for time is a prescription for injury. In fact, doing almost any heavy weights for time is risky. As you get tired, your form breaks down so the risk of injury skyrockets. It's the eccentric part of the movement that's so risky. Crossfit pullups are also dangerous, in my opinion. When you drop down, your full weight goes into your shoulder and rotator cuff area. I wonder what the long-term injury rate is?

When our local Fittest Man competition was announced, I lobbied to have fewer pure strength events. I was successful in getting a couple of events replaced with agility and bodyweight events. You need to do this. If you have to compete with a big guy in a combined event, a 30m weighted sled push and 30m "sprint" back to the start, for example, you'll have very little chance. When we did our challenge, the sled was so hard to push on grass that even the big guys couldn't budge it! They dropped the weight down, but it was still a big advantage for the 200-pound guys I was competing against.

You could probably win an agility event if it were added: L-cone drill or some of the other NFL combine drills. Again, these are highly technique-oriented. I was fortunate to train in the same gym as college guys training for the NFL combine so I had a coach! But you can find technique tips on youtube.

Good luck... oh, and get your credit card ready to join his gym. Unless he has no competitive over 55 guys in his box, you're going to lose this one. Just be a good sport about it.

Quality thread...

Firstly, you've already lost because there are a load of guys laughing at you, both in some crossfit gym and now whilst reading this.

Secondly, you're going to get totally smoked. Some of my friends do Crossfit, whilst I run between 70 and 100 miles a week depending on time of year. I think I'm better at running than they are at Crossfit and probably aerobically much fitter than them. I would lose to them all in a competition like this.

The Challenger wrote:

The stuff older guys need to do to stay in shape is what I’m already doing:

Light weights

Yoga

Pilates

Easy 3 mile runs

Stay away from drugs/medicine

Some of you guys don’t understand the 55 year old body if you think squats, deadlifts, cleans etc are in your wheelhouse still.

2/10

A lot of you doubters are correct when your logic is applied to younger guys. However, we are talking ages 55 and over.

The over 200 pound guys who could easily beat me when I was younger are now busted up and injured.

The owner has already dug through all his members and only found 6 members aged 55 and over. Now, he needs to find one who is not injured and willing to complete against me. And, the guy can’t be a member of a testosterone clinic. I checked and there are 3 in my neighborhood within a 2 mile radius.

When I threw down the challenge, I estimated there is a 50 percent chance the gym won’t have an uninjured over 55 member. Probably a good chance his over 55 members are members of the local testosterone clinic too.

If there is a guy even willing to complete, I’ll complete against him. I’m confident I can win the endurance event, even it’s rowing or that exercise bike with the the arm pushing added. I probably won’t even attempt the strength event, after letting my competition max it and probably injuring himself. Then, it comes down to the mixed modal event for the win.

I’m not trolling. I really did lay down this challenge with the owner of the CrossFit.

I’m going to my regular gym today to practice on the rowing machine.

My workout yesterday consisted of being on my feet for 8 hours at work (teacher) and teaching my 5 year old daughter to ride a bike. Too exhausted to workout after all that.

You should have figured out by now, I’m not an average 55 year old guy.

The Challenger wrote:

I’m not trolling. I really did lay down this challenge with the owner of the CrossFit.

I’m going to my regular gym today to practice on the rowing machine.

My workout yesterday consisted of being on my feet for 8 hours at work (teacher) and teaching my 5 year old daughter to ride a bike. Too exhausted to workout after all that.

You should have figured out by now, I’m not an average 55 year old guy.

I'm laughing and loving this thread!

After you warm up on the rower, do 500m for time. Post your time back here. Some of us can probably give you an idea of how much you need to improve and some tips on technique.

Rowing, just did:

500m easy

500m 2:09

500m easy

500m 2:11

500m easy

500m 2:11

500m easy

Felt like it would be easy to go longer but difficult to faster.

Off work today, have pre-colonoscopy (Friday) consultation that I’ve been putting off for the last 6 years. Interesting side note: I used to date the doctor who’s doing it.

The Challenger

Just join the gym stop trying to be a show off. Like others said I wouldn't be surprised if you got your butt kicked by even one of the ladies who actually trains specifically for crossfit. Everyone tries to diss crossfit but if you actually pay attention the pro men and women are friggin yolked bud