CrossFit--Worth the cost?

[Aggie2008]

I attend Cross Fit 6 days a week at a cost of $150 a month. I enjoy going for several reasons including the community, competition, and the health benefits. However, at a cost of $150 a month I am constantly asking myself is it worth it? While $1,800 a year seems expensive, it is a huge part of my happiness where I live. I wanted to see if anyone has come across this juxtaposition and what my fellow mustachians think. Any and all thoughts welcome!

[Everything in Moderation]

Hi,
If you are using it 6 days a week, then it is most likely worth it.  Think about what you might be doing during that time if you were not working out: bars, restaurants, TV. 

I have thought about doing Crossfit, but I question how often I would use it, and it became apparent it was not worth it for me.  I get Beachbody (Insanity) DVDs and if I only workout two times a week, I don't freak out that I am wasting money.  Home DVDs do get boring after awhile and they do not give you a sense of community or competition, like a group fitness program does. 

Perhaps find other ways in your budget to cut back and help you justify the membership. 

[giggles]

This is my one indulgence.  It's worth it for me and my husband.  We have tried doing it on our own at at $19.99 gym or modified at home, but we don't stick with it.  The friendships, free events, and, best of all, HEALTH, at worth it to us.  Plus we don't splurge on any thing else.

[BlueMR2]

I'm interested in it, and there's a place just 1/4 mile away that does it.  However, it's $250/mo.  I barely spend that much on my expensive habit of flying airplanes!  No way I'm paying that much to do exercises that I can do for free myself.  :-)

[AlanStache]

Did CF for a bit before I got injured.  I found that I can be fitter when not going and working out on my own towards my own goals, but ymmv.  Currently am running and doing Olympic lifts in the garage and love it.  Biggest positive for me with CF was the community.  I would have to ask myself if 150$/mon was worth the community or can you socialize without CF?

Maybe try a punch card and go a few times per week then run and do body weight stuff at home, that might cut the cost while still giving you the community?

I got my barbel and 70# of bumper plates off craigslist for 130$.

[fallstoclimb]

If you're going 6 days a week, stick with it.  That's really a bargain in the end.  I only did a month of proper Crossfit and am now doing my best to continue at home.  It's not ideal, but I also ride horses and bikes and would never be able to get my money's worth out of Crossfit.  If you are really ingrained in the community, it will leave a big hole in your life to quit.  I'd keep spending the money and not feel guilty about it for a second. 

Full disclosure, I spend about $2K a year to ride horses one hour a week, and it's worth every penny to me, even though paying off my student loans is a huge priority.  You gotta make life worth living.  Just don't spend *mindlessly* on things you don't really care about!

[MissStache]

Is it slowing down debt repayment or seriously slowing your FI goals?  If not, then I don't see a problem with it.

[_JT]

I did CF 5 days a week for over a year, and since then I've dropped off a lot. I travel enough (musician) that I can't justify the monthly payments. What I did instead is talk to my gym owner about a punchcard setup, where I basically pay $100/10 workouts. When I'm in town, I drop by and do a WOD. Otherwise I workout at home or doing bodyweight stuff on the road.

[steveo]

I pay for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and this costs me $1050 per year so about $90 per month so take this for what it is worth. I basically cannot understand why anyone pays for cross-fit who is in their right mind. Buy a skipping rope and some weights and you are good to go at home whenever you want.

I watched a cross-fit documentary on one of the best guys in cross-fit and he said he never trained at an affiliate at the start because he didn't have the money.

[YK-Phil]

I attend Cross Fit 6 days a week at a cost of $150 a month. I enjoy going for several reasons including the community, competition, and the health benefits. However, at a cost of $150 a month I am constantly asking myself is it worth it? While $1,800 a year seems expensive, it is a huge part of my happiness where I live. I wanted to see if anyone has come across this juxtaposition and what my fellow mustachians think. Any and all thoughts welcome!

