I purchased a groupon-priced two month membership from Camp Rhino in late October. I went to three sessions and on the third, strained my arms (wrists to elbows) so badly that I never went back and am still recovering. The evening session when this happened was called Beginner CrossFit, but it didn't seem to really be for beginners. I didn't get the sense that the instructor was overly watchful or concerned with those of us who were new. The first workout included flipping over tires - I've never done this. I asked if there was a specific way to do it. The instructor replied something to the effect of - you just flip it. That was it...
While I'm not new to working out, I'd never done CrossFit and wasn't used to trying to do things in a certain amount of time. The last workout that day included pulling yourself up and lowering yourself to the ground with a rope - this is where I strained my arms. With the time pressure, I wasn't aware that my arms were way maxed out. I feel like this is something a CrossFit instructor should know and should make sure that the beginners slow down to be aware of how they're feeling. I could barely grip my toothbrush the next day. It wasn't normal muscle soreness but pain. I went to a doctor and have been taking Ibuprofen daily for almost two months now. My wrists to elbows still aren't back to normal. If I even type a lot during the day, I can feel that they're still strained. I've been training for a 10k now and doing exercises that don't require weights or arms to get around not being able to use my arms.
I really wanted to like CrossFit. I was really excited to try it. I liked working out in a group and the space they have is amazing. But, I did not have a good experience and I think beginners should definitely be cautious.