CrossFit Cheat Sheet

The key takeaways for beginners – mechanics before intensity, smart scaling and the box vocabulary for your start.

Equipment

Item	Priority	Tip
Stable shoes	High	Flat, firm sole – the foundation for safe squats and lifts.
Grips & tape	Medium	Prevent hand tears that sideline you for weeks.
Your own skipping rope	Medium	Sized to you, you’ll learn double-unders twice as fast.

WOD vocabulary

Term	Meaning
WOD	Workout of the Day – the box’s daily programme.
AMRAP	As Many Rounds As Possible – as many rounds as you can in the time.
EMOM	Every Minute On the Minute – a new set starts every minute.
RX	Workout as prescribed – scaled counts just the same.

The 3 golden training rules

Factor 1: Mechanics → consistency → intensity

Concept: Put intensity before technique and you collect injuries instead of PRs. Tip: Perfect the movement pattern, then repeat it consistently – only then raise weight and pace.

Factor 2: Scaling is strength

Concept: The RX ego is the most common cause of wrecked shoulders and frustration. Tip: Adapt every WOD to your level – modifications are tools for progress, not weakness.

Factor 3: Stable midline, active shoulders

Concept: An unstable spine and passive shoulders are the injury patterns in CrossFit. Tip: Neutral spine, weight on midfoot/heel – overhead always with active shoulders and full range of motion.

Box etiquette

Listen to the briefing: The coach’s instructions are your safety briefing – every single time.
Ego check: Your development counts, not other people’s leaderboard times.
Know warning pain: Training stimulus burns, warning pain stabs – learn the difference and react.

Build conditioning

Consistency beats peaks: Regular training is the base – not the one heroic session.
Breathing in the WOD: Breathe deep and even – if you’re gasping, you’ve lost your pacing.
Active recovery: Light movement on rest days speeds up regeneration.

Pro tip: Your first RX is not the weight on the bar but a WOD with perfect form from the first rep to the last – that is how you earn intensity.