1. All of The Acronyms: WOD, and AMRAP, PR

What does it all mean?! The overwhelming array of acronyms on the board caught me off guard the first couples weeks of joining Crossfit but was easy to learn, as we use them in many of our daily workouts. Sites like these Greatist are a great help!

WOD - Workout of the Day AMRAP - As Many Rounds As Possible PR - Personal Record (These will make your day!)

2. The Box

When I first joined, I was determined to find this “box.” At one point, I thought maybe it was a metaphor. Little did I know, I was standing in the “box” the whole time. A “box” is a gym that has all the necessary bells and whistles for the range of Crossfit workouts. Bars, ab mats, and weighted medicine balls are just a few of the necessities.

3. Double Unders

Enough said. Oh and burpees.

4. Fran. Cindy. Nancy. Oh my.

These aren’t people I workout out with at the gym. These are actually the name of a few great Crossfit workouts. And don’t let the sweet name fool you, Grace is one mean, mean lady. Grace is 30 clean and jerks as fast as possible at 135 pounds for men and 95 for women.

5. Protein Shakes… and Bacon!

You can have a 10-minute conversation about protein shakes. Oh and bacon, lots of bacon!

6. Paleo vs. Whole 30

Speaking of bacon… Many athletes who do Crossfit have tried one of these eating regimens. Whether they stick or not, is a different story. Cut out grains, dairy, processed food and sugar, and you’re in the club.

7. For the love of… Chalk!

Get used to having caveman hands full of fresh blisters that turn into beautiful calluses. You can add chalk to ease the pain and dry the sweat, although they will still look like they went through the shredder.

8. Battle Scars

Box jumps and calves don’t always meet eye to eye. Double unders and slash marks are like Bonnie and Clyde. Do I need to mention those caveman hands again? Though these are painful, it’s always fun to share stories from the gym with others through your battle scars.

9. Community!

The Crossfit Community is like nothing else. It’s a group of people that will always be there to cheer you one, whether you are the first to finish the WOD or the last.

10. First Rule of Crossfit is… You Always Talk About Crossfit

Once you get the Crossfit high, you never want to come down. And when you’re feeling that good, or that sore some days, you want to tell EVERYONE!