If it makes you happy, and you can afford to integrate the expense in your long term FI plan, then happiness is worth every single cent of $1,800. In my case, my happiness (related to fitness) is to keep my reputation of being the cheapest bastard among my circle of friends, biking almost daily under sun, rain and snow and doing my calisthenics routine at the office every day after work before heading home...

[dude]

I pay for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and this costs me $1050 per year so about $90 per month so take this for what it is worth. I basically cannot understand why anyone pays for cross-fit who is in their right mind. Buy a skipping rope and some weights and you are good to go at home whenever you want.

+1, but I pay $109/month. With BJJ, you are paying for access to your Professor's store of knowledge, which if he or she is any good, is significant and worth the money in many cases (as well as mat space and access to training partners).  I don't really see the same dynamic with CrossFit, since the internet contains abundant tutorials on all the exercises they perform.

The Cult of CrossFit is pretty damn expensive for something one can do on their own just about anywhere (esp. when the WODs are posted online pretty much everywhere).  I could see going for 6 months to learn the ins and outs and then dropping out and doing your own thing at home, or the Y, or a cheaper gym.  On a similar note, you can go to www.mountainathlete.com and get an online membership for $25/month, cancellable at any time, which gives you access to hundreds of archived and current workouts.  The general thing I hear about CrossFit is that people need the group thing to keep them motivated, and so it seems many of their members are people who might not otherwise work out (or work out as hard) without the benefit of being in a group.  I guess for those people, the money might be worth it.  But $250/month (what it typically costs in my area) seems insane for doing basic exercises that require no more than a little space and some weights.

[jba302]

In strict terms of price, the Alpha Crossfit package on rogue fitness is $1,550 for :

320lb bouncy plates (365lb total load w/bar)
1 base level oly bar w/decent entry-level clips
2 sets of kettelbells (35 and 53 lb)
gymnast rings
dynamax ball (I have no idea what this thing is)
battle/climing rope
speed rope

Adding in a squat stand ($350), a bench ($150), and a pull up bar ($100?), tax and shipping,... let's call it $2500. Actually let's round up to $3,000 for a system that I would call "holy shit you have a nice home set up" to include some tires, timers, floor mats, chalk, dry erase board, video camera, etc. So you have a payoff of 20 months with a useful life of at least 20 years. The cost difference is about $30,000.

Not even touching on feelings of crossfit, that is a lot of cash to consider for something you can do yourself. I could build a garage, add in key-card access for friends, and equip it with a better gym than a standard crossfit box for less than that price.

[umterp1999]

I have an app on my phone called Skimble. It has hundreds of , including many crossfit style workouts.  It also has p90x style workouts, cardio workouts, weightlifting routines etc.  If you have basic equipment at home, that might be a good way to go.

[AlanStache]

On a strictly cost basis going to CrossFit beyond 6 months is very hard to justify.  The biggest thing it has going for it is the motivating environment and social aspects.  If you are willing to pay 150$ for that and can afford it and understand how it will affect FI, then by all means go and enjoy it.

As far at the pros and elite individuals in CF, none of them are just going to a Box near there house and doing the randomly chosen wod.  They all are doing something specific to there needs, goals and weaknesses.  It always sort of bugged me that they were held up as the potential but there CF and the CF you get locally around the corner are different and not just by magnitude or intensity.

[thurston howell iv]

Cross-fit rules!  My wife and I pay $130 per month for the both of us. The gym is close to home and it's a huge motivator.
I have a decent set up at home with bench and weights and have lifted on and off for years. Wife, not so much. 

Since we were lacking in motivation, we decided to try crossfit. I love it, she still complains but knows it's working.

I like the idea of having several trainers around to watch my form and push me to personal bests... I increased my overhead press by 20lbs in a month and I've got more in the tank!!!  Deadlift increased by 60lbs in the first few months.

My wife started with just the empty weight bar and is now power cleaning 85lbs. Could barely hang on to the pull up bar when we started and recently managed to knock out 35 pull ups (with assistance)... Slowly but surely. This stuff works.


At home it's easy to say I'm tired and I think I'll stop now... It's much harder to do so when a whole room full of people is in there suffering along with you AND NOT quitting~! 

