{"id":46044,"date":"2015-12-03T07:15:12","date_gmt":"2015-12-03T12:15:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=46044"},"modified":"2021-05-13T10:11:50","modified_gmt":"2021-05-13T14:11:50","slug":"starting-crossfit-training-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/starting-crossfit-training-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started CrossFit"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"12
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Walk into any box (that\u2019s CrossFit<\/a> speak for the gym itself) and you\u2019ll be greeted by clanging weights, clouds of chalk and whiteboards scribbled with acronyms like \u201cAMRAP\u201d and \u201cEMOM.\u201d With insider speak that almost qualifies as its own language and raw, rough-around-the-edges spaces, CrossFit can definitely be intimidating to try. And even though many of the 10,000 affiliate gyms offer your first workout free, beginners may still feel overwhelmed by the culture of the popular strength and conditioning program.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Beginner-Friendly CrossFit Workouts<\/a><\/p>\n

So what should you really<\/em> expect if and when you dive into the world of CrossFit? We turned to five athletes who\u2019ve sweated through years of WODs (aka workouts of the day) for the advice they wish<\/em> they\u2019d gotten when they first started.<\/p>\n

12 CrossFit Tips Top Athletes Wish They Knew Before Starting<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. No two boxes are alike.
\n<\/strong>\u201cEach culture, coach and [workout] space is very different,\u201d says Anna Willard, a CrossFit athlete at CrossFit Merrimack<\/a> in Lowell, MA, as well as a former professional middle-distance runner. (She snagged a world record in the steeplechase in 2008, but no longer competes.) She recommends trying out a couple of different boxes before committing yourself \u2014 and your credit card \u2014 to one. \u201cDon\u2019t necessarily go to the place that is the most \u2018convenient,\u2019\u201d Willard says. Look for that one gym that\u2019ll keep you coming back<\/a> \u2014 so take note of each box\u2019s programming (aka the structure of workouts) and study the overall vibe of the community before ponying up for a package.<\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t believe the stereotypes.
\n<\/strong>Tina Haupert, a CrossFit Level 1 trainer, thought all boxes were dark, dingy rooms with super-chiseled athletes grunting and yelling. However, she was pleased to realize just how wrong all of her assumptions were: \u201cMy first class was full of women just like me,\u201d she says. They weren\u2019t all crazy-ripped \u2014 just casual exercisers looking for a challenge. So don\u2019t let that gritty rep get to you.<\/p>\n

“No matter your past athletic achievements, you\u2019ve got to have a beginner mindset.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Confidence is key.
\n<\/strong>Real talk: Even professional CrossFitters weren\u2019t snatching tons of weight during their first WODs. Christmas Abbott, a CrossFit pro herself and author of The Badass Body Diet<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>wishes she was more self-assured when she first started out. \u201cThe intensity can shock you and make you believe that you can\u2019t do it, or that it\u2019s too hard,\u201d says Abbott, so she took on the mindset of faking it \u2018til you make it. \u201cHush that self-doubt in the back of your head,\u201d she advises. \u201cKnow that you\u2019ve accomplished so much already from just your willingness to do the workout.\u201d<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 5 Ways to Banish Negative Self-Talk for Good<\/a><\/p>\n

4. But make sure to keep your ego in check.
\n<\/strong>Leave any previous athletic accomplishments at the door: No matter your past athletic achievements, you\u2019ve got to have a beginner mindset. Even though Willard was a professional runner, she wasn\u2019t ready to bust out thrusters and squats like a CrossFit vet when she first stepped in a box. \u201cI was decently strong and very aerobically fit,\u201d she says, \u201cbut I was a very specialized athlete.\u201d And since CrossFit requires all kind of athleticism, Willard had to swallow her pride, have patience and put in a lot of hard work. \u201cThere were (and are!) a lot of gaps in my abilities and it took me nearly six months before I could complete a workout as prescribed,\u201d she says. So if a former Olympic runner can check herself, you should, too.<\/p>\n

5. The day\u2019s Rx isn\u2019t a must-follow prescription.
\n<\/strong>\u201cThe Rx, or prescribed weights, reps and time for a workout, are very challenging and should not be attempted until you\u2019ve been CrossFitting for a while,\u201d says Brett Hoebel<\/a>, celebrity trainer and author of The 20-Minute Body<\/em><\/a>. It\u2019s OK to go slow to really focus on the quality of your movements, notes Abbott. \u201cEveryone is different; take what you need out of the workout for yourself,\u201d she says. Prefer to modify push-ups<\/a> or burpees<\/a>? Do it. \u2018Cause you do you.<\/p>\n

