What to Expect at Your First CrossFit Class

Walking into your first CrossFit class can feel a little intimidating — barbells clanging, people pushing through intense workouts, and lingo you’ve never heard before. But at CrossFit Magnify, we want to make one thing clear: we were all beginners at one point! And we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Whether you're brand-new to fitness or just new to CrossFit, here’s exactly what to expect when you walk through our doors (and what should happen at any CrossFit gym worth its asking price)!

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#1. You’ll Be Welcomed Right Away

If you don’t receive a happy greeting within the first couple seconds of walking into any gym, they’re doing something wrong! At CrossFit Magnify, we pride ourselves on being a tight knit, but welcoming community. When you arrive, your coach will greet you, introduce you to the space, ask about injuries/limitations, and walk you through what to expect over the course of the next hour. You’ll meet members of all fitness levels who are there for the same reason you are — to get better, one day at a time.

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#2. Class structure

Here’s how a typical hour long class flows:

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Whiteboard brief

Right on time, your coach will gather everyone together for a 3-4 minute brief on the workout of the day. If there are any new faces in class (like yours!) they will take a moment to make sure everybody in class is introduced, then move onto what to expect over the next hour of class…

During our whiteboard brief we like to include scaling options, how each part of the workout should look/feel, how long we want each part to take, and open up to any questions before moving on.

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Warm-up

Next up is the group warm-up. We’ll start with a general purpose warm-up designed to prepare your muscles and joints for the day’s workout, then work our way into skills more specific to what is in the workout of the day. Think movement prep, light cardio, and mobility work — all coach-led.

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Workout prep

After making sure everybody is fully warmed up, your coach will make sure every movement has been demonstrated and that every athlete knows what he/she is doing. Scaling options, weights, etc. are all tested beforehand under low intensity to make sure that form/technique is correct and safe. Final bathroom break opportunity, then comes the workout!

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Workout

This is the heart of the class. This could be anywhere from 2 minutes of super high intensity work, or 30-40 minutes of longer effort cardio. We like to keep both movements and time domains varied and functional to ensure that our training prepares athletes for anything that life might throw at them during the other 23 hours of their day. As a new athlete your goal is never to compete with anyone else! If at the end of the workout you have moved safely, built some confidence, sweated a little bit, and had fun, then that is a successful day!

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Cool Down & Recovery

First things first: hi-fives all around to your fellow class-mates on a job well done, then depending on the length of the workout and the movements done, a cooldown anywhere from 5-15 minutes is encouraged to bring the body back down to homeostasis. This can look like foam rolling, light stretching, or even accessory work to make your connective tissue happier and more injury-resistant. 

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#3. Other things to remember

You don’t need to “get fit” first! 

We hear it all the time:

“I need to get in shape before I try CrossFit.”

Here’s the truth: CrossFit meets you where you are. Every workout at here can be scaled based on your experience, mobility, strength, or injury history. Can’t do a pull-up? No problem, we’ll do ring rows. Bad knee? Let’s hop on the rower instead of running. As long as you can move your body, you can do something!

So when those insecurities and anxious thoughts start creeping in, remember: Whether you’re 25 or 75, a former athlete or a first-timer, YOU BELONG HERE.

That is literally the reason we exist: to make you a fitter, healthier, and happier human. Walking through the door is the starting line and oftentimes the hardest part of the journey!

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🎯 Ready to Get Started?

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At CrossFit Magnify, we offer two easy ways to take the first step...

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🔹 Book a Free Trial Class – Come experience a workout and meet the community.

🔹 Sit Down for a 1-on-1 Consultation – Chat with a coach, tour the gym, and discuss your goals in a no-pressure setting.

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Follow either link above and let's get started on your CrossFit journey!