Thinking about starting Cross Training?

Although it remains a minority sport, CrossFit is reaching more and more people. Surely someone around you practices this trendy sport and has convinced you to start doing it. If you are thinking about starting cross training , this is what you need to know.

What is cross training?

Crossfit is a functional training that combines different exercises from disciplines such as athletics, weightlifting or gymnastics, in a varied way, in a certain period of time and at high intensity. Functional training means that it is based on the natural movements of the body to perform an exercise . Beyond lifting many kilos, CrossFit conditions your body in such a way that you can perform any movement correctly and optimizing your strength . If it was initially created to train police and military forces, this sport devised by Greg Glassman in the 1990s has the great advantage of adapting to anyone who practices it, regardless of their age or physical condition. The appeal of CrossFit is that whether you are a lifelong athlete or have just gotten off the couch to improve your physical health, you will still suffer in a class since the exercise adapts to your abilities. Yes, yes, even the pros have a hard time in their first classes. In other words, CrossFit is a sport for everyone .

How do cross training classes work?

• The gym is called Box.
• The coach is called Coach.
• The class lasts one hour.
• The class is divided into three or four parts:
  • Heating
  • Technique
  • strength work
  • WOD or exercise of the day
• The day's exercise can be seen on the Box's blackboard.
• All WODs are scalable, meaning there is a version adapted to all levels.
• In addition to classes, you have free training hours called Open Box.
• Be careful if you arrive late to the WOD or if you don't comply with the Box rules, you will be cast in the form of burpees (in general).
• Burpees (a jump push-up) will be your worst nightmare.

• A free space with a padded floor.
• A metal rack or cage that you will use to perform gymnastics and weightlifting exercises.
• Olympic bars, rubber and metal discs and closures (always use them to avoid scares).
• There are three types of weightlifting bars: a 6kg one that is used in technical training (it will be your best friend at first), a 15kg one that is mainly used by girls, and a 20kg one that is used by boys.
• Targets on the walls or on the rack to do Wall Balls (squats throwing a medicine ball).
• Ropes and rings hanging from the ceiling.
• Various materials such as medicine balls, slam balls , rubber bands, boxes, ab-mat , jump ropes , etc.
• Machines: rowing machine, assault bike, skierg , treadmills, etc.

• Breathable (you will sweat a lot) and elastic sports clothing: avoid baggy pants and t-shirts as they will bother you during exercises.
• Flat-soled footwear : We do recommend investing in CrossFit footwear as you need it to adapt to all exercises, from running to weightlifting. For the latter, running shoes will not provide you with all the necessary stability.

• Wristbands
• Kneepads
• Lumbar belt
• Gloves
• Streets

Recommendations to start cross training

1. Go to technique classes to learn the basic movements.
2. Always follow your Coach's instructions and listen to your body . They are both wise and will guide you in those first days of suffering.
3. Do a good warm-up to activate your muscles and don't skip the final stretch . Your body will thank you.
4. Take care of your diet . CrossFit is a demanding sport and you need to fuel your body correctly to perform in classes.
5. Consult a sports dietician before binging on protein shakes. Your health is at stake.
6. Visit a physio if you notice discomfort or pain.

And, above all, DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF. Comparisons are hateful, and even more so in CrossFit. The good thing about CrossFit is that you compete with yourself , so forget about others. What matters is that you are aware of your progress and that you set small achievable goals. Therefore, we recommend keeping a training diary to record your marks. You'll see how it cheers you up on days when you're down.

Crossfitter lexicon for beginners

• WOD ( Workout Of the Day ): It is an exercise that changes every day so that neither your body nor your mind gets bored in class.
• Box : gym where crossfit is done.
• Rack : cage where gymnastic exercises are performed.
• AMRAP ( As Many Repetitions As Possible or all possible repetitions) : exercise modality that consists of executing repetitions of movements continuously until the defined time runs out.
• EMOM ( Each Movement On the Minute or every minute, one movement) : exercise modality that consists of executing repetitions of a movement in each minute over a defined time.
• For Time : exercise modality that consists of performing the WOD until finishing it in the defined time.
• Time Cap (cut time) : time limit to perform the exercise in the chosen modality.
• Clean & Jerk (two-step) : A weightlifting movement that combines a floor-to-shoulder clean and an overhead barbell clean and jerk.
• Snatch : weightlifting movement that consists of lifting the bar above the head in a single movement and with a wide grip.
• Dumbbell : dumbbells.
• Box Jump : box jumps.
• Deadlift (DL) : deadlift.
• Double Unders (DU) : double jumps with rope.
• Handstand Push Up (HSPU) : handstand push-ups.
• Over Head Squat (OHS) : Squat with the barbell overhead
• Kettlebell : kettlebell.
• Squat : squat
• Push Press : movement that consists of throwing the bar from the shoulders above the head (different from the jerk).
• Thrusters : movement that consists of a squat with the bar on the shoulders and throwing it over the shoulders.
• Push Up : flexion.
• Pull Up : pull-up.
• Muscle Up : pull-up by raising the body above the rack bar.
• Knees to elbow : in the rack, raise your knees to your elbows.
• Toes to bar : in the rack, raise your feet to the bar.