About Us

CrossFit 5 Flags

email:
service@crossfitfiveflags.com

phone: (850) 572-6879

address:
4115 Warehouse Lane
Pensacola, Florida 32505

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I expect when I come in for a workout?

The coach will guide you and any other members present through a warm-up routine and mobility workout to reduce the risk of injury, followed by skill work on the exercises that are in that day's Workout of the Day (WOD). The coach will explain the workout and get you started.  As you perform the exercises, the coach will supervise you for form and intensity and give you feedback so that you perform each exercise safely and effectively. Once the workout is complete, the coach will take you through a cool-down and stretching routine.

What if I’ve never worked out or I’m weak/injured/old/young/intimidated?

We have members as young as 12 and as old as 74, members with back, neck, knee, and shoulder pain/injuries, and members who couldn’t even do a push-up on their knees when they started. Every workout can be modified to accommodate your current level of fitness.  There is no need to “get in shape” before you come in.  For example, if a workout includes performing a set number of reps of exercises at a specific weight for a certain number of rounds, we can scale it by reducing the amount of weight you use or the number of reps you complete, or by reducing the number of rounds you do.  If the workout is time-oriented (i.e. complete as many rounds of specific exercises as you can in 20 minutes), we can reduce the time for you.  Everybody has to start somewhere; our job is to start you off at level you’re comfortable with, and then challenge you to progress. It’s extremely satisfying to both us and our members when they can go from completing a “scaled” workout to completing as workout “as prescribed” ("as rx'd"). We frequently witness moments where our members go from “There’s no way I can do that.” to “I can’t believe I just did that!”

I want to know more!

We love it when members want to educate themselves beyond what we can cover during class time.  To start, see What is CrossFit?

I really don’t have to sign a contract?

Nope. We offere a variety of membership options from paying per visit, or you can pay one flat fee for one month of unlimited trainer-guided workouts.  If you want to continue coming, simply pay again when the month is up.  If for some reason you can’t come one month (excess travel, injury, finances), we’ll do what we can to work with you, or give you some guidance on working out on your own and stay in touch until you can come back. We do offer extended agreements with "AutoPay” options, which carry a discounted rate, for those who prefer it.

I can’t believe that I really get trainer guidance for every workout.

Every time you come in, there will be at least one coach carefully monitoring your workouts.  Depending what time of day you come in, it may be just you and the coach; other times, it may be you plus a dozen others and 2 coaches.  Group workouts create a community in which every member encourages the others to push harder and achieve greater results.  Friendships are forged through the camaraderie of making it through a tough workout.

One flat monthly fee gets me training and diet planning?

To clarify, we don’t do “diet planning.” We educate you on the effects foods have on your body and on your workouts, make recommendations about proper nutrition, and expect you to make the decision about what to eat.  If you choose to follow the recommendations we make, you’ll achieve greater results faster.  If you don’t, you’ll notice other members improving faster than you.  We won’t berate you (unless you need it) - you’re an adult; we expect you to be accountable for your results.

If you don’t weigh me, how will I know if your training is effective?

We encourage you to get away from the simple goal of “weight loss” and instead focus on improvements in performance of the workouts.  If you get faster, stronger, more powerful, you will be fitter - you won’t get fatter while getting fitter (unless you eat too much).  Changes in performance are easier to measure, happen faster, and are less likely to discourage you like fluctuating numbers on a scale.

I don’t understand how I can lose weight without doing cardio.

From The CrossFit Journal’s What is CrossFit? (March 2004): “The answer is simple yet hard to believe for many: The “cardio” is built into the workouts themselves. Cardiorespiratory adaptations don’t develop independently of exercise and movement.”

We don’t do "cardio" in the traditional sense – logging mile after mile on the treadmill or elliptical in your “target heart rate zone.”  Picture a marathoner.  Sure he or she can run and run and run, and a large portion of the population would say that person is fit, but how much weight can they lift?  How fast can they move?  How good is their agility, balance, and explosive power?  We certainly stress your cardiovascular system, in a much more taxing way than long, slow distance training does, and we train all the other 9 aspects of fitness as well.  We’re not saying a marathoner isn’t someone to admire, but for someone who wants “be fit,” specializing in endurance training isn’t a necessity.

Ok, I don’t want to run a ton to be fit, but how can I be fit without running?

Don’t worry, you will run.  A lot.  But not miles at a time and not for an hour straight.  Our workouts include faster running at shorter distances like 200, 400, and 800 meters.  Occasionally, you might run a mile straight.  Even less frequently, the workout will include running a 5k.

What if I can’t run (or hate running)?

If you can’t run, you'll jog.  If you can’t jog, you'll walk. If you can’t walk the distance we ask, walk a shorter distance and build up.  Or sustitute with time on the rowing machine. Every workout can be modified to accommodate your level of fitness.  We don’t care where you start; we care where you go once you do, and we’ll make sure you continue to improve until you CAN do those things that you currently “can’t.”

You joke that you’ll hound me and my friends/family/coworkers if I don’t come in; I’m concerned you’re going to harass me.

OK, we’re kidding.  Sort of.  If you miss a class, we’ll call you.  If you miss a week, we’ll keep calling.  If your membership expires, we’ll call you.  We take the time to do this because if there’s something that we’re doing that is keeping you from coming back, we want to know about it.  And if something else is keeping you from coming back, we’re just concerned and want to make sure that you’re doing OK.