I say that you should shop around and see if you can score a deal. Most places offer discounts for military, police, fire and students...

[_JT]

The reason that crossfit requires a premium above just buying the equipment is (1) the community, which for lots of people is a huge value add and a motivation, and (2) the coaching. Crossfit classes typically have one coach for about every 12 participants, which means you're doing every workout under the supervision of a personal trainer. If you have good form and are self motivated, you can easily replicate the workout at home (which I do). If you don't, then you have to find the value in going to a box for yourself.

It's silly to say Brazilian Ju Jitsu is worth it because of the coaching, but Crossfit isn't. If you're spending $100 a month on a gym membership, it's hopefully because you like it and can afford it without it impacting your FI.

[livetogive]

Honestly, it's not worth the cost (but I also pay for it) if you look at it purely as a workout & health option.

However, if you view it also as a main source of your entertainment for the month then it's worth it in my book.  With that in mind my SO and I try to make dates out of workouts together.

[Left]

I got a question about crossfit, how is it priced? The ones near me seem to price things at $20/workout session... Isn't there a per month fee instead so I can go to as many as I want? at $20/workout/5 times a week it's almost $400/month. Doesn't sound right :S

I wouldn't mind trying it out, but I'm not sure if it is right for me if it involves lots of lifting. Heart murmur problems, can't lift over 50lbs over my head repeatedly.

[AlanStache]

Be very careful if you have health issues and make sure the box is 100% understanding of your limitations, they tend to be very energetic and encouraging places where if you are sitting a movement out it will be noticed and you will be encouraged to finish the workout.

re pricing: the local CF boxes are not owned by corporate, each is individually owned (more or less) and they can each set there prices how they like.  But yes most I have seen have a per month option, this may come with a per week attendance limit or it may not.  Also expect 100$-200$ first time instruction fee for an hour or two to teach you the movements before you are allowed in the normal classes.

[Ottawa]

If you're spending $100 a month on a gym membership, it's hopefully because you like it and can afford it without it impacting your FI.

I find that the justifications people offer for spending on anything to be interesting.  Often they are well thought out and the ROI is indisputable.  However, when I hear people offering justifications for spending $1200 - $1800 per year on fitness, I start to develop a nervous tic. Is the root of the perceived need to spend this much...simply...motivational? 

You'll have to read the studies below to find out why I have trouble identifying with people that participate in these types of excercise environments, and why I dismiss these types of excercise as motivational fashion.  I'm not saying that my position is in any way loftier, I just think it is interesting for people to understand why they make certain choices.  Since this is an ER community...the justification for spending on discretionary areas is relevant and will impact on your FI date.

There is a fair bit of research in the area of excercise motivation and theory.  I think individual personality has alot to play in choices (such as excercise)...

http://www.selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2009_IngledewMarkland_APHW.pdf
http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/7/1/7

[olivia]

I also do CrossFit and it's definitely worth it for me.  Aside from the socialization and coaching (which is 100% necessary unless you want to injure yourself), I would never work out by myself at my house.  I just don't have that kind of motivation. 

One idea-could you help coach a couple of classes/week for a free membership?  My gym does this if members get a Level 1 certification.  My husband is doing this and our CrossFit membership will soon be $0/month.  He goes all the time anyway, so staying for an extra hour to help coach is not a problem.  (The social aspect makes it fun for him to coach.)

[citrine]

I just started something called Max Fitness three weeks ago and it is awesome for me, because I do lack the motivation to do the workouts by myself.  Also, I found going to the gym boring as all get out...even though I had great music and what not.  If this is helping you stay healthy....then by all means keep doing it!  Your health is worth the money!

[cats]

It does sound like you are getting a lot out of it if you're going 6 days a week.  Ultimately I think you probably are the only person who can really determine whether or not it is "worth it", but things I might consider:

-Are there options for maintaining the sense of community while cutting back/down on the cost?  For example, if the gym will let you pay, say, $15 a week for a Saturday morning session, then you still see folks, have some motivation to work out during the week (have to be able to keep up on the weekend!), but you're paying half as much in any given month.

