Maggie's Farm

Having tried it as an older but moderately fit guy who wasn't much of an athlete I would give it a qualified thumbs up. I tried it for about a year but quit the box I was attending mostly due to logistical issues getting there on a regular basis. As with many fitness activities the personalities and strengths of the coaches/instructors will make a big difference so if you have options in your area you might want to try more than one place. I think they do get an unfair rap as being 'extreme'. I personally saw little if any evidence of that. As you said, they were quite accommodating to various fitness levels though you are going to be pushed harder than you would be at a place like Planet Fitness.

The box I attended did a lot of free weight work (I think this is somewhat standard in Crossfit). Since I had never done anything like that I struggled to learn techniques, and I've got a bad shoulder that makes overhead lifting difficult. Overhead squats are nearly impossible for me with any kind of weight.

I would have preferred to find a mixed cardio/strength training program like the one I attended for a couple of years in Iowa. It alternated kickboxing routines and resistance bands. To me this seemed a little bit more flexible for various fitness levels, and the resistance bands did a good job of strength train but were more 'user friendly' than free weights.