I just realized nobody really answered the OP.

I would find out what their plan is to get you started. Even if you're familiar with lifting, they should provide some education up front. Technique is very important with the Olympic lifts that are a big part of Crossfit. they should also have a plan to ease you into the workouts. Doing too much too soon cans easily get you injured. The good "boxes" will have a very specific plan to get you going.

I've debated joining the local one, but the cost has kept me away. $12 a class doesn't sound bad until you realize you pay that every time you go. And the monthly cost is over $100 a month. I'll workout at home and skip the fad.

Did you P90x or Insanity? I was doing both last year. How do they compare other than being home or with a group?

Incorporate some olympic lifts and P90X is very similar from talking to friends and their descriptions of the workouts. I haven't personally Crossfit though.

You can even do the workouts on your own. I did that for over a year but I got hurt trying to do too much. The price doesn't seem so bad to me considering I am working in a small group with a trainer.

Be sure that you have good insurance so that when you tear the shit out of your shoulder doing kipping pull-ups, you will be able to get it fixed.

:D

I do a version of CrossFit once a week at my gym. It's not as crazy as the ones they show on Youtube.

An example of the workout would be...

10 - burpees
20 - push ups
30 - box jumps
40 - skate jumps
50 - sit ups

We do this five times.

Fit to carry a cross? Why?

I had hernia surgery about a year ago so I've been a little over cautious last year. I need to get back to something challenging though. Had some "groupons" for local crossfit and considering. Still not sure...

A good gym will have coaches who will help you keep your ego in check and ease into it.

I have been attending one for over a year at work. I work on a college campus, so there are various types of fitness levels, just like everyone else. I sometimes lead the classes if the instructors will be gone. We have 4 different classes and my class is usually around 5 people (which I love the small number) and can go as large as 30 (not for me). I like crossfit as it pushes you to push yourself against others. I am 46 and I can do more with my body than those half my age. I am amazed at the muscle tone I have started to build.

My recommendation to anyone is practice form over intensity. You do a lot of reps, and if your form isn't right, you will hurt yourself. This will be evident in your complex Olympic lifts. I also hate body weight movements, so I like the strength component added into my workouts. And yes, a good trainer will make all the difference in the world.

If you're out of shape the warm up will likely gas you for the first few times. You'll be sore as hell but after a couple of weeks you'll look forward to the pain and the workouts. You'll start wanting to eat better to help with your workouts. You'll notice steady gains and improvements. You'll start hanging with your new gym buddies instead of your old drinking buddies because all they want to do is drink beer and loaf around. Then after about 6 months you'll be in good shape so you'll take a day or two off here and there and drinking and eating bad "because you work out now so you can" instead of working out. Youll steadily workout less and less. In about a year you'll be right back where you are now but probably gained another 10 lbs on top of what you're currently at.

Seriously its a great workout and way ****ing better than running on a treadmill then hitting up the curling bar and flat bench...BRO!

Lastly, like others have said (but this cant be stressed enough) don't be the douche bag that talks about your workout to other people at your office and posts "WOD" shit on Instagram or FB every day. Self pics of your new abs in the mirror are also questionable. Just be humble and enjoy your new found hobby.

I did Combat Crossfit with my snu buddy up north of the river a few years back for about 6 months. It absolutely felt like a cult, and form was the least important component to our husband/wife trainers.

To elaborate on my cult claim, their was an air of elitism and "every other workout sucks" to the crossfit group. If you needed a breather or shot of water you were "weak". Puking was encouraged, form was ignored. It just felt terribly unhealthy and worked my joints more than my muscles on too many occasions.

I now use a personal trainer a couple times a week to compliment my own training regiment and it has worked wonders to strengthen my form, my core, and my stabilizer muscles to help me have better balance & strength overall. I was a non-believer in trainers prior, but its now something I look forward to, and definitely the healthiest supplement I've ever added to my workout regime. I am encouraged to use good form, my trainer has creative workouts that keep me interested, and I get my butt kicked by the end of my hour better than crossfit ever did in their 12 minute wod's.

So to sum up to the OP, if you join the crossfit family, get in with a good gym/trainer that cares about form and overall health more than displaying a facade of invincibility. It will make all the difference in the world.

"Crossfit, the Scientology of Fitness"

http://i.imgur.com/W7gqr.gif
http://i.imgur.com/cjWAf.gif

It sounds like these are the people giving Crossfit a bad name. They will all be injured and dysfunctional soon enough. You were right to stay away.

What you & your trainer have done is what should have happened at the crossfit gym you attended. You don't have to be at a "box" to do a good high intensity, crossfit-style workout.