Welcome to CrossFit Solace! We are delighted that you have chosen us to assist you in reaching your health and fitness goals. Solace offers a dedicated and experienced coaching staff, diverse training approaches, and a thriving community both inside and outside of the box. Many members both new and old to CrossFit have questions and this booklet is designed to answer many of them. In doing so we hope to make you feel right at home. If this booklet doesn t quite cover all the questions you may have, or if new questions arise during your training, don t hesitate to let us know. Speak to a Coach or Manager and we will be happy to help. Thanks again for choosing CrossFit Solace! The Solace Team
Is there a place for training resources online? Yes. If you visit our website at www.crossfitsolace.com, the +Community menu has a link to Member Resources. Here you will find lots of information to help you as you progress with your training (it is where this document you are reading is stored!). The current Rules & Policies document is stored there as well, as are educational links, programming calculators, charity events we participate in and much more. More information will be added as we grow. If there is something you feel would be a valuable addition to the site, let us know! What kinds of amenities does Solace offer members? At Solace we have many amenities for our members and a full list can be found in the +About menu of our website. Is Solace active in social media? Is there a Solace Facebook group for members? Yes to both. Our social media links are as follows: Solace Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/crossfitsolace Solace Barbell Club Page: https://www.facebook.com/solacebarbellclub Solace Instagram Page: http://instagram.com/crossfitsolace We have a General Facebook group, Paleo Facebook Group, and LGBT Facebook Group for members as well. If you have not yet been invited to these members- only groups, friend one of the Coaches or send an email to info@crossfitsolace.com with a link to your Facebook page so we can friend you and add you to the group. What types of classes are offered once I am past Foundations? The full listing of our offerings can be found on our website in the +Offerings menu, but a brief description of our classes is as follows: CrossFit - these classes represent our core programming. Each class will have some variation of a warm- up, skill/strength session, and conditioning workout of the day (WOD). Yoga - these classes emphasize a series of postures and sequences synchronized with breath. You will develop strength, balance, and flexibility in our Yoga classes. They are perfect for active recovery on your rest days. Freestyle - These classes emphasize body awareness, control, and stabilization. Basic movements like the burpee all the way up more complex movements like the
handstand walk will be taught through extensive use of progressions. Each class will also end with a WOD for conditioning. With no heavy weights being used in these classes, they are perfect for when you want a break from CrossFit. Solace Strong - These classes exist as self- contained regular cycles using the Starting Strength program to build strength using the bench press, squat, press, deadlift, and power clean. If you want to increase your overall strength, then these classes are for you. Solace Barbell Club - These classes will offer dedicated time for training the Olympic Lifts (The Snatch and the Clean & Jerk). Skill work and complexes will be emphasized, as well as relevant strength and accessory work. If your technique in these lifts isn t quite where you want it to be, or you are interested in being more competitive in the sport of Weightlifting, these classes will be a great assist. Mobility - These classes will enable members to learn and practice techniques for improving joint flexibility and range of motion. Like our Yoga classes, Mobility classes are perfect for active recovery on your rest days. Are all the classes mentioned above included in my membership? If you have an all- access membership, then all classes are included in your membership, except for Solace Strong, which is a 2- month cycle at $300/month. This is due to the individualized nature of this program. However, all members of Solace can take a 2- month cycle by simply paying the difference each month between their current monthly rate and this cost of $300. So, if your current monthly rate is $250, then you only need to pay an additional $50/month for a Solace Strong cycle. If you just have a CrossFit/Freestyle membership then all classes (again, excluding Solace Strong) are included except Yoga classes, though you may take Yoga by paying the $29 drop- in fee per class or by purchasing a 10- class pack for $249. How does the MindBody Scheduling system work for all these classes? Once you are a member, you have a login username (usually your email) and a password. You can log into the MindBody site at any time and check your account balance and upcoming class reservations. You sign- up for classes by finding the class you want and clicking Enroll. If the class is full, you will automatically be placed on the waitlist for that class. If you are moved from the waitlist and into the class, you will receive an email notification. If for some reason you will not be able to attend a class you are signed up for, we ask that you cancel your reservation in advance (at least 2 hours before). If you cancel less than 2 hours before a class is scheduled to start a Late Cancel $10 penalty will be applied to your account (since this time frame does not give waitlisted members enough advance notice).
