Top Tips For Beginner’s to CrossFit
So, you’ve decided to take the leap and sign up for a CrossFit membership! Oftentimes, your first few CrossFit classes are packed with all the emotions – excitement, nervousness, and fear of failure just to name a few. You might even think ‘What did I get myself into’ as you are watching YouTube videos of fit-looking specimens throwing enormous weights overhead in one flawless motion and effortlessly performing burpees right after.
We’ve all been there, and it’s normal to feel nervous. But we can assure you that once you walk through that door and start your first WOD as a new member, you will never look back. Our coaches will make sure that you have everything you need to succeed, and our friendly members will make you feel at home.
Prioritise Strength Days.
Typically when you think CrossFit, thoughts of fast paced and sweaty workouts come to mind. However, this is only one part of our program. Twice per week we have 2x Strength days, one focused on Olympic Weightlifting (Snatch, Clean, Jerk) and one on Powerlifts (Deadlift, Bench, Squat). Prioritise at least one of these days each week. Arguably the Powerlift day for those who are new to lifting in general will yield the most benefit.
Having a base of strength will transfer over to pretty much everything else we do. It’ll also result in a much lower chance of injury from what we do in the gym and also outside of the gym. Strong muscles take the work off of your joints.
As coaches we pride ourselves on being able to get the best out of our members, however, sometimes it just simply boils down to not quite being strong enough, yet. A good example of this is those looking to get their first strict pullup, no matter what us as coaches say, you won’t be able to do it until you’ve built enough strength to do so.
Scaling.
A lot of people are under a false impression that you have to be fit to do CrossFit. However, the beauty of CrossFit is that you can modify (scale) each workout to fit your ability and skill set. Scaling allows you to maintain a higher intensity whilst keeping your form on point. This will result in improved performance, and you will soon see yourself becoming faster and stronger.
Just be patient and trust the process. Scaling is nothing to be ashamed of, don’t let your ego get in the way of progress. Every WOD has an intention, whether it is to move as fast as you can through the workout, or to work on strength; Therefore, it’s important to scale the workout to fit your current ability AND WOD’s key intention.
Always listen to your coach, and don’t be afraid to ask questions for when you’re not sure.
Work On Your Mobility.
Due to our sedentary lifestyle, we often end up with different mobility restrictions that are holding us back from performing at our best. Therefore, by working on those mobility issues, you can increase your performance during the class whilst also staying injury-free.
We’ll always take members through a specific warm up for the workout of the day, however, this isn’t always enough if you have personal mobility restrictions. We simply don't have time to address everyone's restrictions in a class environment.
A simple way to test your mobility is to perform the test via an App called GOWOD. They offer a free trial and you can get a clear indicator of what (if anything) needs work
Nutrition.
Your results will skyrocket if you put equal effort into your nutrition. Whether it’s fat loss, muscle gain, performance.. Nutrition will need to be addressed. Our favourite evidence based resource is Precision Nutrition:
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/blog
Gym Etiquette.
Please show up on time, ideally a few minutes before the class starts. If you're running late by 5-10 minute, still come to class but you may have to wait until the coach can prescribe you a mini warm up before jumping in. If you continually show up late, we consider that disrespectful to not only the coach but other members of the class.
If you’re 5-10 minutes early then head on over to the bands, foam rollers, lacrosse balls, pipes etc.. and start to mobilise your body. Focusing on your most restricted positions.
Be friendly! We’re a small gym and you’ll get to know people very quickly if you smile and speak to people.
Clothing/Shoes.
As a newbie, any gym/sports gear will be absolutely fine. If you’re looking to buy some new gear then the following websites/brands are most popular with CrossFitters:
No Bull
Reebok
Inov8
Nike
It’s a bit of a running joke that CrossFitters will do several shoe changes during one workout. Running shoes, Lifting shoes, CrossFit shoes etc.. At some stage it will be a wise investment to purchase some “CrossFit Shoes”. These will have a firm base which is important for lifting weights, but not too heavy/solid as you’ll need to run, jump and skip in these same shoes. A good all rounder! These are the most common types:
Reebok Nano’s
Nike MetCons
No Bull
Make sure to wash your kit regularly, we all work hard in class and are likely to get super sweaty. It's no fun having to tell members to go put some deodorant on as they're kicking up a bit! Please don’t wear muddy trainers to class.