-By how much is the $150/month delaying your FI time?  Is that an acceptable delay or not?

-if it's not an acceptable delay, but you are still loathe to give up CF, what other expenses in your life can be trimmed instead?

[steveo]

With BJJ, you are paying for access to your Professor's store of knowledge, which if he or she is any good, is significant and worth the money in many cases (as well as mat space and access to training partners).

I actually disagree. I have good quality instructors - they have both competed to a high level in mma and Jiu-jitsu but the Internet provides so much great technique I don't think it matters. The thing is with BJJ you need to train with people. I actually pay for my training partners who also pay for I think the same thing.

The Cult of CrossFit is pretty damn expensive for something one can do on their own just about anywhere

I seriously don't get it unless it is about training partners to push you. That makes sense to me but the cost for something that you can do by yourself so easily is madness.

[jba302]

With BJJ, you are paying for access to your Professor's store of knowledge, which if he or she is any good, is significant and worth the money in many cases (as well as mat space and access to training partners).

I actually disagree. I have good quality instructors - they have both competed to a high level in mma and Jiu-jitsu but the Internet provides so much great technique I don't think it matters. The thing is with BJJ you need to train with people. I actually pay for my training partners who also pay for I think the same thing.

The Cult of CrossFit is pretty damn expensive for something one can do on their own just about anywhere

I seriously don't get it unless it is about training partners to push you. That makes sense to me but the cost for something that you can do by yourself so easily is madness.

Since this thread is heading in this direction...

The above presents an interesting point. The irony here is that CF, broadly speaking, shuns form in favor of time for their metcons. Their rate of injury is extremely high, and it is not common for a CF trainer to have advanced (or even basic) knowledge of coaching this stuff. So if you are heading to a CF gym to learn how to lift/kip/vomit/whatever, you would be doing yourself a disservice without doing some research and/or having a really skilled lifter check it out. There are SOME gyms that don't do this (Outlaw in VA is a good example), but they are not the norm.

Though I absolutely hate the website, T-Nation posted a great article that outlines the major good/bad issues with CF. It's the 12/02/13 article by Mark Rippetoe.

[_JT]

I've worked out at Crossfit boxes all over the nation, and I can tell you that the quality of trainer varies WILDLY, as with any other gym.

I always recommend to people that they keep their limits in mind, and not allow themselves to be pushed as hard as some xfit gyms will push you.

[AlanStache]

Thanks jba302, great Riptoe article.  Would love to post it in FB but my CF friends dont take constructive criticism very well.

[Kriegsspiel]

Do they enjoy the Drywall stuff?

[steveo]

The irony here is that CF, broadly speaking, shuns form in favor of time for their metcons. Their rate of injury is extremely high, and it is not common for a CF trainer to have advanced (or even basic) knowledge of coaching this stuff.

I thought about this point as well but didn't post it. CF is not a place to go to get good instructionals when it comes to form. Form is not the point.

[thurston howell iv]

I thought about this point as well but didn't post it. CF is not a place to go to get good instructionals when it comes to form. Form is not the point.

If you get into the "competitive" spirit and strive only to put up the fastest numbers then your form suffers....

I go to the box to improve. I push myself but I am not concerned with the "competition". (Most are CFer's are half my age). My competition is me. I go light if my form is not right. I strive to improve. To get stronger, to gain more endurance... While it "should" be possible to replicate at home, for me it was not... Besides, I drag the DW to the classes so we can suffer together. :)

Additionally, with regard to health benefits, we have some folks into their mid-50's that have dropped weight dramatically, increased their strength and gotten off the majority of their medical prescription drugs.

I the think the cost is worth the benefit. IMO

[Guses]

I don't need to pay others to motivate myself. My motivation comes from within and stems from my desire to improve myself. Peronnally, I would not pay for CF if I had room at my place for weights (I do). Even without space for weights, I could not justify the higher price of CF over a regular gym.

