I want to preface this by saying I am grateful for each and every one of you. I have a full-time job that pays the bills; I coach because I love CrossFit and I love seeing you all improve and make progress. That being said, we have a lot of new faces in the gym so I would like to go over some guidelines and safety precautions you might not be familiar with, and also to serve as a reminder for some of our more seasoned members.
Situational Awareness
The gym can be a dangerous place. At any given moment there are barbells with hundreds of pounds of weight flying around, bodies moving through space, and jump ropes spinning through the air. Be aware of your surroundings! I have seen a lot of people lately walking through the gym with complete disregard for what is happening around them. Trust me, the last thing I want to see is a barbell crash into someone’s face. If someone is lifting, giving them the right away. Don’t walk behind them or in front of them. Extend them the same courtesy you would want extended to you. Please make a conscious effort to be more aware of your surroundings and be a courteous member.
Equipment
We all learned in kindergarten how to put things away and clean up after ourselves. Nothing has changed. Please put your equipment away when you are finished. Barbells, weights, kettlebells, bands, etc. should all be returned to where said piece of equipment was initially found. If you aren’t sure where something goes, please ask one of the coaches and we will be happy to point you in the right direction. Please be nice to the equipment as well; all of the equipment is rather pricey.
Also, chalk is to remain in the chalk buckets. Apply some to your hands over the bucket and then go along your merry way. If for some reason you find yourself in a life or death moment and you must remove a chunk from the bucket, make sure you return it to its home when you are finished. Chalk isn’t cheap and it really chaps my ass when I see a giant chunk get smashed into the floor. If you are the culprit of making a mess, please clean that up as well.
General Guidelines
If it is not Open Gym hours you should only be doing the workout of the day (WOD). If you want to stretch or do mobility after class please move to an area that is not in use and away from any class that is underway. Please talk to a coach if you would like to do any extra once your WOD is over. This may or may not be feasible depending on class sizes.
Everyone has the same right to equipment and space. Don’t cherry pick your barbell or wall ball before class starts. If there is a problem or equipment issue, let one of the coaches know and we will find a solution.
It is our deepest desire to continue to make CrossFit ABQ a place you love, so we always welcome your input and suggestions. If you see something that could be done more efficiently or have any ideas for improvements, please let us know.
The Open starts this week and I would encourage any of you who are on the fence about signing up to do so now. It is only $20 and I assure you it will be a rewarding and enlightening experience. If you are unfamiliar with the Open please check out the link below. CrossFit also just made an awesome video entitled “The Test of Fitness”. I would highly recommend watching it if you have about 30 minutes.
http://games.crossfit.com/
