When you think of CrossFit, you might envision a load of gym rats who have been smashing out WODs for several years. You might even have thought you weren’t ‘fit enough’ for CrossFit (we hear that all the time and it’s never true). The truth is that CrossFit genuinely is for everyone. Visit CrossFit 3D on any given day and you’ll find CrossFit beginners getting at it amongst experienced athletes, and coaches who know every member’s strengths and weaknesses and exactly how to push them forward. Whether you’re a CrossFit stalwart or a complete CrossFit beginner, our guide will explain how we put together a training program for all levels.
Can Anyone Do CrossFit?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Easily one of the best things about CrossFit is how inclusive it is. Yes there is weight lifting and yes there are gymnastics movements, but you don’t have to be amazing at them from the get go. CrossFit has a set of scales that coaches work to, to make sure everyone in a CrossFit class can do the WOD (workout of the day). These scales exist for the sole purpose of making CrossFit inclusive. We’re not just giving you options for fun, we’re doing it so that CrossFit beginners can get just as much from a WOD as RX athletes.
So what is scaled CrossFit, and how does it work for beginners to beasts?
RX CrossFit
RX means ‘as prescribed’. Every WOD will be written out and there will be weights, timescales and reps listed. As prescribed means that you do the workout using those exact instructions. You’ll mostly find experienced CrossFitters doing RX CrossFit. When you get accustomed to the gym floor and slowly morph into a CrossFit addict (it will happen), CrossFit 3D offers open gym access all day so you can push yourself beyond RX if and when you want to do so.
If you want to lift heavier, lift heavier. If handstand push ups aren’t pushing you, crack on with handstand walks. If double unders get too easy, try crossovers instead. Just as there is no threshold for entry with CrossFit, there is no limit either (as long as you’re doing it safely because insurance premiums are not a joke folks).
Scaled CrossFit
Probably the type of CrossFit that happens most. Scaled CrossFit means altering the RX weights, reps or times to better fit your ability. If you’re a CrossFit beginner and the RX weight is 40kg, you are actively encouraged to start out with an empty bar while you learn the movements. As you get the hang of it, you can start building up the weight and scale it to what you can comfortably lift.
Similarly, if a 1000m run just ain’t on your agenda, you can sit it out and cycle instead. Scaled CrossFit equals zero judgement, because CrossFit has literally been designed to be adaptable. Look around any WOD and you’ll see people doing their own version of what’s on the board.
Masters
Ah CrossFit masters, the OGs of CrossFit and the ones to watch. CrossFit masters refers to anyone aged 35 – 65. Obviously you can be a CrossFit beginner and a CrossFit master simultaneously. You can also still crush RX CrossFit. CrossFit masters isn’t a scale that must be adhered to, but rather an acknowledgement that age can be a factor in an athlete’s ability to perform. Just as experience, lifestyle and injury can be.
Recognising the needs of every individual and offering options that make CrossFit as accessible as possible comes right back round to CrossFit being universal. CrossFit was started in 2000 so it stands to reason that many CrossFitters are now in the masters category. Far from it being any kind of limiting factor, the years of experience CrossFit masters have under their weight lifting belts, often means you’ll find them beasting the f**k out of a WOD.
RPE
Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is a good thing to understand when you’re a CrossFit beginner, and to remember when you’ve been there a while. RPE is a way to measure how much you feel you have exerted yourself during exercise. Just because Gary to your left is lifting heavier than you, doesn’t mean he’s exerting himself any more. It’s all relative to you as an individual. Someone who weighs 50kg will exert themselves more lifting 35kg than someone who weighs 75kg. Just as someone who has run marathons will likely exert themselves less running 800m than a CrossFit beginner who has previously been sedentary. You gotta stay in your own lane and progress at your own rate.
From Beginner To Beast With CrossFit 3D
CrossFit 3D is Manchester’s premier strength and conditioning facility. Our gym is massive (600sqm), there’s loads of equipment and we have some of the best CrossFit coaches. We also have a full timetable of classes that go from the morning into the evening, alongside our open gym provision that all members can use. Basically, if you’re an RX athlete looking for a new CrossFit gym or a CrossFit beginner wanting to try out their first WOD, there’s room at the inn. The CrossFit community at 3D is stacked with experienced members, CrossFit masters and newcomers.
Try us for 4 weeks and get started with your own CrossFit experience.