To keep things interesting, I switch workout when I feel it is getting stale or I stop progressing. I realize this won't work for everyone, but it works for me.

[olivia]

I thought about this point as well but didn't post it. CF is not a place to go to get good instructionals when it comes to form. Form is not the point.

If you get into the "competitive" spirit and strive only to put up the fastest numbers then your form suffers....

I go to the box to improve. I push myself but I am not concerned with the "competition". (Most are CFer's are half my age). My competition is me. I go light if my form is not right. I strive to improve. To get stronger, to gain more endurance... While it "should" be possible to replicate at home, for me it was not... Besides, I drag the DW to the classes so we can suffer together. :)

Additionally, with regard to health benefits, we have some folks into their mid-50's that have dropped weight dramatically, increased their strength and gotten off the majority of their medical prescription drugs.

I the think the cost is worth the benefit. IMO

Ditto...I don't care if I'm dead last, I'm not going to go heavy or fast to impress anyone.  And when I haven't been for 2 weeks or something, I go light too, whether I can go heavier or not.  Sacrificing form for speed isn't encouraged at my gym by the coaches or the members, which is why I like it so much.  They'll stop you in the middle of a metcon and correct you if your form sucks. 

I've worked out at a few other Crossfit gyms around the country and the coaches were always very impressed with my form...they just wish I could lift heavier stuff!  (I'm not uber dedicated and I've got a tall skinny body type, so super strength probably isn't going to happen for me and I'm fine with that.)

[jba302]

If you get into the "competitive" spirit and strive only to put up the fastest numbers then your form suffers....

Ditto...I don't care if I'm dead last, I'm not going to go heavy or fast to impress anyone.. 

I've worked out at a few other Crossfit gyms around the country and the coaches were always very impressed with my form...they just wish I could lift heavier stuff!  (I'm not uber dedicated and I've got a tall skinny body type, so super strength probably isn't going to happen for me and I'm fine with that.)

It sounds like you two have found good gyms, and have the correct mindset... I would compete over making a piece of toast if the situation presented itself :).

[thurston howell iv]

Don't get me wrong. I am still competitive. However, I'm realistic. I'm not 20 anymore where I can throw around a bunch of weight, non-stop and not pay later. And even though my competition is me, I still like to see where I come up compared to the "kids". Surprisingly, in our last few wods I have been nearing the front of the pack! And my strength and endurance has increased exponentially!

Nevertheless, I don't really care if I come in last or if I need to stop and breathe in the middle of a wod... Heck, in a few, I've stopped completely to roll out muscles that were starting to cramp and then resumed my wod.  No one is going to hassle you. They're too busy with their own battle.

The thing I really like is that I can drag DW kicking and screaming but once she's there, it's all business. We do our thing and even though we're sore and tired, we tend to feel better afterward.

This is what's on tap for today:

Strength/Skill:
Front Squat
3-3-2-2-1-1

WOD:
100 Double-Unders
100m Run
4 Rope Climbs
100m Run
30 Front Squat – 135/95
100m Run
100m DB/KB Farmer Carry – 70/50 x 2
20 DB/KB Snatch Alternating – 70/50
100m Run

[AlanStache]

That is about three times the volume I ever saw in a normal wod.

[olivia]

Don't get me wrong. I am still competitive. However, I'm realistic. I'm not 20 anymore where I can throw around a bunch of weight, non-stop and not pay later. And even though my competition is me, I still like to see where I come up compared to the "kids". Surprisingly, in our last few wods I have been nearing the front of the pack! And my strength and endurance has increased exponentially!

Nevertheless, I don't really care if I come in last or if I need to stop and breathe in the middle of a wod... Heck, in a few, I've stopped completely to roll out muscles that were starting to cramp and then resumed my wod.  No one is going to hassle you. They're too busy with their own battle.

The thing I really like is that I can drag DW kicking and screaming but once she's there, it's all business. We do our thing and even though we're sore and tired, we tend to feel better afterward.