Does Solace have a member referral program? Yes. Solace will give you a $100 credit towards your next upcoming month of membership for the referral of any person that becomes a contracted paying member. Is programming revealed in advance to members? Yes. Programming at Solace is not hidden and available to members as well as the public in the +WOD menu of our website. Programming for the entire week will be posted on Sunday evenings around 8pm in the +WOD menu entry for each class. Workouts also appear a day early on Beyond the Whiteboard (the software members use to track their workouts more on this below). The reason for posting the week in advance is not so members can cherry- pick the workouts they like (the ones that are easy for them). It is for cases when members have other commitments and obligations (a busy week, sports, competitions) and they need to adjust their training to maximize their performance and recovery. It is also so members can target their weaknesses, dress appropriately, and plan to come early for an extra warm- up on their own if needed. A snapshot of all class programming for each day of the week will also be posted to our Facebook page at 9pm the evening before. What is the CrossFit class structure at Solace? At Solace we have decided to structure CrossFit classes with a short warm- up lead by the Lead Coach, followed by a Skill/Strength session (about 15-20 min). The remaining 30 minutes of each class has a Conditioning piece (WOD), and also possibly a Movement Integration or Accessory piece if the Conditioning is short. This structure highlights our emphasis on strength and skill it will be worked on nearly every day. However, above all else, the Conditioning is prioritized. On days when the Conditioning is particularly long, you can expect the Skill & Strength segment to be much shorter or absent altogether. What is the CrossFit programming philosophy at Solace? In its purest form, CrossFit is a general physical preparedness program (GPP) that constantly varies the types of training modalities used (powerlifting, gymnastics, weightlifting, etc.) and we adhere to this design on the whole. Within this design, though, we always have a heavy squatting and heavy pressing day once a week. We also have 1-2 Olympic Lifting Strength & Skill sessions each week as the Olympic lifts are technical and require more practice. We may have weeks with programming themes, but aside from this we don t have a programming emphasis or bias. Many boxes have specialty themes in their CrossFit programming like a Strongman, Powerlifting, or Gymnastics emphasis. Also, many
boxes have CrossFit programming that cycles their members through strength cycles. We don t use these approaches, partly because this isn t the original CrossFit design, but also because we are fortunate enough at Solace to have separate classes and tracks for areas of specialization. For example, to really focus on strength, members can step out of CrossFit for 2 months and take our Solace Strong Cycle. To get extra gymnastics work, members can take a Freestyle class any day of the week. Finally, to get extra work on the Olympic Lifts, members can take one or both of our Solace Barbell Club classes on Saturday and Sunday. Can I train on my own outside of classes? Yes. We have extensive Open Gym offerings. You sign up for Open Gym just like you would any other class (but these sign- ups appear in their own tab once you are logged into MindBody). On off- peak times (when classes are not being held) more Open Gym slots are available. You may use Open Gym times to conduct any kind of training you desire provided you adhere to our Rules and Policies. Note that on certain peak times Oly Platform space is limited and sign- ups for this space are listed separately from general Open Gym slots. People talk about CrossFit being dangerous. How can I stay safe and prevent injuries while training? There is injury risk in just about anything we do. The risk increases as one progresses to more uncontrolled environments (i.e., competitive sports), but it is never completely absent. The cause of many injuries in non- athletes and those just beginning training is a lack of the flexibility, strength and movement patterns necessary for being active. This is a result of being adapted to a relatively static lifestyle where sitting hunched over a desk is the norm. The key is to not push your body to a level of training that your skill, flexibility, movement patterns and strength do not permit. And this is where the Coaches come in. They will be watching. So, listen to them if they have concerns about your movement patterns, flexibility, or the weight you are using. On your end, if something feels or looks off when you are training, ask one of the Coaches. Similarly, if you have any injuries, no matter how insignificant you think they may be, tell your coach before beginning class. It is better to play it safe than be sorry you didn t. What about muscle soreness? Isn t this something I need to prevent? Muscle soreness from exercise is a pretty common occurrence. Science doesn t entirely understand what causes muscle soreness, particularly delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which can appear 24-72 hours after exercise. However, the current theory is that when you stress your muscles, there is some degree of damage to the fibers. It is actually this damage that signals your body to adapt, enabling you to become stronger and more fit.
