It is a given that sports are of extremely high importance to our health, bodies, and minds. And we have all tried -at one point or another- to keep a regular workout routine but we don’t always find something to stick to for the long hall.

However, over the past couple of years, there has been a new craze taking over gyms all over the globe called the CrossFit workout program. Known for being extremely intense, yet highly effective, more and more athletes and non-athletes have started taking it on. So what is it and can anyone practice it? Let’s find out!

What is CrossFit?

CrossFit is a high-intensity interval training program incorporating elements from several sports and exercises, such as cardio, weights, and boxing which can be adapted to fit anyone at any age or fitness level.

Because of the variety of workouts of the Crossfit training, you can depend on it to help you achieve any goal, from improving your overall health to losing extra weight or just getting your body in shape.

So can anyone take on CrossFit?

Yes, CrossFit works for everyone, it doesn’t matter if you are a regular gym-goer or if you have never even set foot in a gym, you can start any time any day. However, like any intense sport, CrossFit can cause injuries, some even dangerous. So how can you start training but avoid getting injured? Here is how…

1. Choose the right coach

It doesn’t matter if your coach is the best athlete out there, they have to be the best coach and that’s all you need. An effective coach will be able to recognize your abilities and most importantly, your limits, and direct you accordingly. From your side, make sure to always express your goal, fears, and thoughts out load to your coach so that he can help you stay on track.

2. Don’t ignore the fundamentals

Before taking on CrossFit, you have to take on the On-Ramp program. The on-ramp is an introductory course teaching the fundamentals of CrossFit, from the language and acronyms to the movements frequently used during exercising. So this is not just an informative course, it is essential for your safety so you have to see it to completion before you even think to begin practicing.

3. Take it slow

CrossFit is something new and unfamiliar to your body, so naturally, your muscles need time to adjust. Going on a strict and intense schedule from day one will overwhelm your body and muscles, so you have to start slowly but steadily to give your body the time it needs to adapt to this new system and gain more strength to keep up.

4. Know your limits and when to stop

It is extremely important to recognize the difference between feeling tired or sore of the workout and feeling pain due to an injury. And it is equally as important to act wisely and immediately once you do feel hurt or injured. In other words, if you start to feel an unusual kind of pain in your body while working out, stop exercising immediately, and seek professional help!

While learning the moves, if you find yourself struggling to pick them up or uneasy while practicing them, don’t force your body. Take the time to pick up the technique of the move first, ask your coach to help you by showing you a different approach or style, do whatever you can to get the technique down, then start the actual practice. Because if you push your body to do something it is refusing to do, you might end up injuring it gravely.

5. Check your ego at the door

If you have practiced any type of sport before, then you probably already know that ego is an athlete’s worst enemy. Not only will it stop you from learning anything, but in the case of CrossFit, it could get you dangerously hurt.

So if you are planning to take on CrossFit, make sure to leave your ego behind, because you will need to ask for help, start slow, make mistakes, and listen to every word your coach says even if you are not convinced, because this is the only way you’ll learn something and keep all your bones intact and in one place.

6. Don’t compare yourself to anyone

We all know that a little bit of healthy competition is essential in any sport, and CrossFit is no exception. However, focusing too much on the competition and as much on improving yourself can have dire results.

CrossFit is a diverse workout with different aspects, cardio, gymnastics, weight training, and these are exercises that require different sets of skills. In other words, while someone else might be improving faster than you in cardio, you might be doing better than them at gymnastics, it defers according to the nature of your bodies and skills. However, in you push yourself to reach their level too fast, you might end up hurting yourself. Therefore, it is important to keep your focus on improving yourself in all areas and getting your body accustomed to the work out in the right way and its own time.

Lastly, we advise you to do a little homework before you start doing the work. In other words, do your research, learn about CrossFit, get yourself familiarized with all the latest news, techniques, methods of training, and courses to begin your CrossFit journey the right way and therefore, make the best of it.