Almost everyone who considers starting CrossFit in Barcelona arrives with the same mix: eagerness and apprehension. Worried about not being fit enough, about not knowing the movements, about being the only one who has no idea what is going on. Here is what really happens in a first CrossFit class, told without the drama.
What CrossFit is, in one sentence
CrossFit combines gymnastics, weightlifting and metabolic work at high intensity, in one-hour coach-led sessions. The key is not the intensity, it is that everything scales: the same workout is done by someone with five years behind them and by someone walking in for the first time, each with their own load and their own version of the movement.
What a class looks like, minute by minute
Minutes 0-10: introductions and warm-up
The coach asks who is new. If you put your hand up, from then on they watch you more closely than anyone else. The warm-up is general: mobility, some easy cardio and the patterns you will use later.
Minutes 10-25: technique or strength
This is where the movement of the day is worked without rushing. If it is squat day, you drill the squat. In your first class you will probably use just an empty barbell or a PVC pipe, and that is fine: the aim is a clean pattern.
Minutes 25-50: the WOD
The WOD (Workout of the Day) is the intense part. It lasts between five and twenty minutes. Before it starts, the coach tells you exactly what weight you are using and which version of each movement you are doing.
Minutes 50-60: cool-down
Stretching, breathing and, almost always, hanging around talking. That part is not on the programme but it is the reason people come back.
The vocabulary you will hear
- WOD: the workout of the day.
- AMRAP: as many rounds as possible in a fixed time.
- EMOM: every minute, on the minute. You start a task at the top of each minute.
- For Time: complete the work as fast as you can.
- RX: the workout with the official weights and movements.
- Scaling: adapting weight or movement to your level. It is the norm, not plan B.
- Box: a CrossFit gym.
- PR: your personal record in a movement.
Nobody expects you to know any of it. You pick it up in three weeks without studying.
What to bring to your first class
- Comfortable clothes that let you bend and raise your arms.
- Shoes with a firm sole. Cushioned running shoes will do to start with, but they are not ideal.
- A water bottle and a small towel.
Nothing else. Barbells, plates, rings, kettlebells and boxes are provided by the club.
Four fears you can let go of
“I’m not fit enough to start”
That is the argument backwards. CrossFit is not the reward for being fit, it is the tool for getting fit. Most people walking in for the first time were not training before.
“I’m going to get injured”
Risk appears when load is added without technique and without supervision. In a coach-led class with small groups, you get corrected before the problem exists. That is why a first class is about moving well, not moving a lot.
“Everyone will be a machine”
In any given class there are people in their fifties, people training to compete and people three weeks in. They all do the same WOD with different loads.
“I’ll make a fool of myself”
Absolutely everyone has had a first day. And the people who have been training for years remember theirs perfectly, which is why they are the ones who treat you best.
Three typical first-month mistakes
- Loading more weight than you should. Ego on the bar is the fastest shortcut to injury.
- Coming in every day of the first week. Three days and rest; the body adapts while you recover.
- Comparing yourself with people who have years behind them. Your benchmark is you a month ago.
Day-two soreness
It is coming, especially if it has been a while since you trained. It is normal and it passes in two or three days. What helps most: sleep, water, enough protein and easy movement the next day instead of staying on the sofa.
Where to try CrossFit in Barcelona
At KOR Training Club we run CrossFit at our four clubs: Les Corts, Arc de Triomf, Badalona and Mollet. Every session is coach-led, sixty minutes long and scaled to your level from day one.
If you would rather start with something less technical, hybrid training combines strength and endurance with simpler movements and is an excellent way in. And if competing is your thing, take a look at Hyrox.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start CrossFit if I have never set foot in a gym?
Yes. Every session is scaled: the coach adapts loads and movements person by person. That is standard, not an exception.
How many days a week should I train at the start?
Three. It is enough to progress quickly and leaves room to recover. Moving up to four or five makes sense from the second or third month.
Is there an age limit for starting?
No. What changes with age is progression and recovery, not whether you can train.
How long is a CrossFit class?
Sixty minutes, warm-up and cool-down included.
Do I need to take a beginners’ course first?
Not at KOR: you go straight into a coach-led class and the coach looks after you. What we do is let them know you are new so they keep an eye on you.
The first one is free
The only way to get rid of the doubts is to try. At KOR your first class is free at any of the four clubs, with no commitment. Comfortable clothes, a water bottle and that is it.