Check The WOD.
We post the week's training on a Sunday night (at the latest) on the WOD Board app. For those that take part in other sports, you’ll likely want to avoid certain workouts if you need to be fresh for your sport specific training.
Remember, as a newbie we advise you to prioritise strength days, have a look at the week's training and see if you can make a strength day fit in your schedule. If not then you’ll still get great results, but it will be beneficial to you.
Looking at the workouts also gives you a chance to do some pre workout research. It can be overwhelming at times with the amount of movements we do in CrossFit, to speed up your learning of what’s what, YouTube can be a great help.
Log Your Workouts.
There’s nothing more motivating than seeing how far you’ve come since starting on this journey. Set yourself small, achievable goals and attack them day by day, week by week.
Much like with body composition, where you would track specific metrics such as your weight, body fat percentage, and waist measurements, in CrossFit, we track workouts and strength numbers. Every 3 months we have a testing phase where to do certain workouts and lifts to make sure we are on the right path.
WOD Board enables all our members to log into the class and track their progress on key lifts and workouts. Marking down your score after every CrossFit class can help you reinforce your fitness goals, whether it’s getting that first unassisted pullup, or increasing the weight on the bar. Seeing this data before your eyes serves as a reminder that you are moving in the right direction towards achieving your goals. Celebrate your small victories, and be proud of everything you’ve achieved in a given week!
Personal Training.
As a newbie, there can be a steep learning curve initially. Having some 1:1 time with a coach can really speed up your results from CrossFit. We keep our classes small and give you lots of attention during the class, however, you can’t beat the full focus of PT sessions. Although not required, we recommend a block of 4 which can be purchased online or just have a chat with one of the coaches.
You’ll tell your coach about your goals with a bit more detail and they’ll take care of the rest.
Chalk.
We have a bucket of chalk socks in the gym at all times. You’ll likely need a bit of chalk on your hands for bar/rig work. This takes the moisture out of your hands and will allow a better grip. Please do not wear gloves, your hand will move inside of them and create a larger girth of whatever you are gripping.
Don’t be a chalk monster! Throwing chalk about or using excessive amounts is what a chalk monster does. Don’t become one. All jokes aside, this means the coach will have to spend time cleaning chalk up on the floors every day instead of focusing on delivering great classes. It’s disrespectful.
Embrace Technique.
We don’t expect you to perform all the technical lifts perfectly on your very first day. It takes time and practice to learn new moving patterns. Therefore, you should never sacrifice your form for speed or weight you put on your bar. Slow and steady wins the race. Take your time to practice the technique with lighter weight until you feel more confident performing it.
Working on your form from the get-go is what will enable you to progress faster and get stronger in your key lifts. Quite often athletes get stuck and don’t see progress in strength until they address their technical issues. Focusing on your form will also enable you to stay injury-free and enjoy your training more. Listen to your coaches and drop the ego at the door.
Ask Questions.
Part of being successful is about not being afraid to ask questions and listening to your coaches’ answers. We were all beginners at some point and understand how overwhelming it can be. You should NEVER feel bad for asking questions and/or help. There is no such thing as a silly question. Our coaches are there to help you reach your goals, so by asking them questions you are enabling them to get you where you want to be.
We’ll go one step further, and give you some ideas on what to ask your coach in the next few weeks…
What is [exercise you don’t remember or aren’t sure about]?
How can I scale this exercise?
How fast should I go?
How many calories/kgs/reps should I do?
How can I improve my [exercise]?
Can you run through the [exercise] form again, please?
Am I doing this correctly?
Consistency.
If you take away one thing from this guide it should be this..
Show up!
Having consistency and regularly showing up to class is what gets results. There’s no real magic to it. We have a well designed program and passionate coaches to get you where you want to be. Show up.