Fresh Out Of Foundations

Congratulations! You’ve completed your On-Ramp program and now it is time to start classes! Its okay to be nervous, a little anxious, and that’s why we are here to help! You might be thinking to yourself… What's an AMRAP again? What does EMOM stand for, or what's the difference between a push press and a push jerk? While the on-ramp program may have come and gone quite fast, there are some tools and strategies that if you take with you moving forward, will make for a smooth transition into your group classes. 

Getting familiar with the advice below will ensure that you have a great experience, as do your fellow members, and following these steps will ensure that your coaches will look forward to you each and every time you walk into the doors! 

So to be an awesome athlete do this:

Read The W.O.D

If you’ve forgotten what WOD means, no worries! It stands for workout of the day. This is the workout that we perform in class each and every day. 

We publish all of our Workouts 1 week in advance in the SugarWOD app. And while our members facebook group, instagram, and emails will keep you in the loop with what's going on in the gym. There is nothing that better prepares you for class better than reading the workout notes in SugarWOD.

By reading the notes in advance,you get to learn which scaling options might be best for you. You’ll also get a better idea of the class flow, which makes for a better class experience for everyone. Knowing the workout in advance ensures that you and all of your class members spend more time training and less time being herded like cats. You, the other members, and the coaches will all appreciate this!

Know Your Numbers

Believe it or not after class the more experienced members at the gym are not writing in their diary, or texting grandma, they are keeping notes on their training, and you are encouraged….okay maybe expected to do the same! 

Diligently logging your workout results will allow you to track progress over time, and know how much weight you should be using in classes. A lot of the work that we do in class is built upon exercises from the weeks prior. So keeping an accurate log of the weight you lifted in the training sessions previously will help you better to gauge what weights you should be using in the future. Tracking your workouts will allow you to choose the proper weights, which will make for quicker progress, and don’t have to constantly ask the coaches ‘how much weight should I put on the bar’.

As you get more advanced in your lifting, selecting weights based off of a percentage of your 1 Rep Max becomes more and more important, so start with the good habits today! You’ll be kicking yourself if you don't!

Get Your Gear Ready

This plays into the first piece of advice ‘read the workouts in advance’. When you step into the gym floor you should make sure to have all the equipment you need. So if we are doing rope climbs (you’ll want a knee sleeve or long pants so you don't burn your shin), if we are olympic lifting you might want to get your olympic lifting shoes in advance, If you know there is skipping and you want to use your own rope grab it in advance. Having to run to the change room to get your jump rope, or grab your lifting shoes during explanation chews into everyone's time. Be prepared. 

Be a Good Partner

Okay so by this point in time you know what the workout is, you’ve gone ahead and grabbed your skipping rope, and now you’ve been paired up with someone by your coach to squat together! Scary I know! Social Interactions. What makes us special at BTB is the fact that we are a community, and as a community we are focused on creating connections. So if you find someone is looking for a partner to squat with, invite them over, introduce yourself, and talk about what you have planned for the next 15 minutes of training, and be their personal cheerleader! Give them some feedback, and be ready to go when it's your turn. You don’t want to hold the rest of the class up because you and your partner were busy talking about House of Cards.

Be On Time

Running into a class late is disruptive for other members and the coaches, but more importantly you are gambling with your own personal safety. That's right coming in late, cold, and unprepared for classes exposes you to the risk of injury. That said we understand that life happens, so if you’re 5-minutes late, don't disrupt the class and warm-up on your own off to the side. And please, please don’t ask the coach ‘what the workout is’, if you’ve showed up late it is your responsibility to have read the notes for the day and take initiative in getting yourself ready. 

That's it! Follow these 4 steps and your coaches will forever be your #1 fans! Also, if you take the 6AM class showing up with a hot coffee for coach is another great way to get in our good books ;)