You, in essence, repair yourself to a new, bigger, and better level of performance. So don t be afraid of muscle soreness in and of itself. That being said, you do still need to watch your performance and make sure you don t push yourself to levels you are not ready for. Severe muscle soreness can result if you are very detrained and have no background in training (or if you are well trained, but have taken time off and are starting back up again). In these cases you have to ease yourself into classes and training. Even if you have been training, you still need to be aware of your level of experience. For, example, high numbers of repetitions on eccentric (lowering) movement, as are found in pull- ups, are a common cause of muscle soreness in CrossFitters who are well trained, but not experienced in performing a large number of repetitions. Speak to the Coaches and fill them in on your history - they will be able to guide you. What does Rx, Rx+, and ROM mean in a workout? Exercises completed as prescribed are signified by an Rx. To do a workout Rx you must do the exact movements listed, use the prescribed weight for men and women and use the prescribed range of motion (ROM). As an example of full ROM, all pull- ups with full extension of the arms at the bottom. Range of Motion is always considered when determining Rx. Remember that the Rx version of a workout is not meant to be performed by beginners. Rx is meant for seasoned CrossFitters. Rx workout will have heavy weights, complex movements and assume you have excellent mobility and movement patterns. Some workouts can even be completed as Rx+. Rx+ has all the requirements of Rx, except the weight used and/or reps/rounds performed are more than prescribed. So, these workouts are even more challenging. Remember there is nothing wrong with scaling a workout down from Rx. In fact, the majority of members will have to do this Rx is designed for a small portion of the membership which is more experienced and needs this type of challenge. I m not the most experienced CrossFitter. How do I approach weights and scaling? Our Coaches will guide you on these issues. If you are performing movements inefficiently or with too much weight, they will see this and adjust you accordingly. In terms of your choosing how to begin, they will give you guidelines as well. For example, in a WOD the weight you use should be no more than 70-75% of your 1RM (one repetition maximum) for that movement. You can also think of it as a weight you can handle for a good number of reps (i.e., 7-12). In strength sessions we have alternate set and rep schemes for when the programming is based off of a 1RM and members don t know theirs. If you miss a 1RM day for CrossFit, and provided you are not a complete beginner, you are highly encouraged to come in on your own make up this 1RM session. This will enable you to keep up with subsequent classes that base the work off of a 1RM value and better enable you to choose
weights for WODs. Coaches are always available for suggestions on scaling, but you can always start light to play it safe and build up over time. Alternately, if you have some experience, but still aren t quite sure, you can do things like load your barbell with smaller plates, so you can take off weight easily during a WOD if it turns out to be too heavy. I m an experienced CrossFitter. Why is the Coach telling me to scale? The Coaches at Solace always have your best interests in mind. If a Coach requests that you lower weight, change a movement, or cease a movement, you must follow their direction. There are a number of reasons a Coach would provide this direction. First, they want to make sure you are safely navigating some of the very technical movements we perform during CrossFit training; performing movements incorrectly at high weights can have serious consequences. Secondly, as CrossFitters, we tend to get competitive and focused on total weight lifted or completing a movement Rx, even when this is not the best use of our training time. A Coach may provide direction, which requires you to scale a workout and go back to basic fundamentals in order to correct a skill or strength deficiency in a movement. Follow their instruction and you will see gains and improvements across the broad spectrum of your fitness. What if I can handle a workout as prescribed (Rx), but not necessarily in the given time cap? The most important factor is whether you can properly execute the movements with a given weight. If your form is dangerous or hesitant, you should go lighter. Assuming good form, the choice of weight will vary. Some workouts are intended to be very short. Performing these with a heavy weight that takes you too long doesn t give the normal stimulus for these workouts. Coaches will guide members as each workout is introduced. Ultimately, though, the decision is up to you, based on your training goals. At some point you will need to go a bit heavier to test your boundaries. The Rules & Policies say dropping weights is allowed, but discouraged. Why? There are a couple of reasons. First, when it comes to dropping weight, there is a fundamental difference between the world of Olympic Weightlifting and CrossFit. Because of this difference, we allow you to drop weights when practicing your Olympic Lifting and working with max weights, but encourage you to not drop during other times, such as during WODs. We do so because we are concerned with increasing our athletes strength and efficiency, which in turn enables them to finish WODs faster and with heavier weights. In short, when training CrossFit at Solace, focus on building strength (which includes the eccentric lowering of weights) and on efficiency with weight, and save the dropping of
