Inside the Box: How CrossFit ® Shredded the Rules, Stripped Down the Gym, and Rebuilt My Body

by T.J. Murphy

In Inside the Box, veteran journalist and marathoner T.J. Murphy goes all in to expose the gritty, high-intensity sport of CrossFit®.

Murphy faced a future with a permanent limp from one too many marathons. Desperate to reclaim his fitness and strength, the 47-year-old signed up for his first CrossFit workout with nothing to lose. Anaerobically blasted by each workout of the day, Murphy discovered a sweat-soaked fitness revolution that’s transforming bodies and lives.

CrossFit is the sport of fitness, a radical new approach to exercise that is turning the traditional gym workout upside down. Every day at thousands of CrossFit gyms across America, fitness seekers of all shapes and sizes flex their inner athlete by racing to finish fast-paced workouts. Each workout mixes weight lifting and gymnastics into an explosively effective and addictive new way to lose weight and carve out a new physique.

Inside the Box is Murphy’s journey through CrossFit. From staggering newcomer to evangelist, Murphy finds out how it feels, why it’s so popular, whether it can fix his broken body.

Genres: Fitness, Nonfiction, Sports, Health, Polish Literature

196 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2012

Reviews

[BG Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stupid books that teach you things and change your perspective...grrrr

Anyway, this book teaches about crossfit. An exercise paradigm where science is actually applied to the art of fitness. Now I have to go and do crossfit.

[Bret Mogilefsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

The CrossFit/CrossFit Endurance websites assume up-front understanding of lingo, philosophy, scene, etc. The Amazon reviews promised an intro for an outsider entering the CrossFit "scene". It was exactly that, and just what I needed. It's a little too breathless, reads a bit like an extended Men's Health article, and the author's background in high school sports and triathlons don't make it clear who can follow in his footsteps, particularly as it was a challenging acclimatization for him to say the least. That said, I'm better informed and will move on to "Power Speed Endurance", the CFE "training manual, next.

[Kimberly Walton Mayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provided what I needed for an intro to the most fantastic fitness program ever, CrossFit! The author provided a look into the unique Cross Fit culture and also listed a dictionary with illustrated pics of important barbell lifts in the back of the book.

I also liked that the book was written from the perspective of a middle-aged, former marathoner and triathlete beacause that is what I am as well. This gave me encouragement to proceed into this hard-core regimen.

There was an excellent chapter that focuses on a morbidly obese subject who made magnificent strides in CF and lost a ton of weight. This chapter begs for pictures! I want to see the before and after pics of this lady. What a huge accomplishment. Adding photos would make the chapter even more inspirational. That is the only complaint I had about this book.

I would highly recommmend reading this book, subscribing to CF Journal (www.crossfit.com) and watching online videos if you are planning to enter the CF arena. I am beginning my second month in the program at West Plano CrossFit and love it! This "box" is amazing! My coach is outstanding and I really like my fellow athletes that attend.

[Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast and pleasant read. I was a bit disappointed that it was more Crossfit sales pitch than personal memoir. But it's an excellent overview of how Crossfit works and thinks, with some personal stories included. If you read it, you'll have a much better sense of what to expect about the program -- including some of the goofy 'science', such as 3D modelling of one's fitness level.

The author has certainly swallowed the Kool-Aid, and he makes it sound very appealing (especially the community aspects).

[cellomerl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very gushy book about how wonderful CrossFit is. It was written circa 2012 and so it’s somewhat dated now, but it’s still an interesting read about the origins of the movement and the author’s own experience with it.

[Kate Schwarz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This guy started at Crossfit right when I did. Right before the 2012 Open Workouts. One of his very first WODs was 12.1, seven minutes of burpees. Hey, me too! It was fun reliving the first few workouts with him, though I didn't have a body as broken as the one he said he had. There were certainly pages in the book that I skimmed, as he didn't have to sell Crossfit to me. Anyone who knows me knows I've not only drunk the Kool-Aid but I now do my best to get others to do the same.

