Crossfit Saraland

Visit our Get Started page to learn more and sign up for a "No Sweat" Intro.   

We would encourage you to sign up for our CrossFit 101 program. This is free to members so if you commit to coming, you should absolutely sign up to participate in the five course program. It will help you get started off on the right foot by reviewing our foundational movements. If you would like to try this program first, it's $15 per class. Learn more here.  

No! One of the many great things about CrossFit is that every workout can be scaled or modified to suit any fitness level. What that means is that a new CrossFitter and a veteran Crossfitter can do the same workout, but the workout is adjusted according to each athlete’s fitness level Our coaches will show you how to scale and modify workouts during all of our regular group classes. You do not need to get in shape before starting at CrossFit Saraland. That’s what we are here for! I would strongly encourage you to participate in our CrossFit 101 program to get you off on the right foot.

It's still possible to scale or modify the workouts to fit your needs. Schedule a "No Sweat" intro if you'd like to meet with one of our coaches to discuss your needs and how we can accomodate them.

CrossFit has been of significant benefit to the health and fitness goals of all of our members. We train as generalists using workouts that are always challenging and fun, so that we don’t get bored. Our athletes want to come to the gym not because they feel guilty if they don’t, but because they enjoy the experience. We make sure that everyone is educated and challenged according to their needs, and you are never held to the standard of someone else. We build on what you can do, safely and effectively. So…you are NOT too fat. You are NOT too old. You are NOT too out of shape. Don’t make excuses; just try it. (We offer a free intro class!) The worst scenario is…you don’t like it.

We completely understand your concern, but this fear also tells us that you are not coming from another CrossFit gym. All it will take is one class for you to see that no one is judging performance or watching you in an uncomfortable way. Everyone is focused on themselves because you're all in misery together! Just kidding... kind of. Seriously though, lots of people express this concern and immediately realize it's not an issue in our community.

Yes! A weak trunk and poorly stabilized spine is the single most significant limiting factor in all human movement and sports. To this end, our programming specifically addresses trunk or “core” strength.

Of course! We ask that our drop ins buy a $25 CFS shirt to remember us when they leave. Please arrive 15 minutes early to class to sign a waiver and get introduced to the coach. If you are in town longer than a day, we typically charge $10 per additional drop in, but are happy to work out a deal for extended visits or for groups of two or more. If you plan to drop in on one of our classes that require a reservation, please call 251-341-7146 to let us know in advance. See the schedule to verify our class times and reservatiion requirements.

If you are really worried about this, read this article. (High Rep Toning) But the short answer is no, lifting weights will not bulk you up. In fact, it will help you burn more calories and look better naked.

There is a common misconception that long bouts of aerobic exercise are the only way to build stamina and endurance, but this simply isn’t true. In the same way muscles must be taken beyond their limits and torn to stimulate growth, your ability to process oxygen must be pushed out of equilibrium in order to increase your capacity to process it. Running at some level below your aerobic threshold (i.e. less than 100% VO2 max) will do little if anything to increase this ability (Guess what? Long distance running fits in that realm!). To push it out of equilibrium and induce growth you have to workout at 200% or more of your aerobic ability. In metabolic terms, you need to work the high-intensity phosphagenic and glycolytic pathways in order to improve the medium-low intensity aerobic pathway. Sound like gibberish? Come try a CrossFit workout and see if you still believe you won't achieve your stamina and endurance goals.

Critics often state that the risk of injury in CrossFit is too high, making the methodology dangerous. The reality is that any time you engage in physical training – whether it be weight lifting, running, martial arts, biking, or CrossFit – you are opening yourself to the potential for injury. This comes not from the individual training routine, in most cases, but from the fact that you are pushing your own limits. Any time you attempt to stretch and improve what you’re capable of accomplishing physically, it is possible you will injury yourself in the process. This is as true for CrossFit as it is for any “sport activity”. One of the major differences between CrossFit and other group classes is that we use more weights, more varied movements, and strive for a high intensity incorporating these things in different ways. The methodology is different, and people fear what they don’t understand. CrossFit itself is not inherently more dangerous than any other training routine;what it boils down to is having coaches who care about your technique and safety, as well as checking your own pride at the door. If a coach asks you to scale a movement or weight for your own safety, do it. It'll help you get where you want to be in the long run. We promise.

We don't regularly schedule open gym hours. However, once you are a member we will add you to our members only page and you'll receive announcements as coaches offer to host open gym.

Yes. We have two showers in each locker room located in the back gym. We do not provide towels or toiletries; you must bring your own.