This is what's on tap for today:

Strength/Skill:
Front Squat
3-3-2-2-1-1

WOD:
100 Double-Unders
100m Run
4 Rope Climbs
100m Run
30 Front Squat – 135/95
100m Run
100m DB/KB Farmer Carry – 70/50 x 2
20 DB/KB Snatch Alternating – 70/50
100m Run

So it looks like your coaches are as mean as mine!  We usually do a strength portion, 2 met cons and an "after party."  (The after party is never fun!)

I switched to a CrossFit gym closer to my house for a while but the programming sucked-they used class time to warm up, you only got a few reps in during the strength portion, and then there would be 1 met con that was typically 8-10 minutes at the end.  I switched back to the gym I started at and now they opened a second location closer to my house, so I'll never leave unless I move out of my current city. 

This was today's workout:

Warm-up (before class):
2 Rounds of:
15- Hip Thrusts
1 Minute- Bottom Squat Hold
30- Couch Stretch [each side]
30- Dislocates

Strength/Skill:
20 Minutes-
Odds- 2 Cleans
Evens- 5 Strict Pull Ups

WOD:
For Time- [6 Minute Cap]
20- Kettlebell Swings
60- Wall Balls
20- KB Swings

Rest 3 Minutes

10 Minutes- AMRAP
5- Toes to Bar
5- Pull Ups
30- Dubs

Bench Press (6X6= Bench Press)

[MrMyMoney]

Could anyone fill me in on how/why CF would be better than a good muscle/strength building program? I've been training for two years at the gym now using basic programs with simple splits combined with good basic nutrition of homemade food and I really don't see the advantage of paying so much for something potentially equivalent at best.

[Cromacster]

Could anyone fill me in on how/why CF would be better than a good muscle/strength building program? I've been training for two years at the gym now using basic programs with simple splits combined with good basic nutrition of homemade food and I really don't see the advantage of paying so much for something potentially equivalent at best.

Crossfit is different than a basic body building or strength program, results are probably similar.  Although (and some may disagree with me) I feel that crossfit will provide the ability for a higher work capacity than a standard strength program (So will strongman training).

Crossfit, for the general population, is a "fitness" program.  It gets you exercise, and might have some strength portions thrown in.  Essentially, what you are paying for is having coaching and programming, and the community.  Which is something I never found at any other type of gym.  The community is what keeps me going back.  For some people that's the motivation they (including myself) need.  To each their own.

This was today's workout:

Warm-up (before class):
2 Rounds of:
15- Hip Thrusts
1 Minute- Bottom Squat Hold
30- Couch Stretch [each side]
30- Dislocates

Strength/Skill:
20 Minutes-
Odds- 2 Cleans
Evens- 5 Strict Pull Ups

WOD:
For Time- [6 Minute Cap]
20- Kettlebell Swings
60- Wall Balls
20- KB Swings

Rest 3 Minutes

10 Minutes- AMRAP
5- Toes to Bar
5- Pull Ups
30- Dubs

Bench Press (6X6= Bench Press)

Yea that workout would suck.  Personally, I feel like this is a stupid workout.  But I don't know what the rest of your programming looks like.

[melalvai]

Theoretically I can run and bike for free and do core workouts in my house for free. In reality, since I joined the gym that is 10 min walk away, I have gone once if not twice a day almost daily. The social aspect turned out to be a great motivator for me. At $150/mth, but 6 times per week, you are paying $6.25 for a) health, b) fitness, c) entertainment, d) social. Is the membership for both of you? Then it's $3.12 every time you go. The more often you go, the cheaper it is.

[MrMyMoney]

@melalvai: I don't want to be a party pooper, but generally speaking unless you are on steroids going twice a day to a gym would be bad for you.

Comparatively, I pay $200/ year for the gym. Although the food I need to buy makes this more expensive.

[_JT]

Could anyone fill me in on how/why CF would be better than a good muscle/strength building program? I've been training for two years at the gym now using basic programs with simple splits combined with good basic nutrition of homemade food and I really don't see the advantage of paying so much for something potentially equivalent at best.

Google HIIT and read up.