Things I appreciated about the book:

I hadn't thought of how Crossfit runs counter to the digital alone-togetherness of the world today. In most gyms you walk in, get your solemn groove on (or not), and walk out, often without talking with anyone. The Crossfit community is completely the opposite. I start catching up with my workout pals--often in a big, real way (none of this on-the-surface how are you fine thank you bologna)--as soon as there's more than one of us in the box. The support and encouragement we have for one another which starts with somebody's first PU attempt continues into their life, our life. These people have seen me at my best and worst, and they still like me. I think.

A few parts of the book made me sit back and realize once again and re-appreciate how many lessons there are within Crossfit that carry over well to the real world. As a mom who constantly takes the opportunity for teachable moments, I love how Crossfit openly acknowledges that each person has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses (except Rich Froning). That it's in acknowledging and attacking the weaknesses that we become better and stronger. That competition with those standing around us might motivate us to be faster stronger better, but it's the competition with our own PRs that matters most. That there is a whole lot more we can do if we just put our minds to it and try, I mean really try. That the point is not to do easy things really well, but to try to do hard things, even if we fail a bit before doing them well. All of this is why I want my kids to get into Crossfit--slowly, at their own pace. Because there is a whole lot of opportunity for confidence to be built in a box.

The book is fine Not super well written, but it made me think some and appreciate a lot. It's written for people who are still on the fence about trying Crossfit, but...as someone who has been Crossfitting for 1 1/2 years, I still got plenty out of it.

[Manuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though dated (2012), Inside the Box is still a great handbook for anyone who's just starting out CrossFit and need some education about its foundation and culture. Its great counterpart is Learning to Breathe Fire (2014) by J.C. Herz.

[Louis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a mix of the author's personal story and a look at the CrossFit community. And the author has a profile somewhat like mine (but I was never that good), endurance runner as an adult. In his case, needing to back off because of injury. Then looking at CrossFit as a different way of increasing fitness, even as we grow older. I definitely relate to the comments he makes of his first workouts, I thought I was pretty fit, but even the more innocuous workouts left me completely wiped and flat on my back when I was done.

One thing that makes this different than many books about people's experiences with CrossFit is that it is about a cross section of experience, from elite athletes to people who would not be described as fit. So it is not about just any one person, but about the make up of a community, using individuals at the various CrossFit gyms the author has been associated with over time. So in the various chapters he discusses the experiences with CrossFit of a range of people. The intense athletes (Firebreathers), a generally fit person like himself coming into CrossFit, normal people off the street, and people whose doctors would say that they were heading towards an early grave when they first encountered CrossFit.

The result is an appealing story of what some CrossFit communities are like, an emphasis on how everyone is in it together, how non-elite athletes become valued members of their CrossFit communities. Whether or not the author originally intended it to, the result is almost an advertisement for CrossFit for people who can appreciate being in a setting that gives feedback and support (acknowledging that not everyone wants that level of attention for various reasons.)

So this is a story about CrossFit as a fitness regime as experienced by people, but not about the elite athletes, but how normal people engage with CrossFit. And these are stories that I can relate to and appreciate.

[Kunal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an overall good book that gives you a great inside glimpse of what Crossfit is all about and is a book I would recommend to any beginner in Crossfit. You learn about how Crossfit was developed by Greg Glassman and what the experience is like for a new crossfitter. It was very inspiring to hear about all the stories of people who completely transformed their bodies as a result of finding crossfit and also to read about the elite crossfitters who compete in the crossfit games as it is truly incredible to hear how they have been able to record the times that they have and lift the amount of weight that they can. The crossfit world is a tricky balance as the community is great to keep motivating you to keep coming, pushing yourself to the max, and continuing to make strides and improvement. However, being constantly surrounded by the elite athletes sometimes makes you feel insufficient and that you never have enough which is not the right way to think about it given others around you are there to encourage you, not put you down.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any of the new crossfitters out there or anyone contemplating trying crossfit so you can see what all of the hype is about.

[Hector Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read on the beginnings, fundamentals and philosophy behind CrossFit. A poignant view at how the fitness industry has let down society with their outdated training methods and inefficient workout machines. It also stays objetive citing comments by experts on how CrossFit is not to be considered the ultimate fitness regime. However, its approach to getting people moving in functional ways, taking into account nutrition and mobility are key aspects of CrossFit, not to mention the tight knit community built around it.

