The Beginners Guide to CFC
When you first start our sport, walking in to a CrossFit Box (First lesson, in CrossFit we refer to our facility as a “Box” as opposed to gym) can feel like visiting a foreign country.
There is new terrain ( “What is that giant metal contraption called and what is it for!?” )
The locals have their very own form of dress ( “What the heck is around that guy’s knee….and why is everyone wearing those headbands….did I miss something!?” )
…. As well as their own language ( “Am I supposed to know what HSPU means?” ) and Customs ( “Is he rolling around on a rubber ball?” )
Even foreign cuisine! ( “Paleo anyone? Fit Aid? Is that a thing?” )
With a huge number of new members incoming your Staff at CrossFit Credence wanted to welcome our new additions with a guide, to make your transition smooth and stress free!
Welcome to the Beginners Guide to CrossFit Credence!
Let’s start from the top. Here is the Scene:
You walk in our front door (Congratulations, that is the hardest step!) probably with some butterflies in your stomach (That’s totally normal, incase you were wondering)
What is the first thing you see?
Probably the big TV screens mounted on the wall! That is where you sign in. If you ever have any trouble with this just grab a staff member and we will hook you up. No worries!
Off to your Left? All those impressive looking bottles and bags? The Sweet CFC Swag hanging on the rack?
That’s our Pro Shop!
This is where we hook you up with top of the line supplements to keep you preforming and recovering at your very best, as well as looking good while you do it! If you ever have a question about anything in the shop our Coaches will be more than happy to help, just ask!
All signed in? Perfect, let’s go see what’s on the board for today!
CFC, along with most Boxes around the world, use those big white boards to write the Workout of the day, as well as record our clients workout data for the day!
A typical CrossFit workout will be broken down into 4 main parts, here is what you can expect:
Warmup: This is CRUCIAL to CrossFitting safely and effectively. Each class starts with a warmup designed to prepare the key muscles you will be using that day for the work that they will be doing. The warmup is SO important, in fact, that if a client arrives late to class they will be asked to preform 1 burpee for each minute they are behind with a cap of 15. Clients who arrive more than 15 minutes late for a class will unfortunately not be allowed to participate as they simply wouldn’t have enough time to warm up properly, which would put them at risk of being injured. We care deeply about our clients health and simply aren’t willing to risk it.
After the warmup you will move into the Strength portion of the workout: This will usually begin with your Coach discussing key points and demonstrating the lift for that day. After the demonstration you are usually given about 15-20 minutes to work on this lift at your own pace. Once strength is finished you’ll move on to the
WOD: Workout of the Day. This is where you’ll be told to do a certain number of repatitions of particular exercises as quickly as possible, or you’ll have a set time limit to do as many of a certain exercise as possible.
After the WOD will come either your cool down or an opportunity to do the “extra work” your Coaches have laid out for the day depending on your schedule!
Still staring at the board? Let’s talk about some terms you might see there.
CrossFit speak is a massive and many faceted animal. The following is the tip of the iceberg but should be plenty to get you started!
AMRAP – As many rounds or reps as possible
1RM – One rep max
C2B- Chest to Bar
G2O- Ground to Overhead
ME- Max Effort
DU – Double Unders. When the jump rope passes under your feet twice before you come back down from your jump.
OH- Overhead
RFT- Rounds/Reps for Time
T2B- Toes to Bar
UB- Unbroken (without stopping or dropping the bar/kettlebell etc)
KB- Kettlebell
RX- Prescribed. Doing all of the movements of the WOD to standard at the weight listed! This is a huge goal and accomplishment for many CrossFitters.
EMOM- Every minute on the Minute
Rig- The big metal contraption where we do pull-ups, rope climbs, muscle ups, T2B (see you’re using your new vocabulary already) etc. It’s basically a jungle gym for adults, and we love it.
Sound like a lot? Don’t stress, you’ll be fluent in CrossFit before you know it. Until then your new CFC family will be more than happy to keep you in the know should you need a translation.
Last but not least we would like to touch on a few questions we frequently get from new CrossFitters:
Q: If I join CrossFit will I have to compete?
A: No! A small percentage of CrossFitters choose to do so, but becoming a member at Credence does not mean you will be required to compete.
Q: What if I can’t do the RX weight or movement?
A: Every workout can be scaled to ANY individual’s fitness level. Your Coaches are there to motivate and encourage you as well as make sure you get the right workout for YOU! We will make sure that the appropriate weights and movements are used every time you step into the Box.
Q: Do I need special shoes or equipment?
A: No! The Box will provide barbells, jump ropes, kettle bells, ab mats and other equipment used during the workout. As far as shoes, that is completely up to you! There are many built specifically for CrossFit but they aren’t required to participate!
Here at CFC we consider ourselves family and we would like to, once again, extend a warm welcome to our newest members!
We look forward to getting to know you and being part of your journey into the new and exciting world of CrossFit, Thank you for joining us here at Credence!
#credencestrong