Things I wish I knew when I started CrossFit
By Coach Abi
The first time you walk into a CrossFit box can be a really daunting experience, but it is a feeling we all forget quickly! These are the top 5 things I wish I knew before I started;
1. No one Cares.
I mean this in the VERY nicest way possible. I remember worrying about not being good enough, getting stuff wrong, was I wearing the right thing, the cool thing?! These are all things I didn’t need to be concerned about. The only thing that matters is your attitude, turn up willing to learn and put in the effort – you will be at home immediately! Don’t worry about anything else.
2. Why are things called different things!?
CrossFit has developed its own specific language around the sport. This can be confusing, and in the beginning it left me feeling like a bit of an outsider. There are quite a few, but here are some to get you started:
Box – The Gym is called a box. I have tried to find the origin of this, the consensus seems to be that it is because CrossFit gyms are found in warehouse-type, ‘box’ like buildings.
Metcon – Metcon is a portmanteau for ‘metabolic conditioning’. It is generally a workout performed against the clock. To add to the confusion, it is also a type of shoe made by Nike specifically for CrossFit.
Rx – typically a word used in the medical community denoting ‘prescribed’. You will see workouts with an Rx weight for male and female participants. These are suggestions not rules! There is absolutely no shame in scaling a workout. I will often scale workouts if I can’t do the movement or am particularly fatigued (through training or maybe lack of sleep).
WOD – Workout of the Day. This is the workout everyone who goes to the box on that specific day will do. I love the fact you can speak to someone who wasn’t in your class, and still share the experience of that particular workout.
3. Rest days are SO important.
Important but not sexy. No one posts their rest day on Instagram, it’s all about big lifts and impressive gymnastics. But trust me – you won’t do all the exciting stuff without allowing your body to recover and regenerate. TRUST THE PROCESS. I was so excited about getting good at everything immediately when I started CrossFit, but it is key to remember that rest is part of the training.
4. Everyone has a bad day.
Sometimes you will wake up, and the snooze button looks soooooo inviting. I found it easy to look at other athletes in the gym or online and assume that they are all superhuman and never have dips in motivation. They do! If you are having a bad day, or even a bad week regarding training other people have felt like that too, so reach out and ask for some advice, the coaches and other members are there to help.
5. Keep a training diary.
I didn’t religiously keep a training diary until about 18 months ago and I wish I had started on day one! I think I have an idea where I was when I started compared to where I am now, but I don’t have any evidence to make an objective comparison. Keeping a journal is a really good way to track progress and to hold yourself accountable. I now track my workouts, sleep, mood and motivation, I just use a good old-fashioned notebook and pen, but there are all kinds of apps available to help you out.
In conclusion, I wish I knew about and started CrossFit sooner! It is a great way to keep fit, but also so much more than a gym membership.