One of the most common things we hear at Woodslawn is:
“I used to be in pretty good shape.”
Then life happened.
Kids.
Work.
An injury.
A surgery.
Likely, a combination of several
Suddenly you’re 45, 55 or 65 and realize you need to start taking your strength and fitness seriously again.
The question isn’t whether you can get stronger.
The better question is how you restart without trying to train like the version of yourself from 15 years ago.
That’s one reason every new member at our gym starts with an onboarding process.
We want to know where you’re starting
Our full On-Ramp takes five weeks and includes four private coaching sessions along with an introduction to the appropriate group training environment.
Those first sessions aren’t a fitness test.
They’re coaching sessions.
We want to see how you move, teach the primary movements you’ll encounter and understand what needs to be modified or progressed.
Julie recently completed four private sessions with Jonathan before moving into our Legends program. She specifically mentioned learning the basic movements and carries safely and feeling prepared for her strength-training goals afterward.
That’s the purpose.
Prepare you to succeed after the On-Ramp—not simply get you through it.
What if you’ve trained before?
We hear this one too.
“I’ve done CrossFit.”
“I’ve lifted before.”
“I know how to squat.”
Great.
That means we’re starting in a different place. It doesn’t mean there’s no value in starting intentionally.
We have a shorter, more complex movement focused on-ramp for experienced athletes who don’t need the same introduction as someone who has never touched a barbell.
One recent member with previous CrossFit experience completed that condensed process so our coaches could focus on Olympic lifting, gymnastics and the way we coach before he transitioned into regular classes.
Because onboarding isn’t just about teaching you what a squat is.
It’s about building a relationship with your coaches and creating a plan.
Returning from an injury is different from simply being deconditioned
We also work with many people who have a history of injury, aches or physical limitations.
That doesn’t automatically mean you shouldn’t train.
It means the training needs to make sense.
Jarvis came to Woodslawn after an extended break caused by an injury. Despite having more than 15 years of CrossFit and functional-fitness experience, he went through our onboarding process before returning to regular training. A year later, he wrote that he was still progressing and specifically praised his coaches for knowing when to hold him back and when to encourage him forward.
That’s the goal.
Not perfect workouts.
Consistent training you can continue doing.
If you’re in Multnomah Village or Southwest Portland and you’ve been telling yourself for six months that you need to get back into shape, you don’t have to decide which class to take.
Come talk to us first. Click the link below.