An On Ramp is, simply, how you are going to get integrated into the group at our gym. There are a variety of ways that facilities will implement their on ramp and how they will get you integrated into the program, this article is going to focus on what we do in our on ramp and why we do each piece.
4 Stages of On ramp
There are four main stages of the On Ramp program at CrossFit Winnebago, and each piece plays a critical role in your long term success with your fitness journey. Here are the pieces:
- No Sweat Intro – Free before you sign up
- On Ramp Personal Training Session – Your first workout
- Classroom Private Session – 1:1 Setting after around your first week
- Nutrition Launch – Your first 30 days
No Sweat Intro
This will be your first interaction with us, in person at the gym. I think of this as the first step of the process because without it, we are going to have a very hard time helping you achieve the desired outcomes you have for working with us.
In this session, you will come to the gym, take a quick tour, and then sit down for a quick conversation about why you came in, what your fitness is like right now, what your eating habits are like right now, what has and has not worked for you in fitness, what things or challenges are going to get in the way of your routine, and a discussion on how we’ve helped people in a similar position to you.
This step is crucial. Some people come in wanting services or experiences that we can’t or don’t offer. In these cases, we will make a referral to a different gym or facility. Other people come in expecting an experience like a normal big box/chain access gym and need to learn about the differences in access vs group class. Even for the people who already know, like, and trust the group class functional fitness model, it is important for us to understand how we can help them achieve all that they want from their time in our gym.
At the end of this session, it will be up to you to decide if CrossFit Winnebago is going to be the right place for you for the next step on your fitness journey.
On Ramp Personal Training Session
This will be the first time you workout with one of our coaches in the gym. It will be one one one or one on two, depending on your comfort and preference.
This session will focus on a few things, but the first and most important is to learn effective breathing and bracing. Most of the movements we do in the gym, and many that we do in daily life, start or initiate from the core (think about the muscles from your shoulders down to your knees). Because of this, many people in and out of the gym experience low back pain due to some deficiency in their core engagement.
In order to set you up for success in the gym, we take the time and our 1:1 session to build confidence and competence with core engagement/control. This generally comes through a short deadlift or squat progression and some exposure to loading in those positions. Your coach will educate and guide you to make sure you have a strong understanding of this principle heading in to group classes.
Next, you will go through a short workout (about 8-10 minutes). In this workout, you will do some common movement patterns (squat, hinge, push, and pull) at a relative intensity that is challenging for you.
Before and during that workout, your coach will guide you on how to modify and adjust each movement to hit the ideal amount of repetitions and intensity for the day. This is another important skill to having the best experience possible in the gym.
Finally, your coach will go over how to register for classes, log your workouts, and get you signed up for your first class!
Classroom Private Session
This will come some time in your first week or so in the gym, after you have had a few classes to experience what it is we do in the gym.
In this no sweat session, your coach will go through some of the details on what CrossFit is, why we do some of the things we do, how to get the most out of each class, what you should prioritize day to day over the course of a week, and what makes an effective member.
We do this sessions for a few reasons. First, we want you to understand the reason behind what we do in class and more importantly how that will help you accomplish your fitness goals. Next, we want you to begin to learn how to customize your experience in a group class environment. Finally, we want you to learn what it takes to be a great member of the group so you can fit in right from day one.
Nutrition Launch
In this part of your On Ramp, you are going to learn about the base of the pyramid when it comes to developing and improving your fitness.
All of the movements and group activities in the gym are fun, but the hyper speed access to your goals comes from nutrition.
Here, you will start with a general intake form that identifies current eating habits. Then, you will schedule a meeting with our nutrition coach to talk through current habits, best first steps, and a rhythm of communication to help you build that pattern.
This part of your first month with us will last the whole month. Over the course of 30 days, you will work with our nutrition coach to build or build on your healthy habits around food, define and outline a path to your desired outcome, and talk together about what works, what doesn’t, and how to pivot and adjust as needed.
If you wish to continue, this can be added on to your fitness membership.
The Whole On Ramp
Altogether, this first month is intentionally designed to:
- Learn about you and your unique needs
- Set you up for training success
- Educate you on how to train best for you
- Build healthy and intentional eating habits to pair with your new fitness routine.
You and your desired outcome are kept in mind throughout the whole on ramp.
IF you are interested in taking the first step, book a meeting today.