weights in WODs for competitions or benchmark workouts you are performing Rx. Secondly, we are lucky to be able to drop weights when we have to, but we still have neighbors. Along these lines, dropping of weights should only take place on the Oly Platform and the Jerk/Pulling blocks, never on the turf or rubber/cement. For all of us who call Solace home, please make every effort to not abuse the privilege of dropping weights. I m confused about the different barbells and their use on the racks. Can you explain? We have two sets of full weight barbells. Men s bars are 45 lbs and women s bars are 35 lbs. The set that is all silver are the Olympic Lifting ( Oly ) bars. These are stored on the gun racks on the walls only. These bars are specifically made for practicing the Snatch and the Clean & Jerk at heavy weights (they spin exceptionally well and have a nice whip). The rule for is that these bars can be used on the platform, but never on the racks for strength training. Using them on the racks will damage them over time as well as wear out the knurl (grip) on the bar. It is the black bars (Chan bars for Men, Bella bars for Women) that can be used anywhere. These are more general- use bars and they are stored in the upright stands on the floors. So, in short, if you always use blacks on racks you will be fine. If you want to use the black bars for platform lifting as well, feel free. Doing so will prolong the life of the Oly bars even longer. The arms on the portable racks are there to catch the weight if we need to bail, right? Yes, but only if they are positioned at the right height. To spot you when you squat, the arms should be positioned about an inch below the bar when you are in the bottom of your squat. NOTE: these arms are not to be used to spot movements when you have weight overhead. If you are doing an overhead movement (overhead squat, press, push press, push jerk) it is not possible to get the spotter arms high enough to catch the weight. Dropping the bar on the arms will therefore warp the bar. For overhead movements taken from the racks, if the weight is heavy and you might have to bail, back away from the racks so you can drop the weight on the platform. Again, do not drop weight from overhead onto the spotter arms of the racks! You have warm- ups, but they aren t very long. Don t I need a longer warm- up with stretching? The warm- ups for classes are chosen by the Lead Coach and will depend on how much time is available. In most cases, this will be about 10 minutes. This is generally enough time for an organized dynamic warm- up, which serves to get everyone s heart rate up. This warms the tissues and permits better oxygen delivery and uptake to the tissues. There might then be some movement- specific warm- up as well. It is entirely possible that you may need
more of a warm- up and/or additional warm- up modalities than this. Here, though, a one- size- fits- all approach doesn t work. Younger individuals and well- trained athletes won t need too much of a warm- up; they will want to warm- up using light weights in the movements they plan to train with. They also will want to shy away from static stretches as they tend to reduce the capacity for force generation during training. On the other end of the spectrum are those who are much older and/or have mobility issues. For them, longer warm- ups may be best and static stretching may be a price they have to pay for proper range of motion and injury prevention. Unfortunately, ideal warm- ups for these individuals could be over 30 minutes and our 60- minute class structure doesn t permit this. If you feel like you may need more warm- up time, feel free to arrive a bit early before class and start warming up. Can I still train when I am pregnant? Yes you can. In essence, you just need to apply scaling to your workouts. However, this scaling will vary from woman to woman. Above all else you must listen to your body and use caution. Although we cannot give a one- size- fits- all approach to training while pregnant, the following will help: 1) Listen to your body and monitor it constantly. This includes times you are not working out and times you are working out. You may need to adjust your approach on a daily basis. You may even need to adjust mid- workout. Always be listening. 2) First Trimester: Most aspects of your training can remain as normal. However red- lining on WODs and severely taxing 1RM sessions should be avoided. Use this time to adjust your mentality to one of maintenance rather than enhanced performance. Also, if you suffer from morning sickness, try and schedule workouts for times when you tend to be free of the associated symptoms. 3) Second Trimester: An overall decrease in intensity and load (weights being used) should be implemented. Avoid exercises that have you lying on your back for a long period of time. Avoid exercises where there is a risk of falling (rope climbs, muscle ups, etc.). Adjust movements that may put you at risk for belly impacts (sumo deadlifts instead of conventional deadlifts, push- ups on a box instead of ground, etc.). 4) Third Trimester: Many of the Second Trimester guidelines continue to apply. Further reductions in intensity and load may be necessary. In addition, scaling to movements that require less balance and have more stability may be needed. 5) Postpartum: After pregnancy, speak to your doctor and get clearance before returning to training. This will generally be around 4-6 weeks after pregnancy. When you do return, you will need to take it a bit slower so that your body can re- adjust. Max effort lifts should not be attempted for another 6-12 months to give your
abdominal and pelvic floor muscles time to heal and your ligaments time to return to their original levels of strength. These postpartum guidelines are even more important if you are breastfeeding. Can I do CrossFit and still participate in outside athletic activities (e.g., sports, running, etc.)