[jba302]

This is what's on tap for today:

Strength/Skill:
Front Squat
3-3-2-2-1-1

WOD:
100 Double-Unders
100m Run
4 Rope Climbs
100m Run
30 Front Squat – 135/95
100m Run
100m DB/KB Farmer Carry – 70/50 x 2
20 DB/KB Snatch Alternating – 70/50
100m Run

I have really well and truly no understanding of this setup, other than my wrists hurt reading it and I don't think I could do 30x135 front squats fresh let along following a max out FS session plus some sprinting. How did you fare doing it?

Also just to note from Mrmoney's comment, scheduling twice a days are possible if you modulate your intensity / volume. 2 of these WOD's a day would probably kill you though.

[thurston howell iv]

I only do the wod once a day (after work). Some people do more than one, sometimes several (See: Rich Froening- crossfit games champ 3 years running).
As you get used to the craziness, you can see how one might feel like doing another later in the day.

As for the difficulty of the wods, they really look terrible but once you're in it, it's just a matter of finishing.
The wod for today is one that we would consider an easy or light day:  (The beauty in this stuff is that you can scale or modify if necessary)

Three Rounds of:
100m Walking Lunge
20m Handstand Walk
50 KB Cleans – 35/25

When we first started crossfit, the second day was the "Murph":
For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run

It was brutal yet we came back the next day for more!! It's fun to challenge yourself... No one is going to come up with this sort of crap on their own and inflict it on themselves on purpose! We go to see if we can do it.

[Cromacster]

I only do the wod once a day (after work). Some people do more than one, sometimes several (See: Rich Froening- crossfit games champ 3 years running).
As you get used to the craziness, you can see how one might feel like doing another later in the day.

As for the difficulty of the wods, they really look terrible but once you're in it, it's just a matter of finishing.
The wod for today is one that we would consider an easy or light day:  (The beuty in this stuff is that you can scale or modify if necessary)

Three Rounds of:
100m Walking Lunge
20m Handstand Walk
50 KB Cleans – 35/25

When we first started crossfit, the second day was the "Murph":
For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run

It was brutal yet we came back the next day for more!! It's fun to challenge yourself... No one is going to come up with this sort of crap on their own and inflict it on themselves on purpose! We go to see if we can do it.

LOL, I also see Klokov running stairs with a 195lb barbell on his back, that doesn't mean everyone should do it.  Rich Froning, and other high level competitive crossfit athletes are in a entire different realm than your average crossfitter.  These people also have daily massages, regular chiropractic adjustments, great genetics, stem cell joint therapy (see Matt Chan), and possibily steroids.

And yea murph might looks insane to an outsider, but murph (52ish min for me) is a helluva lot easier than Fran (6ish min for me)

The problem with some crossfitters is that there is no rhyme or reason to what they are doing (Rich Froning claims he just does whatever he feels....I wonder, but again see above).  They just say hey, I'll do two wods today why not.  Or I'm gonna do Annie 5 days in a row so I get killer abs, then finish the week with 100 GHD situps, woops now I have a hernia (yea it happens).

[olivia]

Yea that workout would suck.  Personally, I feel like this is a stupid workout.  But I don't know what the rest of your programming looks like.

Yeah, I'm far from a CF programming expert, but our gym typically wins the local competitions and we've sent teams and individuals to regionals several years in a row, so I assume it's getting people in shape.  Not a lot of injuries and a major focus on form and scaling if necessary. 

I got us started in CF but my husband is way more into the science of it all than I am-I just like to show up and get into shape. 

[thurston howell iv]

I agree sometime there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the routines but they get results. And when I look in the mirror and see the "results" I got on my own with my own programming, I'm more incline to STFU and do what the routine calls for... Of course, if it hurts, I scale or modify. Not trying to be a hero. Just trying to get back into shape.

Backstory: DW and I are both ex-military and used to be in fantastic shape many moons ago. Once life set in we got lazy and weak... DW has complained about not just being weak but "feeling" weak.  Since we've started CF, she has more confidence, "feels stronger", and has managed to make significant strides...
Now the complaint is that the clothes she has is too loose... Not a bad complaint to have, IMO.

