When people think about trying CrossFit, they usually think about the workouts.

The weights. The pull-ups. Whether they’ll be able to keep up.

But when I hear our members talk about why they keep coming back, a lot of the time they’re talking about the people.

Noelia Cantu recently shared her experience after about two months at BayWay CrossFit. She talked about something she’s proud of, being able to lift weights overhead. She also talked about the encouragement she gets here and what she would tell somebody who’s nervous about trying a class.

Hear it from Noelia herself:

Watch Noelia’s BayWay CrossFit story on YouTube

That’s worth hearing if you’ve been thinking about starting.

Because looking at a gym from the outside doesn’t tell you much about what it’s like to be in the room.

You might see somebody lifting a weight you couldn’t lift. Or doing a movement you don’t know how to do. It’s easy to look at that and think you need to get in better shape before you come in.

But you’re seeing where that person is today. You didn’t see their first class. You didn’t see what they needed help learning or how many times they practiced before something finally clicked.

Everybody has a starting point.

For Noelia, lifting weights overhead is something she can now point to and say she’s proud of. I love hearing that because progress should mean something to the person making it.

It doesn’t have to be the heaviest weight in class. It doesn’t have to impress somebody scrolling through Instagram. Being able to do something you couldn’t do before is enough.

And when you’re learning, the people around you matter.

In her video, Noelia describes the people at BayWay as welcoming and encouraging. She talks about the instructors and the people as reasons she keeps coming back.

As an owner and coach, that means a lot to me.

We can write workouts all day. But I also want people to feel comfortable asking a question. I want you to be able to say, “I don’t know how to do that,” without feeling embarrassed.

That’s information your coach needs. It gives us somewhere to start.

Our job is to teach you the movement, help you choose an appropriate weight or variation, and give you something you can work on. You don’t have to figure out the whole workout by watching whoever happens to be standing next to you.

That’s one of the reasons coached CrossFit classes can be helpful for beginners. You have somebody there to guide you while you learn.

And then you have the people taking class with you.

A little encouragement can change how a hard workout feels. Somebody learning your name, noticing your progress or telling you good job might seem small, but those things help make the gym a place you want to return to.

You start getting familiar with the movements. You recognize people. You have a few wins of your own.

The place that felt intimidating starts feeling familiar.

Noelia’s story is her own. Your first two months might look different. You might be working toward your first push-up, getting comfortable with a squat, or building a routine you can actually stick with.

We want to help you make progress from wherever you’re starting.

If you’re looking for a CrossFit gym in Baytown, or you’re nearby in Mont Belvieu and wondering whether this could be for you, take a minute to watch Noelia’s video.

Hear what she’s proud of. Hear what she says about the people.

Then come see us at BayWay CrossFit.

You don’t have to walk in knowing how to do everything. Come in ready to learn, and let us help you get started.