We finished our first week here at CrossFit Dark Athletics. It was a fun week; we met some cool people during our Grand Opening and it continued through the week. We are the new kids in town and not many people know us, but I assure you in a few months they will! We have been running a FREE trial period for the month of March, just to introduce ourselves to the community. A few people have taken advantage of it so far and if you haven't don't worry we will have more promotions down the road, but drop-in anyway. We don't bite!
This week I think the question we've received the most is, "Should I buy...(Enter piece of equipment/accessory)?" My response to that question depends on who asked. This week it has been asked by mostly people new to this whole CrossFit/Weightlifting thing. I think a big part of CrossFit is the availability of all the accessories you can buy and sometimes don't need. The newer you are to something I generally respond with, "just bring workout clothes and an open mind." The bare minimum. Having the newest CrossFit shoes won't improve your mobility, so why buy them? Buying a belt with a catch phrase on it won't help you squat better. You will be better off when you learn how to squat without it.
The thing people get caught up in when they want to make a change in their lives is that they need to go all out from the start. False. Gradually make a change and build from there. Just walking into a gym and exercising when you never exercise is more than enough change for a week. Start there. Do it consistently under a watchful eye [ours-:-P] for a month. Your body will begin to change and you will feel better about yourself. Now next week/month change a little bit more: maybe you cut out some of the junk foods that you normally eat, not all of it just a little bit. Instead of eating a big bowl of pasta with no meat and lots of cheese 3x a week, try cutting one of those meals out and adding a piece of lean chicken breast. Your meal doesn't have to be bland, use can still add all types of seasoning and sauce, just try to get more meats and veggies in your diet and less sweets and junk. I say that as a general rule, because most people who have issues with weight don't generally portion their macro-nutrients well. Protein generally becomes the forgotten child. If that isn't the case, take a look at what you are eating; really try to understand it and make a slight change to it. Don't be afraid to experiment a little. It's your body and what works for you may not work for me or anyone else. However, the fact is if you eat less calories than you burn you will lose weight. If you have any questions beyond that, ask us and we will do our best to help guide you.
My point here is that you will benefit the most out of gradually changing your habits as opposed to just trying to go cold turkey with them and buying all of this fancy equipment. If it's your first time working out in this type of gym, definitely save your money on all that equipment and supplements. Joining a gym like this can be a big financial commitment, take some time to get adjusted to this lifestyle and gradually add to it as you go along. You won't be required to move as fast as humanly possible, but you will be required to move as fast as your version of good technique will allow. Whatever perception you have of CrossFit with the crazy movements and people running all over the gym screaming... just know that we just want to see you guys encourage each other and work together. We all have the same goals here, to get better and stronger! Working alongside people who have the same goals as you is the best way to improve yourself. The classes are mixed up of all levels so don't worry about what everyone else is doing, as long as you're moving properly and hustling you will make progress and see results! If you try to rush into things and become impatient you most likely won't last very long with the program. So be patient, stay focused, and Join the Dark Side!
TL;DR- Our Grand Opening was great! If you missed it, drop by the gym to try us out. If you're new to CrossFit/Weightlifting you don't need to buy fancy things. Just come with some workout clothes and an open mind. We will take it from there!
