Up until very recently I had been doing CrossFit 4-5 days a week for a little over 3 years. In my first post, I talk about how nervous I was to go to my first class even with having a decent amount of training experience. I wish I had something like this to read before going to that first class so that I felt prepared with an idea on what I was getting myself into! I hope this helps shed some light on what you can expect from CrossFit, and encourages someone to get outside their comfort zone to try it!

1. Can you commit the time?

CrossFit classes are scheduled for around 1 hour, but that’s not what I’m talking about. No matter where you’re at in your fitness journey, CrossFit will take time to learn and get good at. It might be 6 months before you’re able to get a skill down and that’s ok! You might want to schedule one on one training outside of your classes, come in before, or stay late to continue to better yourself and work toward your goals. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a CrossFit athlete. Patience truly is a virtue, and if you’re willing to dedicate the time it takes to develop the skills, you will feel so gratified once they start falling into place.

Here’s a perfect example! This is a video of the first time I was able to successfully do toes to bar in February of 2019, a full year after starting Crossfit.

2. Can you commit to the cost?

Bottom line: CrossFit is expensive. Memberships can range anywhere from $100 to over $200 per month depending on where you live and what the gym has to offer. And that’s just the beginning! Once you get in and realize it’s something you want to do long term, then you’ll probably want to start buying some of your own gear. For example, grips and tape to keep your hands from ripping (https://www.bearkomplex.com/collections/hand-grips), a speed jump rope (https://rpmtraining.com/collections/ropes), knee or elbow sleeves for extra support (https://www.bearkomplex.com/collections/knee-sleeves), and more! Not to mention there’s an entire CrossFit apparel world that is a whole other (super fun) story. Good news is, although it’s clearly an investment, it is 110% worth it.

3. Are you ready to challenge yourself?

Like I mentioned in the first question, no matter where you’re at in your fitness journey or how long you’ve been working out, CROSSFIT IS DIFFERENT. If you’re confident in weight lifting, the gymnastics will be your humbler. If you feel strong with gymnastics movements, there will be Olympic lifts that will challenge you. That’s the beauty of CrossFit! It’s an all encompassing, fully modifiable workout that anyone can do regardless of their skill level. But, it’s not easy. It can be frustrating to fail over and over again at something others in your gym make look effortless. However, if you continue to stick with it (see question #1), listen to your coaches, and give yourself grace during the process, the progress you will see feels so sweet when you look back and see how far you’ve come!

Here’s another example for me personally. Working out for years, I was able to do a handful of strict pull ups, but had never tried to string them together “kipping” the way CrossFit athletes do. It was super frustrating for me to try to get this type of rhythm down. This is the first time I was able to string a couple of pull ups together in November of 2018, 9 months after starting CrossFit!

4. Can you check your pride at the door?

Honestly, I stole this quote from my home gym (https://crossfitpistolcreek.com/), and I won’t make this a long one. Building off of the last question, this might be the most important one to ask yourself. Can you make the decision to be able to truly check your pride at the door? If the answer is “I don’t know” or “maybe” that’s ok, you’re just not ready to try CrossFit yet. You have to find the right mindset of true humility before you step foot into a CrossFit gym, or else it won’t work. Guaranteed. Nobody is there to judge you, and everyone is there to support you & cheer you on. Go into it ready to learn, ask questions, push your limits, and achieve things you never thought possible!

5. Are you ready to gain a second family?

Saving the best for last, I hope you’re ready to gain a support system that you’ve never dreamed of. This is hands down the best part of CrossFit! The sense of community is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Your gym will start to feel like your second home, the people in your class time will be some of your best friends even if you only see them there, and the sense of love and support is overwhelming. Walking through the grocery store, in the airport, at the doctor’s office, you will start to notice other “crossfitters” and feel like you know them as a friend. This is why people on the outside think the people who do CrossFit are crazy. But, once you’re in you’re really in, and you’ll get it! If you don’t believe me, go through these questions and if you can get 5 yes’s look up your closest CrossFit gym (https://map.crossfit.com/) and give it a try!

Thanks for reading! Please leave comments and feedback down below on this post, and ideas for future posts!