Yes, we provide complimentary childcare during our 4:15pm and 5:30pm workouts. Reservations are required. After you join, we can tell you more about how to take advantage of this amenity.

One on one coaching sessions must be cancelled with 24 hours notice by calling us at 251-341-7146 or by emailing Because it is very difficult for our coaches to re-book their appointment times on short notice, athletes who cancel their appointments within the 24 hour cancelation window will be charged for the appointment. In addition, private coaching series expire within 6 months of the first session.

With a parent or guardian's signature, ages 13-17 are permitted to workout during our regularly scheduled classes.

The current fitness standard is the Globo-gym: a big gym with lots of machines, lots of members, and generally minimally trained staff. They tend to charge $50/month for access to the equipment, a pat on the head, and a hearty “good luck”. With hundreds or thousands of members, they don’t need to care at the individual level. As long as your payments go through, they don’t really tend to care if you show up. On the other end, you can get all the personal touches by paying for a personal trainer. They’re responsible for helping you make and reach your goals, making sure you perform movements safely, and helping you stick to your program. But these services can run as high as $100 per hour! This is where we come in. We offer high quality, personalized training to small groups of athletes in a structured environment. Every class is led by an experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable certified trainer who will teach you what you need to know to participate in the workout safely and effectively. If you have any troubles, the trainer is there to help you make the necessary changes to ensure you remain safe and see results. Compare the prices, assuming we want 4 hours of workout each week and some motivational support: At a large gym, you might spend $50/month ($3.13/hour) but you get no training, no follow-up, no assistance, and no one cares if you show up.
With a personal trainer, even at a low cost of $60/hour you would end up spending $960/month for those 4 hours per week. You should be getting follow-up, education, and motivation BUT you also have to compete for prime time slots every week.
At CrossFit Saraland, you would pay $9.38/hour for personal attention in every workout, the community of a small class of friendly athletes, education in every movement, coaches who not only know your name but will call you if you stop coming, and no competition for training times.
So why are our prices higher? Because we’re worth it.  

There is a lot of vernacular used only in CrossFit, and we have made a list of abbreviations and terms that are often used. Knowing the language of CrossFit should help reduce confusion and allow you to focus on your performance.