? Yes you can. However, CrossFit considers days where you play sports/run as regular training days, just like a day you would take a CrossFit class. Thus, sports and running days are not considered rest days and if you also take a CrossFit, Freestyle, or Solace Barbell Club class on those days you are doing a 2- a- day. These 2- a- days are not recommended unless you are an advanced athlete. If you have a regular sports/running schedule, speak to a Coach about customizing your weekly schedule to meet your goals and permit adequate recovery. I m partial to endurance training outside of CrossFit and would like to keep that focus. I m told that I won t be able to develop strength without giving this training up. Is this true? It depends. If you spend a large portion of your training days on cardiovascular endurance training (i.e., slow, long distance training), this will impair strength gains you might get from a strength program. The reverse is not true, though. Strength training and anaerobic high intensity training (the vast majority of CrossFit WODs), do not impair endurance performance (aerobic capacity). In fact, they actually assist it. So, you just have to tailor your training to meet your specific goals and for this you can schedule a session with one of our Coaches to develop a plan of action. I m not really achieving the goals I have for myself. What can I do? If you are new to CrossFit, take about 4 months to get adjusted and start seeing the totality of effects afforded by the training. If after this time you have specific goals you want to meet, the best thing to do is schedule one or more sessions with one of our Coaches. They have a wealth of experience with helping individuals achieve their goals. It is not uncommon for members to need individualized approaches as they progress in their training. How important is nutrition to my training and health, and where do I get started? Nutrition is fundamental. CrossFit s general philosophy on nutrition is to eat meats & veggies, nuts & seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. If your diet has been weighted
differently thus far, this is where you should start. More complex adjustments can be made down the line and there are quite a few to choose from. Ultimately nutrition is a very individual matter. What works for one person won t work for another. To help you navigate this, there will be resources added to the Member Resource page of our website. We will also hold periodic Nutrition & Performance workshops where you can submit your questions in advance for discussion. Finally, individualized recommendations and planning can be obtained by booking a session with one of our talented Coaches. Should I be tracking my workouts? Absolutely. All members should track their workouts and, if possible, their daily meals, moods, and energy levels. Members are strongly encouraged to have a notebook/pad that they bring to class every day to record their workouts. This will also make it easy for members to keep track of reps during the WODs as we only have a limited number of general use whiteboards and markers. We also encourage members to transfer their workout data into Beyond the Whiteboard. This is an extremely powerful website (and smartphone app) that is subscription- based. For a low yearly rate you can easily track all your workouts, see how you compare to others in your age bracket and assess your performance progress over time. A guide to using this tracking software can be found on the Member Resources Page. If you opt not to use Beyond the Whiteboard, you can use another form of tracking of your choosing. Just make sure you use something. Without tracking, there is no way for you or your Coaches to monitor your progress and help you achieve your goals. So, make sure you are tracking! I see Leaderboards on the walls downstairs for certain lifts and Benchmark Ladies WODs. How do those work? The top men and women in the indicated lifts and WODs will be updated continually on these boards by Coach Hayden and Coach Wolf (members should not touch these boards). In order to have your lifts and scores make the boards, you need to 1) be a member, 2) have performed the listed lifts or WODs as prescribed (Rx) in a class (CrossFit, Freestyle, Barbell Club, Solace Strong, etc.), and 3) actually make sure you are signed up for that class (registered). Members who make the board will stay up there until all slots are filled and a new score would push the current lowest score out. To make sure your scores get counted, be sure to get in the habit of registering for class, recording all your scores on the physical whiteboard at the end of every class and circling all your scores that are PRs (personal records). NOTE: In special circumstances a Coach may validate for inclusion on the boards a PR or score that was obtained outside of class, but this will be at their discretion.
Is there special equipment I need for classes? As you progress in your training certain equipment will likely be an assist. Flat- soled sneakers should be your first investment if you don t have such sneakers already. Wrist wraps for gymnastics and Olympic lifting are also very popular. Having your own jump rope of the exact length needed for your height is highly recommended as well. Weightlifting shoes are an investment everyone should make once they are no longer a beginner. They will dramatically improve your stability during strength training and Olympic lifting. If you eventually start lifting heavy weights during strength sessions or Olympic lifting sessions, a weightlifting belt can be a worthwhile investment too. What if I need to freeze my membership? Solace will freeze a Membership free of charge for up to 6 months with a Doctor s note. Account freezes for any other reason will be charged at $50/month on a pro- rated basis for a maximum of two (2) months. Do you have any other tips for success? Show Up. Frequency and consistency of training are essential. Be Uncomfortable. Intensity is what makes the program work. What you get out of the program is directly related to how much discomfort you can endure. You Must Change Your Diet. Eat three quality meals plus plenty of water, controlled portions, and no processed foods. Be Social. Connect with the community, find friends, and learn names. You Are Only Competing With Yourself. Use the group to motivate your effort. The scoreboard is meant to inspire your best effort but it is not what s most important. Technique Matters. You need to be good at the movements to get a great workout. Train Appropriately. If you are a competitor, train like a competitor. If you are here for health and fitness, then train for health and fitness. Don t mix these two things up; they are different versions of CrossFit. Your Goals Must Match Your Behavior. If your goals do not match your behavior, you are in denial. Remember, you are in total control of your behavior. No Excuses! #frequency #consistency #intensity #diet #community# #besteffort #technique #competitor #healthandfitness #goals