5 Standards When Choosing A Crossfit Affiliate

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With all of the excitement in the CrossFit community there are CrossFit programs, affiliates, and coaches popping up all over the country. So how do you choose a program that is right for you?

When it comes to opening a CrossFit affiliate there are no program or business standards held by CrossFit Head Quarters. This is a huge benefit for the affiliate owner, but, how does this affect someone looking to start a CrossFit training program? Since there are no standards; are all affiliates the same? Are there some CrossFit affiliates that are better than others? How do you choose which one is best for you?

There are the obvious things to look for such as, the location, class schedules, your chemistry with the staff, etc. Once you have gotten past the obvious; what makes up a solid CrossFit affiliate so you can feel good about calling it your home?

Here are 5 standards measure when you are searching for your CrossFit home:

1) Programming: What makes up their programming? Some affiliates choose to follow the CrossFit.com programming while others choose to implement their own CrossFit formula. One thing ...
... to look for is a solid balance between Strength & Conditioning. CrossFit is made up of a combination of cardio respiratory endurance, weight training (both Olympic & power lifting) and gymnastics. If a program is leaning too heavy towards one direction, evaluate if it is a trend. If so, then you would want to find a place that has a solid balance between weight training, cardio endurance, and gymnastics.

2) Classes: How do they run their classes? Does everyone attend one class or are there levels to divide the athletes based on their skill level? CrossFit movements are scalable; however they take time to learn. If you are a fire breather and all of the coach's time is going towards the newer athlete, then you are wasting valuable learning time and money. This is also relevant, if you are newer to CrossFit. A proper CrossFit training regimen involves learning new movements and skills. If you are a beginner, you will need personal attention to insure you are learning safely and establishing good habits early.
3) Education: Is the affiliate committed to continued education? There are a large number of complex skills and movements that make up CrossFit training. It's impossible for one person to know the details to all. Find out if the CrossFit affiliate has plans to bring in additional experts to help improve their student's skills. Some good seminars to listen for would be, Pose Running, Olympic lifting, Mobility/Flexibility or Performance Nutrition.

4) Competition: Do they compete? Competition helps you learn where you can improve. Although it is not necessary to compete, it's great to have an option to choose. Competing on a small scale can bring big results. Look for an affiliate that provides opportunity for you to compete internally or with other local CrossFit athletes. This will bring out the best in you.

5) Accountability: How do they measure your progress? You cannot improve what you do not measure. We are dealing with your health and fitness, so your progress goes beyond what you see in the mirror. Are their systems in place for you to measure your improvement? Proper growth can only happen with proper tools, practice and coaching.

These are 5 standards that would make up a solid CrossFit home. Your decision should go beyond price and convenience. A properly executed CrossFit training program can help anyone achieve an elite level of fitness. Make sure you align yourself with a good team and positive environment and get ready to go to work 3,2,1 GO!

Mark Robert is an experienced writer who writes articles about http://www.crossfiti5.com