Drop Ins: 5 Do’s and Don'ts for Athletes and Coaches

In 2018, CrossFit, Inc., was identified as one of the top-10 most worldwide franchises.  With such a worldwide presence, the CrossFit community has hosted travelers, snowbirds, and shoppers alike.  Drop-ins have been booming in the past couple of years, so revisiting some tips is essential to grow our community as well as your own CrossFit experience.  I will offer 5 tips for drop-ins based on the following three categories:

• You: Dropping into a new gym
• You: Hosting a drop-in at your gym
• Coaches: Hosting a drop-in

“Drop In”: A CrossFitter who visits a non-home gym.

​​Why do people drop in?  They may be traveling for work.  They may be in town for a holiday.  More importantly, they may be shopping for a new gym after moving  It’s hard to guess their priorities, so here are a few tips to make drop-in experiences more enjoyable.

You: Dropping into a New Gym

1. Explore the website.  Most gyms have payment & waiver set up online to complete before you even arrive.  Sending a heads-up email is always a good touch, too.
   
2. Tell the coach about injuries.  You signed a waiver, but the coach has no knowledge of your abilities, injuries, or scaling.  Speak up! Let them know your limitations before the class starts so that they can address your questions/scaling beforehand.
   
3. Ask about what’s allowed.  Are you like me, insisting my water bottle is right next to my WOD station?  Don’t assume your comforts are the same. Ask questions like, “Can we have water on the workout floor?  Do you want me to wipe down equipment after using it? Can I move the chalk buckets?”
   
4. Follow new instructions.  Warm-up movements, lifting progressions, and whiteboard instructions may differ from place to place.  Don’t assume that you know expectations.
   
5. Leaving a review.  Be sure to share positive experiences via social media, or email the owner directly!  You can guide future drop-ins to great experiences or away from poor ones.
   

You: Hosting a Drop-in at Your Gym

1. Introduce yourself.  Our gym is great at introducing a drop-in at the beginning of class.  If we forget, we still expect you to welcome drop-ins with a smile.
   
2. Learn their names.  Try using their name 3 times before the warm-up is over.  It will create good community before the workout officially starts.
   
3. Warm up with them.  Are we going on a run for the warm up?  Make sure the drop-in has someone to run with so that he/she knows our running routes.
   
4. Offer to partner up.  Many workouts require weight racks and other equipment.  Offer to partner up so that he/she doesn’t feel like a loner.
   
5. Model use of equipment.  Drop-ins might not know we have free towel service, and they may not know expectations of wiping down equipment or where it goes.  
   

Coaches: Hosting a Drop-In

1. Ask about injuries/limitations.  It’s important to know these concerns because you are responsible for their safety.
   
2. Point out the little things.  Showing drop-ins simple things like bathroom/shower rooms, water dispenser, and where to put their belongings is a shortcut to a comfortable class.
   
3. Use names... excessively.  Introduce everyone by name.  Write names on the whiteboard early.  Repeat names of regular class members so that everyone has the opportunity to get on a first-name basis.  Remind them of your name as well!
   
4. COACH EQUALLY.  I recently had a drop-in experience where the coach on duty gave me 1:1 coaching for 75% of the session, leaving 25% of attention to the other 10 gym members. Give value to everyone equally.  Each person is on their own CrossFit journey with various priorities. Do not “undo” other coaching they receive by obsessing about coaching them in your style.
   

Close the loop.  Chat with them after to ask when they’ll be back.  Ask if you could have done anything better.