by Michael Plank
We’ve gone through a lot of versions of how we start people with us at Underwood Park CrossFit. When lockdowns hit in 2020 it gave us a much-needed chance to reassess things. What we started doing coming out of that, and what I can’t imagine ever changing, is starting every member (even returning alumni) with a minimum of five, and up to twelve, 1-on-1 training before they come into group sessions.
We call this our “On Ramp.” Our goal with the On Ramp sessions is to give every new member competence and confidence before they start moving and working out in a group session. For our members, this gives them a few things:
- It lets us get a really accurate picture of their current state of fitness. A “baseline” workout is interesting, but may not tell us about things like their balance, coordination, or flexibility. It will only give us minimal information on how well they can execute a hip hinge, or if they have an imbalance in their shoulders. By spending time together in a 1-on-1 session, we learn so much about what they can do that we can be really confident in their ongoing training about prescribing the right movements, loads, sets, and reps to help them get to their goals as quickly as possible.
- There’s a learning curve with this stuff. A lot of it is new, and if it’s not, it may have been a long time since you dusted off a jump rope. Working 1-on-1 allows us to take the time to get really comfortable with the movements, and adjust them with things that are specific to that member.
- The best workout is the one you do. And in order to do it regularly, you have to be comfortable with it. Starting 1-on-1 makes it so that the first time you’re gasping, sweaty, and swearing at us isn’t around a room full of strangers!
And in case you’re wondering, here’s what we’ve found since we started doing On Ramp Sessions…
- Members come into classes far more prepared than they used to
- Members enjoy classes a lot more
- Members stay a lot longer – this is huge because the #1 most important element of an effective training program is adherence: meaning that you have to stick with it
- Members reach their goals a lot faster
And that last point is really the most valuable for us. We’re in the business of doing everything we can to help you reach your goals, even if that means giving you free resources or pointing you in the right direction. And if you’re looking to try out training yourself, just click here and pick a time to get started!