TierThreeJake

Dontkillbill - Looks like things have been going pretty well. Two to three times per week is a good goal to shoot for in the first month. As you become more accustomed to the volume/intensity you'll find you can add in more work. I wouldn't do anything over 5 days per week, as you'll have a hard time recovering from that amount of work. I've found that, just like in shooting, you will gain the most from working on aspects of your fitness that you are currently the worst at. It sucks at first but after about 3-4 weeks you start to notice real improvement and that will really motivate you. Keep it up brother.

It sounds like you've made some awesome progress on your own, which is great. Try not to get too hung up on the scale. A better measurement would be your waist measurement, as it more accurately shows that you are losing body fat. Just remember if you lose 10 lbs of fat, and gain 10 lbs of muscle the scale says you did nothing, but you've actually made great progress. Let me know how it goes or if anything there is confusing. Glad to help.

I use it on my laptop and connect it to a projector.

Personally I have never tried it on a TV. I just plug my laptop into a projector and use that which means the screen is a bit washed out in bright light. You might be able to change the brightness settings on your TV via a picture mode setting.

Hi everyone. I came across this program the other day called Dry Fire Ninja. I've been using the free version for a few months now and I've found it to be very helpful for switching between drills, like the ones in Ben Stoeger's books. Its also great to practice swinger/bobbers and other moving targets. They have a paid version and a free one, but honestly I don't really see a need for the paid version unless you want to create stages and save. I've been hooking this up to my home projector which works well. I haven't tried it on a smaller screen but I assume it would work well there too. Hope this is helpful to some folks.

This is akin to saying don't start USPSA now you need to practice more first. It is possible to injure yourself in any worthwhile fitness program, and I would say that sprints are actually the most injurious exercise you can do. I wouldn't dissuade you from working out with a competent trainer, and there is nothing wrong with more traditional weights and cardio, but I think you'll find that the vast majority of people lack fitness because they don't have a well structured program nor the motivation to complete hard workouts consistently. This is really why crossfit works. You don't have to think about what to do and you end up hanging out with your squad at the gym and having a good time while working out. Just my two cents.

Will do. Thanks !

The hardest part about crossfit is walking through the door the first time. Have fun!

A general class will consist of members arriving early enough to bitch about yesterdays workout and how sore they are lol. There will be a 10-15 minute warm up depending on the workout of the day. Most gyms will then have a heavy lift (bench, press, squat, deadlift, snatch, clean) these are generally more in power lifting rep ranges 6 reps or under. There will be a short break, then the WOD (workout of the day) Most WODs are designed to push your aerobic and anaerobic energy systems with an almost infinite combo of runs, rows, bikes, lifts, and gymnastics movements. WODs are generally 8-15 minutes in length done for max reps or max speed. After this there will be a cool down bringing the total class to about an hour. Some gyms do it differently but this is the general template.

I've been crossfitting since 2007 and coaching for about 5 years now. Here are a few tips I would offer. This is really no different than starting USPSA. Don't try and do anything to get ready for crossfit, just show up with an open mind. This is very similar to those asking how good do they need to be to start shooting matches. As others have mentioned coaching skills vary. Try and find a gym that's been open 2 years or more because they've had time to fail and go out of business. If they're around after that they are probably decent. I would plan on going 3 times per week for the first month. You will be extremely sore for the first 2-3 weeks. I don't care what kind of athletic background you have you'll be very sore. There's no way around it, but you'll find you get less sore the longer you train. Try to resist the urge to compete with others in the gym with your scores. As a new crossfitter your primary goal should be to get a good workout and learn the basic moves. Don't worry if you don't know the difference between a hang power snatch and a shoulder to overhead! Lastly ask questions. You're not bothering the coaches or athletes they will be more than happy to help you out. If you have any particular questions let me know and I'd be glad to help!

Hi everyone, I finally signed up after I found my self returning here to answer my questions again and again. I started competitive shooting last year, and have started taking it seriously within the last few months. Currently I shoot two gun, and USPSA. I live and work in the northern VA area and I'm currently a police officer. I also do a little writing on my website (Tier Three Tactical) on the side. Thanks for having me.