Mel's Poll: The CrossFit Addiction
by, 
Chris Sinagoga | Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at 12:02PM
Chris Sinagoga | Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at 12:02PM Mel the Funky Homosapien sent this to me last week via email.
Is CrossFit addictive? If so, is that a bad thing or a good thing?
Reader Comments (11)
No, it's a choice.
no. If it was addicting i wouldn't have left over something as silly as weights.
I think working out in general is addicting and that's not a bad thing imo.
Not at all
My favorite part about crossfit was taking my shirt off and being stronger than all the normies if I'm being honest.
Whether or not it's a choice is irrelevant. Drugs, alcohol, caffeine - using them is a choice - yet they are all addictive to some degree.
Also, Mel, knew you had some good poll questions!!
IDK. I don't feel addicted to CF, so I'm gonna say no. But, then again, I have the same feeling about my lightly salted snap peas, and I know I'm addicted to those.
I definitely think it can be addicting, but it takes a little bit.
Personally, I have been working out consistently since April. And after the first week or so, there was that comfortable zone where I would be breathing heavy after the workout, but not feel horrible. That's a pretty addicting feeling - especially since I felt like I was getting stronger.
Last Friday, I did the clean/pull-up workout at about 90-95% speed, and it gave me that Fran-feeling. That, on the other hand, is not addicting.
But to answer the second part, I don't think it's a bad thing. Yes, doing it with bad form will eventually catch up to you, and so will over-training, but there are much worse things to be addicted to
So if I answer my own question, I vote that it is addictive. As can be many forms of exercise.
Part of it may be physical/physiological (endorphins), but some of it for me is behavorial/emotional. I have to have a really good reason to miss a workout. If I don't, I get the same feeling as though I cheated on a test, or skipped out on a day of work. Coincidentally, this video just came out, and I found it very revealing - here's the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMAiEUAKPB0&feature=youtu.be&t=43m51s
So...good or bad? Mostly good. I'm not sure being addicted to anything is "good" per se, but there are plenty of worse things out there. And I think many of us are predisposed to a little addiction, even in less tangible things like sports, our job, etc. A CF addiction leads to generally positive results in terms of physical and mental health. It would be when one starts to make poor decisions that this would change.
Good looks on the clip Mel. I haven't watched any of the long feature stuff recently, but they came out with one last Summer that I enjoyed. Behind the Scenes of the Games (I think it was the 2014 Games). Very hard-working and dedicated athletes.
As for the question, I think everyone will get addicted to something they get good at, or are seeing improvements.