6. In fact, the whole experience is customizable.
\n<\/strong>Haupert swears you don\u2019t need to be elite status to jump right in once you\u2019ve completed your foundation coursework. \u201cAll of the movements are scalable, so even someone just starting out can work out alongside someone who has done it for years\u2026and both people will get an awesome workout,\u201d she says. Just like the day\u2019s Rx, your entire CrossFit experience can be adjusted to whatever fitness level you\u2019re currently at \u2014 no judgments.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>5 Mobility Training Tips from Kelly Starrett<\/a><\/p>\n

7. Prioritize mobility before every WOD.
\n<\/strong>Don\u2019t shirk the dynamic mobility warm-up<\/a> at the top of each workout. In fact, your performance depends on it: Many of the foundational movements in CrossFit, like squats and pull-ups, require good form, which in turn requires superior ankle, hips and shoulder mobility. \u201cI grew up competing and playing a variety of sports, but still never gave mobility the respect it deserved until I started CrossFit,\u201d says Shane Winsor, an athlete at CrossFit Cadence<\/a> in Los Gatos, CA and the current world record holder for the most double unders<\/a> performed in 60 seconds. \u201cThe \u2018stretchier\u2019 I become, the better my form gets, and the more I can lift.\u201d If that\u2019s not a win-win-win, we don\u2019t know what is.<\/p>\n

“Sometimes when I get into a rut, I will pull out my training log from years ago to see how far I\u2019ve come.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

8. Write everything<\/em> down.
\n<\/strong>\u201cI didn\u2019t initially keep a [training] log because I didn\u2019t want to show how slow or weak I was,\u201d admits Abbott. But as a newbie, \u201cit\u2019s the best time to log, since it\u2019ll show your true growth,\u201d she says. If you\u2019re still reluctant to put your record for pull-ups<\/a> on the gym whiteboard, input into a tracking app like Wodify<\/a> instead. Because when you\u2019re tracking, you can reflect on your accomplishments \u2014 giving you that extra oomph if you\u2019re feeling discouraged. \u201cSometimes when I get into a rut, I will pull out my training log from years ago to see how far I\u2019ve come,\u201d says Abbott.<\/p>\n

 9. <\/strong>Your pants might get tighter \u2014 but that\u2019s because baby, you\u2019ll have back.
\n<\/strong>\u201cDuring my first year of doing CrossFit, I ripped through four or five pairs of jeans because my legs and butt wouldn\u2019t stop growing!\u201d says Winsor. No stranger to glute work either (check our his eight-minute booty workout<\/a>), Hoebel also admits that CrossFit has done a number on his butt. \u201cMy skinny jeans are getting a little tight,\u201d he confesses. Point being: All those back squats \u2014 definitely not<\/em> for squat. (Sorry, we had to.) <\/strong><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Tone Your Thighs: 3 Moves for Awesome Legs<\/a><\/p>\n

10. Bonus: There will be major running gainz.
\n<\/strong>If you\u2019re a casual (or more serious) runner who\u2019s looking to run your first or fastest half-marathon<\/a>, CrossFit could help you get there \u2014 fewer tedious long runs<\/a> necessary. Willard says WODs have helped her maintain endurance and speed even though she\u2019s not hitting the track nearly as much as she used to. \u201cDoing CrossFit actually benefits my running more than ramping up mileage does,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

11. But your appetite will spike, too.
\n<\/strong>Good news for food lovers: Take up CrossFit and you\u2019ll need more fuel in the tank to power through the high-intensity workouts. \u201cI get to indulge my food junkie tendencies more frequently than I did when I was just a bicep curler at Gold\u2019s Gym,\u201d jokes Winsor. Plus, more muscle, greater calorie burn<\/a>, right? Just remember: Indulge in moderation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

12. Most importantly, never say never.
\n<\/strong>\u201cRope climbs, pull-ups and handstand push-ups all seemed so out of reach,\u201d says Haupert of first starting. But after nine months of training, plus a solid dose of grit and determination, she can now do all of those movements with ease. Lofty goals might be more achievable than you expect \u2014 just keep working at it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Take it from these CrossFit veterans: Here\u2019s what you really need to know if you\u2019re (finally) ready to give this workout\u2026errr, WOD, a try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,6,14],"tags":[266,37,281,341,343,154],"class_list":["post-46044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exercise","category-fitness","category-strength-training","tag-beginner","tag-crossfit","tag-strength-training","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise","tag-weight-training"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46044\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}