[Alasdair Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

As a new crossfitter I am enjoying learning about the sport of fitness and feel this is a very honest review of crossfit and how it can positively impact lives without it being a constant attempt to sell me on the crossfit lifetyle

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those books that for no reason that I can put my finger on seemed to take me a really long time to read. It wasn't long, it wasn't complex, and I really enjoyed the content. Much of what was said really resonated with me - I've been in my local affiliate since January and have already seen much of the good that CrossFit has to offer. I'm glad I could get this finished during the week that the open begins - good luck to us all!

[Ashley Rodgers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inside the Box by TJ Murphy is an exceedingly educational book. Murphy informs the audience of his crossfit journey and how being involved in this program has crafted a whole new person. He explains that he owes his dramatic increase in strength and stamina to the process of crossfit. Ultimately, he thoroughly explains how “most people talk about what they want but are completely unwilling to lift a finger to help them get there” (136). With hard work and perseverance, Murphy confidently states that crossfit will transform one’s body. This book has helped me gain more understanding of the topic of crossfit. Murphy goes incredibly in depth to describe Greg Glassman’s creation of crossfit and how the first gym(s) were opened. I learned from reading this book, crossfit is more of a science. Many trials and tests were performed to find the best and most effective way to burn calories and lose fat. Thus, crossfit was born. Greg Glassman’s establishment built a program that with the help of resiliency, will transform anyone’s body. Sequentially, crossfit attracted athletes that give nothing but their best. With that being said, a “cult” some would say, was formed. This book definitely aided me in the knowledge over the topic of crossfit as I am well-informed on how crossfit came about, as well as the science that helped form it. I have such a better insight that covers the inside material rather than what is exposed to the general public.

[Shannan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel rather neutral about the book but felt it deserved more than 3 stars - I probably would have given it 3.5 stars in the end. I wanted to read a book on a personal account of a person coming into the crossfit culture. I found this book to be a quite technical explanation of crossfit exercise physiology as well as snippets of the author's experience with crossfit - a pleasant surprise. The author interviews several key players in the crossfit movement and counterpoints their views with his own exercise and diet approach. As expected, the book wholeheartedly touts a paleo/zone diet with intense crossfit workouts. I found it informative since I'm dipping into this lifestyle but to a regular person it would probably read as preachy and flat.
There is a part of me that would like a crossfit book written from a woman's perspective and the author did attempt this viewpoint with the chapter "Irene's Story", however I found myself wanting more.
Overall a quick read on a new hobby of mine. Do I consider it an end-all, be-all? Nah. But good to hear about someone's experience.

[Stephen Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this, after buying it for myself at Christmas.

I was familiar with Murphy from his years in the triathlon publishing world (and my past as an enthusiastic, but rarely good, triathlete) so was expecting a strong dose of cynicism towards CrossFit; it's certainly there in the early parts of the book.

Murphy's journey reflects my own; busted from a history of sports that damaged me, a discovery of CrossFit, the enjoyment of the training style and the surprise at encountering the community of support that you don't go in expecting.

It's certainly not going to win a Pulitzer, but it's a pleasant enough, accurate reflection of the world of CrossFit that speaks to a more regular, fitness-focused participant, rather than the superstar athletes we see at the Games.

I enjoyed it.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book and would recommend it to anyone contemplating crossfit. You might learn a thing or too even if you've been at it for a while.

I drank the kool-aid a long time ago, so even though it was a bit of a sales pitch at times, I know the 'goods' being sold are worth every penny.

I've been crossfitting for several years now, (although as of this year I also include a little progressive strength training every week using Tactical Barbell program) and I have seen nothing but incredible results in all areas of my life. My mood, motivation, and of course my fitness levels have all benefited.

If you have friends that are on the fence about crossfit or want a little more info, get them this book. Highly recommended.

[Raven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful and interesting insights to some of the CrossFit personalities whose videos I've watched or whose books I've read. Also an easy fun read... it'd make a good airplane book. (Memoirs are great for that.) I would have liked a little more information, if it's available, on why CrossFit worked around the author's injuries when they sounded pretty bad... seems like he's got other books out specifically on running that might address that to some degree. My favorite part was the case study in chapter 7, but the firebreathers explanation was also pretty worthwhile.

