Your First Day at CrossFit

POV: It’s Your First Day at CrossFit High Bar

Whether you are interested in joining our community or were “volun-told” by a friend or family member to come to a really fun, cool workout class, we thought we would ease your mind and provide you with a walkthrough of what your first day at CrossFit High Bar will look like. 

‍

When You Arrive

If you are looking for a gym that doesn’t greet you when you walk in, know your name, or acknowledge that you are even there, CrossFit High Bar is NOT the gym for you. Our coaches recognize new faces and will introduce you to the class before your workout session begins, as well as give you an overview of the facility. We take the time to learn about your goals and address any concerns you may have to help you feel more comfortable and confident during the session.

‍

Whiteboard Brief

The coach kicks off the class with a whiteboard brief, a time in which the class structure is broken down by skill, strength, and metabolic conditioning workout (metcon). The stimulus, or intended mental and physical effect of the workout, is explained, as well as the best plan of action for completing the workout. Coaches will also provide several modifications for movements throughout the entirety of the class. If pull ups are prescribed in the workout and you are thinking to yourself, “I can’t do pull ups,” there are, indeed, modifications for every movement.

‍

Warm-Up

We believe properly stretching and warming up your body set the foundation for daily training. An effective warm-up gradually increases your heart rate, gets blood flowing to your muscles, and moves your joints through their full range of motion. The warm up is not merely “extra work” – it prepares your body to perform better. At CrossFit, the warm-ups are intentional. Each class contains specific static and dynamic movements designed to mobilize the muscles and joints you will be utilizing during the class that day, all led and demonstrated by the coach. 

‍

Skill/Strength

Each workout class includes a skill, which is explained by the coach and performed by athletes prior to the strength piece. This is a time for coaches to break down technique and reinforce proper lifting positioning and for athletes to practice correct movement patterns.  The strength of the day could include an olympic lift, squatting movement, deadlift, or overhead press. Strength work is prescribed using percentages of an athlete’s three-rep max, allowing athletes to train at the right intensity for them. In the beginning and as needed, a coach will guide you through what weights to use until you have established your own individualized max load for each movement.

‍

Workout Time

The workout of the day (WOD) is where everything comes together. This portion of class combines the movements and skills you have practiced into an intentional, challenging workout designed to improve your overall fitness. This could be anywhere from a five-minute to twenty-minute workout depending on the desired intensity level. Everything within the workout is scalable to your specific fitness level and abilities. The coach will review the workout again to ensure that everything is explained clearly and all athletes are on the same page, and then, it’s 3, 2, 1… GO!

‍

After the Last Rep

When the workout is complete, you will have time to catch your breath and cool-down. Don’t be surprised if you receive a lot of fistbumps and encouragement from coaches and members. One of the unique parts of CrossFit is the community that rallies around each other through every challenge and accomplishment. Our advice? Focus on the effort you put in rather than perfection in each workout, celebrate every win, big or small, and trust the process. We promise, you will always walk out stronger than when you came in!