[jba302]

I agree sometime there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the routines but they get results.

If you would be willing to share, what results have you seen objectively? In terms of improvement in anything like squat, bench, OHP, clean and jerk, snatch, front squat, mile time, 100m split times, # of pullups/pushups, etc? And over what time period?

I understand the leaner thing, because it's a shitload of work so you will shed fat, but I'm curious what has improved in terms of fitness (based on a few of the supertraining criteria).

[Cromacster]

I agree sometime there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the routines but they get results.

If you would be willing to share, what results have you seen objectively? In terms of improvement in anything like squat, bench, OHP, clean and jerk, snatch, front squat, mile time, 100m split times, # of pullups/pushups, etc? And over what time period?

I understand the leaner thing, because it's a shitload of work so you will shed fat, but I'm curious what has improved in terms of fitness (based on a few of the supertraining criteria).

Jba, I think the reason you see results is due to the beginner effect.  If you take someone who hasn't been working out regularly or at all for a few or more years, they are going to see gains all over the place just due to the fact that they are doing something.  This trend can go one for a year or more.  The strength gains will level off first.  Then eventually the conditioning will level off.  That's essentially where Crossfit ends and something else has to take over to make improvements.

Also if you add any sort of eating real and reasonable amounts of food along with a high amount of energy output (crossfit) you are going to lose weight and become a healthier person.

Yea that workout would suck.  Personally, I feel like this is a stupid workout.  But I don't know what the rest of your programming looks like.

Yeah, I'm far from a CF programming expert, but our gym typically wins the local competitions and we've sent teams and individuals to regionals several years in a row, so I assume it's getting people in shape.  Not a lot of injuries and a major focus on form and scaling if necessary. 

I got us started in CF but my husband is way more into the science of it all than I am-I just like to show up and get into shape. 

The one question I would have here, are the regional level competitors doing the same programming as your general population?  I would think not.  At my box, and most other boxes that take competing seriously, there is separate programming people who want to compete.  This is mainly due to the fact that to be competitive you have different needs than you average crossfitter.  And the big secret to crossfit is....you don't become a top level competitor by doing crossfit style workouts.

[AlanStache]

My results from CF:  Have always exercised and had been doing the globo-gym thing for bit over a year before starting CF.  I did CF for about 9 months before I had to stop from an injury (the injury could have maybe happened without CF but was more likely with CF).

--improvements with CF:
>> pullups: had not done one before, but I did them in the first month so I basically had the strength before.
>> short bursts: had never really trained sprints or 3-6 min max efforts before.
>> Olympic lifting: had never done that before, after 9 months still could not do some of the lifts.  have kept up with some of the lifts, power cleans, overhead strict press after CF.
--losses with CF:
>> running/cycling: was definitely slower with less endurance.
>> body fat a bit higher: going from 45-60 min workouts to 10-20 min workouts really affects your calorie usage.
--about the same:
>> no noticeable change in strength: did not do proper tests but the basic upper body strength did not feel any different.
>> squats: some improvement in technique, no real noticeable change in weight lifted.  Did not really do squats before CF but did do leg presses.

Over all I would call it a bit of a wash with CF athletically.  Athletic results were definitely were not worth 130$/mon.  But each gym is different and maybe I would have got more from somewhere else.

[jflo]

I think most of us have some sort of expenditure that others on this forum would say is not worth it and we could do without.  That said, I think the point is to start looking at all of our spending and cut out all of those things that are not worth our FI.  After that, if you are left with one or two things that others wouldn't pay for but you are passionate about, so be it.  Especially if you're also saving/wiping out debt. 
So yeah, paying $150 a month to exercise seems silly to me, but you'd probably think the amount I spent on certain individual pieces of climbing gear was silly as well.  As long as you've really scrutinized your options and aren't indebting yourself/ are still saving, do what you love.
Spending $0 is the easy answer.  Spending something takes real thought and self-reflection that others just can't answer.