[Jen B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting inside look into a sport culture phenomenon. I found myself interested in CrossFit after reading this book, but I know I'm not interested in participating with the group that does CrossFit in my traditional gym. I'm glad Murphy mentioned that as CrossFit gains in popularity, it is likely that some CrossFit gyms won't be up to the same standard as the first few. I found his honesty refreshing -- a touchstone even as you begin to realize that he's drinking the Kool-Aid now too.

[Doug Naquin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well-written and succinct "year in the life" account of the CrossFit experience by an accomplished, if severely hampered, marathon runner. While the attitude toward CrossFit is positive, Murphy does not come across as a zealot or unquestioning disciple, lending the book greater credibility. In fact, I began CrossFit at about the same time Murhpy did and find his experience reflects mine in many ways.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not incredibly well written. You can tell the author's experience is largely with articles, not a full book, as each chapter (and sometimes even sections within chapters) seems to function as it's own article on the topic of CrossFit rather than a unified book. Still, the information is basically exactly what I was told in my intro session at my local CrossFit affiliate box, so I felt like I was ahead of the game going to CrossFit for the first time.

[Jonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

For someone wanting to understand the CrossFit craze, this is a good source of information. Being a CrossFitter myself, there was a lot of explanation that I didn't need, but I did learn a lot about the beginnings of CF and a glimpse into where it is headed. I wouldn't have thought the author, who could barely walk due to injury before entering a CF box, would be able to "rehab" himself with CrossFit. It's hard! But it obviously worked for him.

[Luis Andrés Serrallé Marentes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Una auténtica pesadilla de libro. Me lo compré pensando que sería una introducción a la historia del crossfit: sus comienzos, fundamentos, mejores deportistas... Y es una patraña de superación personal sobre un periodista majadero que ya era un gran atleta y al que una lesión postró en el sofá. Obviamente, el Crossfit lo devolvió a la alta competición y competir en los Games con relativo éxito. En fin, un gran masaje de miembro del autor hacia sí mismo.

[Gavin Gates · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of preaching to the converted here, as promised, this is a look at somebody finding CrossFit and their first year or so of getting to grips with the change in lifestyle it brings about. Murphy writes well, put's all viewpoints across from a neutral standpoint and gives a great insight into what this rapidly expanding world of fitness is all about.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mix of motivational stories and the background of crossfit. The author is a former triathelte struggling with injuries and started crossfit when he could barely walk. I like that he addressed both the physical and mental pain of workouts. Interesting read for anyone dabbling in crossfit culture.

[Ayanna]

While this provided a very good description of the origin, evolution and overall premise of CF, it wasn't the personal memoir I expected. This was slightly disappointing only because as someone with knee issues who is getting into CF, I confess that I was seeking some virtual camaraderie and inspiration. It was still a good read, just not for the reason I initially added it to my list.

[Andre · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good first hand account of Crossfit from an initially skeptical ex-runner who didn't think it would work for him. He was pleasantly surprised. This goes into what CF is, isn't, and some ideas why it works as a fitness "movement." A good read if you're curious about CF. If you want to learn about the history read Learning to Breath Fire instead.

[Mashavu Edmondson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on the emerging sport of CrossFit and how it changed the life of a broken-down, injured former runner. Great book. Very motivating. I read a few excerpt every time CrossFit starts to feel "too tough".

[Lori Panu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Succinct explanation of the CrossFit experience. Highly recommended for those who are timid about starting as well as those who have already drunk the kool-aid. Inspirational stories included of CF folks to really encourage anyone, at any level of health and fitness, to start CrossFit right now.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although the is no scenario in which Crossfit would be a good idea for my body, the book was an interesting read, especially the chapters about Crossfit's emphasis on nutrition and correct biomechanics.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that's not like the other books next to it on the shelf. It's motivational without being a sermon - it's a personal telling that introduces you to people and opens the door to an fitness community (instead of a fitness routine of the moment.)