There is a common misconception that everyone who does CrossFit is a stellar athlete who crushes every workout and has been an athlete all their lives. This is the furthest from the truth. CrossFit is for everyone, for any fitness level, even those people who have never been to a gym in their lives.
In short, if you are hesitant about starting CrossFit because it seems like the athletes on instagram lifts heavy, or performs cool moves on pull up bars like bar muscle ups. We encourage you to read these key point to consider before making a decision on NOT trying CrossFit…because, it IS for you, and will be the best decision you’ll make on your fitness journey.
Depending on the gym, you can do a free trial class, or a foundations course with the coaches of the gym. This will give you a taste of what CrossFit is and how that specific gym runs their classes. After you complete the either of those options, you will then be able to partake in classes.
I am not experienced… can I still do CrossFit?
HELL YES!!
EVERYONE can do CrossFit. Ages range (depending on the gym program offerings) between 10-70+. The workouts the gyms and CrossFIt.com put out are infinitely scalable, and are meant to prepare you for whatever life throws your way.
People in your class may be experienced, but you can find comfort in knowing everyone started with a PVC pipe, and eventually built their way up to a barbell with loads. See, when you sign up for a CrossFit gym, you sign up to be part of an encouraging community led by qualified coaches who have extensive knowledge on how to break down movements into what are called progressions.
Progressions will allow coaches to help the inexperienced athlete perform the movement step by step, in order to eventually be able to perform the movement fluidly with a PVC pipe, then a barbell. This allows the coach to identify faults in movement patterns, so that cues for improvement can be provided to the athlete, so that he or she can move well under the pipe or bar.
What do I need to bring?
When you come in for the first time, all you need to bring are comfortable sneakers and a bottle of water. If you are joining in the summer, it is probably a good idea to bring a towel or change of clothes, as most CrossFit gyms do not have AC!
The best type of shoe would probably be a trainer of some sort. If you only have running shoes, those are ok to wear, but they do make it quite difficult to squat or perform olympic lifts as they are not flat, like a Vans or Converse shoe. If you have the means, we recommend purchasing a GORUCK training shoe, or INOV8 shoe. As they are good for all types of training.
Jump ropes, barbells, medballs, etc. are all provided at the gym so you obviously do not need to bring those with you!
How often should I take CrossFit classes?
Seeing as you are new to CrossFit, hence why you are reading this blog post, we assume you are newer to fitness (meaning general fitness experience) and have not done any CrossFit or high intensity training before. We usually recommend people to start with 3 days per week.
3 days per week will allow you to have some recovery if there was a workout that left you feeling more sore than normal, or so that you can plan your rest days based on your work schedule or how your body is feeling. This also will safely build up your tolerance, and keep your eagerness to come back for more training.
After about a month or two of classes, and you are feeling more confident under the barbell or dumbbells, we recommend people to try 4-5 days per week. This will help you create a pattern you can stick to and will provide the best scenario for a constantly varied week of training.
We do not ever recommend 7 days per week, or even 6, to be honest. This can lead to serious injury, or plateauing, which is when we do not improve our fitness for a period of time. Even our most advanced athletes are encouraged to take two rest days per week. This is important for recovering muscles properly and making sure your body burns fat and builds muscle at a normal pace, instead of delaying recovery/muscle growth.
How can I find a reputable gym or trainer near me? What should I expect when I walk in for the first time?
You can use the CrossFit affiliate map to find a local gym in your area. This will give you the gym name, location, and contact information. When you select a gym, you will be greeted from members, and by the coach leading the class at that time. And hopefully, you will never look back.
The Magic of the CrossFit Affiliate
The magical part about the CrossFit Affiliate is that the community of people within those walls are all striving for a common goal, and will positively push you to limits you’ve never thought were in your realm of possibility.
These athletes are all like minded people, ready to help you get that 5 pound PR in your squat clean, ready to cheer you on as you perform your first bar muscle up, and will always have your back at the end of a workout if it is one of those humbling ones where you may be one of the last people to finish.
The fact that we all train together…man or woman, 15 years old or 72 years old, elite athlete or novice athlete…pushing ourselves to our own personal limits, goes to show this stuff works. It bonds people, produces results unlike any other fitness methodology, reverses illness like diabetes and high blood pressure, and cures addictions.
If you are hesitant about starting CrossFit because a friend said it is dangerous, or because you see the fittest in the world crushing it on instagram, let this post be your green light to get started. Go see for yourself the reason why some affiliates have ten year members, and why at every affiliate you will always get a great training day.
CrossFit is for everyone. You will not regret your decision to start!
