So you are thinking about signing up for your first CrossFit competition, but you aren’t sure where to start…

First of all, congratulations! Competing in CrossFit is an awesome experience because it gives you the opportunity to not only step outside the comfort of your box and test your fitness against other athletes, but it also gives you a chance to see what you are made of—for you. Like CrossFit as a sport, competitions are inclusive with different divisions to accommodate athletes of all levels.

Most CrossFit competitions will provide a list of movements that could be programmed along with the weights that will be used. This doesn’t mean that all of these movements will appear during the competition events, but what it does mean is that nothing outside of the list or weights any heavier than listed will be programmed. Either way, we know that signing up for your first competition can be overwhelming, so we put together a few tips to help you feel confident in your decision.

CHOOSING YOUR DIVISION

Pair with your coach or an experienced competitive CrossFit athlete to go over the movement list. By having a second opinion, you will have the benefit of having a subjective opinion of your abilities. For your first competition, you want to be sure to set yourself up for success, but still give yourself a challenge.

Most competitions will include a few different types of WODs. From experience, chippers, gymnastic-centered metcons, and a 1 rep max or ladder are popular pieces to program. Typically, the heavy barbell work appears in the latter, however, what’s important to know is that when talking about 1 rep maxes, the barbell work can go over what’s listed, depending on the athlete.

KNOW THE MOVEMENT STANDARDS

Good coaches will expect movement standards on the daily, but it is always good to give yourself a refresher before entering a competition. During a competition, each athlete or team will have a judge who’s job is to hold everyone to the standards as created by CrossFit. Videos of foundational movement standards can be found at CrossFit.com.

RUN THROUGH EACH WOD MULTIPLE TIMES

Most competitions don’t disclose all of the WODs until one to two weeks before the competition date. Some release them all at the same time and some will release them one by one, it just depends on the event organizer. Be sure to carve out time outside or in place of your normal class time to run through each WOD multiple times before game day. Doing multiple run-throughs will give you an idea as to how you will do in each event. Keep in mind though that during the competition, adrenaline will kick in which will help you move a little bit faster and lift a little more weight than you may normally be able to do.

GET REST AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

In order to put your best foot forward, getting a massage and/or increasing the time you spend on mobility and body work before a competition is imperative. Your foam roller and lacrosse ball will become your best friend. Performing multiple WODs in one day is going to be a different experience than your body is used to, so you have to prepare your body for it ahead of time. And of course, rest. Give yourself a day or two off from the gym before the competition and be sure to get plenty of sleep!

Good luck!