Ready to change your world? Kara Webb and Rob Forte are Australia’s fittest Crossfitters – and both are established coaches. Here, Kara and Rob run you through the expectations and guiding principles of Crossfit.

2 Kara Webb and Rob Forte.

EXPECTATIONS

Kara: “Like anything new it takes time to fully feel the benefits. But some come straight away, like that awesome natural rush of endorphins from being physically active and challenging yourself on a whole new level. It instantly feels like no training session you’ve ever done before because the community spirit makes it so welcoming – you feel like a part of a team.”

Rob: “I’d ask someone to give it at least three months to really see some serious benefits. If you did a workout when you first started, then did the same one after three months, you’d see a huge difference. But there will definitely be changes within two weeks to your general health and fitness.

“The biggest thing I see is the mental aspect. People come in and say, ‘I’ll never be able to do that.’ Then when they achieve those things that they never imagined, it’s very cool to see. That’s when the whole attitude starts to change.

“When someone says ‘I can’t’, it’s almost like a swear word to me. You get a reaction from me ... That’s the sort of culture that we’re trying to build. You can do it if you put your mind to it and stay consistent with it.”

WHAT TO WEAR

Kara: “Wear something practical to your first class. There’s nothing worse than a guy splitting his pants because he is wearing tiny little things, or girls wearing some cute but awkward attire. Be comfortable. Maybe pack some higher socks in your bag in case it turns out your shins don’t like barbells so much, or you’re learning to rope climb. A casual pair of flat shoes works a treat.

"You can look into Nanos and Oly shoes, knee sleeves and all of the fancy stuff later, but for now a simple, practical outfit and shoes will do. You won’t be lifting or doing anything too crazy while you're learning the movements.”

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Rob: “Crossfit is about using constantly varied, functional movements. By functional, we mean movements that our bodies were designed to do.

"We always deal with the mechanics of a movement first, intensity second. Then, for people who want to compete, volume comes later. A lot of people who are ambitious to compete go for the volume first, but they often find they get injured ...

“Most gym owners program their own Workout of the Day. The program is constantly varied, but it’s not random. The goal is to always make people better.

“One woman I coach hated it when she first came in. Didn’t want to be there. But now she just absolutely loves it. We see her every day – and she can do things that she never thought she could do. So her mental side has changed dramatically – as her body shape has changed.

“But it’s the mental aspect that I like to see change, because everything else comes with it. It’s an attitude that carries over into every aspect of your daily life.”