• 3,2,1, GO – A Count down used at the start of many CrossFit WODs
• AMRAP – As Many Reps/Rounds As Possible
• Athlete – This is YOU. As long as you are pursuing health and fitness here at CrossFit Reflex we will refer to you as an athlete
• Beast – An athlete with exceptionally good work capacity or work ethic.
• Beast Mode – The state of performing like a “beast”. An athlete of any level can enter “beast mode” if they want to. Beast mode is both a state of mind and physical performance.
• Box – CrossFit gyms are typically referred to as a ‘box’ because they are traditionally located in industrial type warehouses.
• BP – Bench press
• BS – Back squat
• BW – Body weight
• CFT – CrossFit Total – consisting of max squat, press, and deadlift.
• CLN -Clean
• C&J – Clean and jerk
• DL – Deadlift
• DNF – Did Not Finish. For WODs with a fixed amount of work and a time cap, it is possible to not finish the prescribed amount of work in the given time. In such cases, the score will be appended with “DNF”.
• DNS – Did Not Start. If for some reason and athlete is an able to start a WOD, they Forfeit their efforts and receive a “DNS”
• DU’s – Double unders. When jumping rope the rope passes under your feet 2 times between each jump.
• EMOM – Every minute on the minute. So for instance on the whiteboard one day it is written; 10 Push-ups EMOM for 10 minutes. This means that you must do 10 Push ups at the top or beginning of every minute for 10 minutes.
• Fire breather – An elite-level CrossFit athlete.
• FS – Front Squat
• Girls – Several classic CrossFit benchmark workouts that are given female names. The names of these workouts are arbitrary and not named after actual girls.
• GPP – General physical preparedness, aka “fitness.”
• Gymnastics – Historically, the term “gymnastics” is used relatively loosely in CrossFit to describe exercises that involve controlling body movement, typically with no weight other than body weight such as; sit-ups, push-ups, air squats, ring-rows, box jumps, etc.
• Heroes – Several CrossFit Benchmark Workouts are named after actual military, law enforcement and firefighters that have died in the line of duty. These workouts are typically very difficult as a way of honoring these heroes. Unfortunately, the list of Hero WODs continues to grow.
• HSPU – Hand Stand Push Up. While in a handstand position against the wall or freestanding. You touch your head to the ground and press all the way up until your arms are locked out.
• HSQ – Hang squat (clean or snatch). Start with bar “at the hang,” about knee height. Initiate pull. As the bar rises drop into a full squat and catch the bar in the racked position. From there, rise to a standing position
• KB – Kettlebell
• KTE – Knees to elbows. Similar to T2Bs described below.
• ME – Maximum Effort. For example if on the board it is written: 2 min ME rowing. That means you will row as hard as you possibly can for 2 full minutes therefore putting forth a maximum effort.
• Metcon – This is an abbreviation of ‘metabolic conditioning.’ Metcon is training with the intent to enhance performance in the three metabolic pathways that provide energy for all human action. These metabolic pathways are known as the phosphagen pathway (10 seconds or less), the glycolytic pathway (last up to several minutes) and the oxidative pathway (last in excess of several minutes). The term “metcon” is often misunderstood and incorrectly used by CrossFitters as a synonym for longer-duration cardio vascular training.
• MP – Military press
• MU – Muscle ups. Hanging from rings you do a combination pull-up and dip so you end in an upright support.
• OHS – Overhead squat. Full-depth squat performed while arms are locked out in a wide grip press position above (and usually behind) the head.
• Paleo – A term coined by Dr. Loren Cordain in his book “The Paleo Diet”. A theory of nutrition that humans are best suited to eat only foods that have been available in nature and eaten by hominids (including humans) for millions of years. Paleo nutrition excludes refined sweeteners, grain and grain based foods, alcohol, legumes (beans, peas and peanuts), dairy and other processed or artificial ingredients. Paleo nutrition is a guideline and scientific theory backed up by decades of solid research and common sense; it is not a philosophy, belief system or a religion.
• Paleolithic life-style – A theory that we should try to replicate the lifestyle of our Paleolithic ancestors as well as we can (within reason) in our modern lives, including: paleo nutrition, sleeping longer and more often with no or minimal electric light at night, minimizing stress, minimizing repetitive work, walking a lot every day, moving heavy things often, exercising near maximum intensity every once in a while and maintaining close daily contact with a friends and family
• PC – Power clean
• Pd – Pood, weight measure for kettlebells
• PP – Push press
• PR – Personal record
• Primal – A term coined by Mark Sisson in his book “The Primal Blue Print”. The Primal lifestyle is nearly identical to the “Paleo” lifestyle and there are no fundamental conflicts.
• PSN -Power snatch
• PU – Pull-ups, possibly push-ups depending on the context
• Pukie – The name of a fictional clown in a cartoon drawing depicted as vomiting as a result of intense exercise. This cartoon drawing was developed by someone in the very early days of CrossFit and made its way around the Internet as a badge of honor; i.e. ‘our method is so intense that it will make you puke!’ However, at CrossFit Reflex, we do not agree with this method. If you puke as a result of your CrossFit workout, you are doing it wrong – tone down your intensity and pay attention to your intake before your workout.
• Rep -Repetition. One performance of an exercise.
• RM – Repetition maximum. Your 1RM is your max lift for one rep. Your 10 RM is the most you can lift 10 times.
• Rx – Or prescribed. Every WOD and movement has standards. Performing a WOD or movement according to the standards is referred to as doing it “Rx’d”; aka as prescribed. If you modify or “scale” a WOD or movement, it is not Rx. Performing a movement with a partial range of motion or with assistance is also not Rx. We urge all of our athletes to attempt both movements and WODs Rx as long as it is within their ability.
• SDHP – Sumo Deadlift High Pull. Using a wide stance and narrow grip, you pull the bar from the ground up to your chin, keeping the bar close to your body
• Set – A number of repetitions. For example; 3 sets of 10 reps, often seen as 3×10, means do 10 reps, rest, repeat, rest, repeat.
• SN -Snatch
• SQ -Squat
• CF Games – An abbreviation for the CrossFit Games.  The CrossFit Games is an annual competition to find the fittest man and woman on Earth. Everyone on Earth that has access to the internet, a video camera and some basic equipment or access to a CrossFit affiliated gym is welcome to participate in the 5-week “Open” qualifier to The CrossFit Games. In 2013, more than 125,000 people from all over the world participated in the Open, submitting results for one mystery workout each of the 5 weeks. The top scorers in each region go to regional qualifier competitions. The top scorers from the regional competition go to The Games.
• T2B – Toes to bar. Hang from bar. Bending only at waist raise your toes to touch the bar, slowly lower them and repeat.
• TGU – Turkish get-up
• WOD – Workout of the Day.