What Is CrossFit?

CrossFit is a combination of different functional movements done at high intensity, incorporating gymnastics, running, weight lifting, rowing, and a few more new combinations invented to ensure muscle mass and weight loss.

These are carefully incorporated with real life—teaching you how to move heavy objects effectively and maximizing the amount of time you dedicate to the chore.

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CrossFit is actually driven by data and progress. The trainers keep a scoreboard and keep count of accurate scores and records to check the amount of progress you make. While this does keep you up on your toes, the workout routines can be one of the best at improving your stamina, strength, and even mental willpower!

Related: Equipment for Doing Crossfit at Home

Benefits of CrossFit

This high-intensity workout helps you improve your overall physical strength with its multi joint movements that help your muscle mass. This is possible through proper stress applied to your muscles by adding weights in your typical workouts.

Since CrossFit is so dynamic, there’s usually a WOD (workout of the day) to make sure there’s always a set of new movements to incorporate all your muscles in the program. You’ll be left sore, but there are helpful tapes and medical patches to relieve your pain.

It also helps you improve your aerobic fitness through the high-intensity-power training (HIPT) program that increases the maximum amount of oxygen you can use during your exercise. It improves your agility, flexibility, and balance through exercises that mimic everyday movements. It can help you grow old gracefully and have fewer problems in old age.

Survival Tips for Beginners

You’ll be surprised by how effective CrossFit is in burning calories and weight loss compared to other workouts you’re used to. While like any other workout, CrossFit requires you to eat a healthy diet and exercise as well. But before you embark on your CrossFit journey, here are a couple of tips you should bear in mind to survive the weight-loss journey.

Consult your doctor

If you’re known to be sickly or are born with a disease that could be lethal if neglected, then you have to consult your doctor first before you can do this type of exercise. You need to know your body’s limitations before you indulge in these high-intensity workout programs.

Study each workout

Yes, there will be a trainer, but you need to know your way around before you can start. Think of it as school—you still study even if there’s a teacher who’ll teach you the process of the exercise. CrossFit is dynamic and very tedious, and a wrong form can give you a serious injury and may be even fatal. During a demonstration, you should pay attention to the tips provided by the coach.

Don’t forget to warm up

Warm-ups are as important as the exercise itself. They wake the muscles up before excruciating exercise. By doing warm-ups, you’re pumping up your body by slowly increasing your heart rate and blood circulation, loosening your joints, and increasing blood flow to your muscles. Finish it up with a relaxing stretch to avoid muscle injuries.

Pack the necessities

This means you have to invest in proper workout gear as well as a first aid kit that includes KT tapes. While there is no special gear needed for CrossFit, you can make do with your typical workout clothes that are both lightweight and easy to move in. Since there will be a lot of heavy weight lifting, you need to keep your hands protected and wear weight lifting gloves to protect your palms.

Don’t be afraid to ask

Unsure how to do a certain exercise even after a demo? Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your fellow CrossFitter or your coach to help you do the right stance and form. Since most exercises in CrossFit are vague or in acronyms, you can forget the shame and ask away. Your CrossFit family will be glad to provide you with the help you need.

Don’t push yourself too much

While the mantra for CrossFit is to push yourself, don’t get too overboard with it. Like everything in life, CrossFit has a proper technique that will effectively reach your goal or even surpass it! You have to watch your form and listen to your body. These are usually the indicators of pushing your body too hard. You don’t want to collapse on the floor one day, right?

Don’t give up

If you’re going to compare your progress to a seasoned CrossFitter, you’re going to have a hard time. You’ll stumble a couple of times, and your body might fail you in a couple of workouts, but never give up. Professionals went through what you’re going through now, and they got better in time. It takes patience and consistency to achieve your goals and your ideal body type.

Rest if you have to

Woke up one day feeling fatigued and sore? Maybe mentally tired from the exercise? Take a day off. It’s not something you have to be ashamed of. It’s your body’s way of reminding you to take it easy and recover. You have a lot of days ahead of you, and progress is not overnight. Rest up and get ready for your next exercise!

Final Say on Surviving CrossFit as a Beginner

Few things are more challenging than embarking on becoming a seasoned CrossFitter! But the reward is worth it and your body will thank you in the end. CrossFit will challange you, it will push you to your mental and physical limits, especially as a beginner when everything feels extra hard.

We hope the above tips will serve as a good reference point on your journey through CrossFit, feel free to shoot any questions in the comments below, our community is here to help!

Related: Best Crossfit Shoes Guide for Men & Women

Stock Photos from Kjetil Kolbjornsrud, DisobeyArt & UfaBizPhoto / Shutterstock