4
Jan
A BETTER COMMUNITY, A BETTER BOX: HOUSE RULES
1. Timeliness
Being on time shows respect for the instructor and for your own body. The mobility preparation before the WOD is JUST as important as the WOD itself. If you miss too much of the warm-up period, we’ll have to ask that you move in to the next available class. This is to help keep you injury-free. You can arrive 15 minutes early to ensure that you’re fully prepared for the workout. Granted we understand the DMV isn’t exactly a traffic friendly location. We understand. If you reserve a full class and don’t show up, you could have taken away the opportunity for someone else to workout…respect your fellow gym members!
2. Have Fun
That’s pretty straightforward. If you’re not enjoying yourself, then we’ve failed as a gym. Regardless of how serious the workouts can be, remember that if can’t enjoy yourself while you’re doing something, what’s the point? Let’s have fun and get fit in an encouraging environment!
3. Honesty and Integrity
In the heat of a workout it’s easy to get lost. It happens to everyone, even to the best athlete! All we ask is that you don’t purposely over-count your reps, or shortcut your movement. WODs are training, and cutting your workout short and not moving through the correct positions on a workout ultimately cheats you. Don’t worry about the clock and who is the fastest. Respect yourself and the other athletes who are giving it 110%.
4. Clean Up
It’s your gym, after all! Taking ownership in your gym is a great way to show pride and respect for yourself and the athletes who will workout in the next WOD. Please put all equipment back where it belongs after you use and be sure to wipe away any sweat you may have left behind. Spray and wipe down barbells, kettlebells and/or pull-up bars if you left chalk on them. Straighten out the rubber mats after lifting on the platform. NEVER drop empty bars (or the bar ends when unloading your bumper plates), bars with 10lb bumper plates, kettlebells, or dumbbells to the ground. Don’t let go of ski erg or rower handles, they’ll break! Treat the equipment well and it’ll treat you well!
5. Ego
While CrossFit promotes a competitive, friendly environment, the only performance you should be concerned with is your own, and the only comparison should be to how you have improved. Your priorities are obtaining mobility, establishing stability, moving properly, and then gaining strength. Please trust in our coaches. Our goal is to see you succeed and excel! Fist bump your friends (or someone new) after the WOD and say “well done!!”
6. Support Other Members
It’s not always fun being one of the last athletes to finish a WOD. We’ve ALL been there! If you’re finished before other athletes, don’t be so quick to pick up and move on. The ultimate show of sportsmanship and support is to encourage and cheer on your teammates (you can still do this even if you’re putting away your equipment).
7. Let Coaches Coach
Looking out for one another is what family does. We love to see members have a helping spirit, but giving technical advice and coaching should be left up to the coaches. That’s why they’re here. By all means though, feel free to cheer and encourage your fellow CrossFitters! It’s what we do.
8. Ask Questions
We’re not born knowing everything, and for many this may be your first gym experience. If you have a question, just ask. If it’s something technical, find a coach. But for most anything else you should be able to get an answer from a fellow athlete. If there is something you are unsure about, then please ask, no matter how silly you think the question is. We would much rather you ask, so we can address any issues and not risk any injury.
9. Respect Other Members and Coaches
We’re emotional creatures. CrossFit does bring out the best in people, which is awesome. Hard WODs can have an overwhelming effect, though, and we understand that. Again, we’ve ALL been there! We just ask that you to be considerate of others in the way that you express yourself, and respect the fact that not everyone has the same level of expression.
10. Be Responsible For Your Own Fitness
Once you’re experienced in CrossFit, it’s tempting to want to go all-out on every workout. Listen to your body, though, and realize that the real magic happens when you recover. If you’re not feeling it, don’t push yourself. Let a coach know and ask for advice about how to modify the day’s programming. With a smart approach with a long-term vision, you WILL improve your fitness and reach your goals.
11. Injuries
Injuries rarely “just happen.” Most injury is a result of the cumulative injury cycle, and signs of an injury are often present but go either ignored or unrecognized by the athlete. Experienced athletes are sometimes more subject to this than beginners. If you feel something in your muscles or joints that doesn’t feel normal (we call this the body’s “check engine light”), we’d like for you to talk to a coach and get some direction. This falls in line with number 10. We have a variety of methods and resources to help you deal with the issues you’ll encounter along the way. Be sure to check out our website section about recovery recommendations (massage, chiropractic, etc).
12. DON’T QUIT
CrossFit doesn’t necessarily get any easier. That’s the idea: to constantly challenge your body through varied movement. Give your best each day, and realize that no matter how you see yourself, there is someone who sees YOU as an inspiration.