Do You Need to Be in Shape Before Starting CrossFit?
“I’ll try CrossFit once I get in better shape.”
We frequently hear some version of that statement, and it couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Maybe you’ve watched the CrossFit Games on TV or seen videos online of people lifting huge weights, walking on their hands, doing muscle-ups, or flying through workouts that look completely impossible.
And you think: “There is no way I can do that. I need to get in shape first.”
But that’s a little like saying you need to get flexible before you start yoga. You don’t go to yoga because you’re already flexible. You go to yoga to become more flexible. And you don’t need to get in shape before starting CrossFit. You start CrossFit to get in shape.
The CrossFit Games Are Not Your Average CrossFit Gym
This is probably one of the biggest misconceptions we have to overcome. There is a huge difference between CrossFit the sport and CrossFit as a fitness program.
The athletes you see competing at the CrossFit Games are professional athletes. They have spent years developing an extremely high level of strength, conditioning and skill. That is not what you need to be able to do to walk into CrossFit Winter Park.
The vast majority of people who come through our doors aren't training to compete in CrossFit. They want to get stronger, lose body fat, have more energy, improve their health, keep up with their kids, stay active as they get older, and simply feel better doing everyday things.
We Meet You Where You Are
One of the things that makes our program work for so many different people is that the workouts can be modified for the individual. Everyone may be working toward the same general goal that day, but that doesn't mean everyone has to use the same weight, perform the same movement, or even do exactly the same number of reps.
If the workout includes pull-ups and you can't do a pull-up yet, we'll give you an appropriate variation. If running isn't a good option for you, you can use a bike or rower. If a certain movement bothers your knees, shoulders, hips, or back, we'll adjust it. If you're brand new and need to use an empty barbell while someone next to you is lifting 200 pounds, that's completely fine.
The goal isn't to prove how fit you already are. It's to give you the right amount of challenge to help you become fitter, and that's what our highly experienced coaches do for our members every day.
Everyone Starts Somewhere
People sometimes assume everyone inside a CrossFit gym was already athletic when they started.
Definitely not.
We've coached people who hadn't exercised in years. We've coached former college athletes. We've coached people in their teens and people in their 80s and beyond. We've coached people coming back from injuries and people who simply decided it was finally time to start taking better care of themselves. Their starting points are completely different, and that's okay.
Your first workout isn't supposed to look like the workout of someone who has been training consistently for five years. In fact, comparing yourself to that person completely misses the point. What matters is where you are starting and where you can go from there.
So, How Fit Do You Need to Be to Start CrossFit?
Fit enough to walk through the door. That's really it.
You don't need to know how to lift weights. You don't need to be able to run a mile. You don't need to do a pull-up. And you certainly don't need to look like someone you've watched compete at the CrossFit Games. You just need to be willing to start, and we will take it from there.
Ready to See What CrossFit Actually Looks Like?
If you've been waiting until you're “in better shape” to give CrossFit Winter Park a try, stop waiting. Come see us and we will meet you where you are, modify what needs to be modified, and help you start building strength and fitness at a level that's appropriate for you.
You don't get in shape for CrossFit.
CrossFit Winter Park is how you get in shape.
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