CrossFit Etiquette…Suns Out, Guns Out…8/6/12

CrossFit falls under the heading of a group workout, and this means that what you do and how you act affects those in your class. It’s important to be cognizant of your behavior in order to ensure that you are not negatively impacting those around you.
Today’s post discusses the etiquette of going shirtless, a highly controversial subject.
Rules of Engagement:
1. Removing your shirt during the warm-up is questionable, except for one exception (see Exception #1)
2. The most acceptable times to remove your shirt are at the beginning of a WOD or a few minutes in; two exceptions:
2a. The shirt should stay on during max effort (ME) workouts, unless Roger gets his wish and we finally do ME curls
2b. If you are sharing a bar with someone, keep it on. Especially during squats.
3. When in doubt, wait for someone else to take off their shirt first. However, it’s highly encouraged to wait a few seconds so that you don’t look like a follower.
4. When doing extra exercises/additional stretching after the WOD, keep the shirt on. In honor of him breaking it every day, we call this the Vince Rule. Two corollaries:
4a. If you are doing a second WOD, feel free to keep it off
4b. If not, the shirt should be back on within 7 minutes after completing the initial workout.
5. If your shirt is noticeably dripping sweat wherever you hung it during the WOD, you must wipe up the puddle
Exceptions:
1. These rules do not apply to Robert Tate
2. If the WOD is not at the gym and is outside, its perfectly acceptable for the shirt to be off the entire time.
3. If you show up to the gym without your shirt on, keep it off. I like your style.
4. While you should have your shirt on during ME, if you PR, feel free to remove your shirt while celebrating.
5. Shaving your chest (Mikey) does not grant you an exception from the rules.
How to take your shirt off:
The first is the most subtle. You find yourself getting hot, or realize that the WOD you are about to start is going to be brutal, and quietly remove the shirt. Not a big deal. This is generally the most acceptable manner to lose your shirt.
The next is a favorite of guys in general — the Second Wind. Mid-WOD, quickly rip off your shirt in an aggressive manner to give a mental power boost that revitalizes your spirit, pushing you to finish strong.
Finally, we have the Showboat. This involves taking off the shirt when the maximum number of people are paying attention to you. Follow this up with some flexing, cracking of the neck, and throwing the shirt away in a dramatic fashion. While this is considered the least acceptable way to remove it, this move is great for generating audience excitement during WODs with heats, especially the Games Open WODs.
Comments for this post are not acceptable (reverse psychology). The rules are the rules.
(Special thanks to CrossFit Done Right for making me crack up when I first read this)
 
A. Skill:
15min to get a 1RM Snatch Balance + 2 OHS
 
B. WOD:
5 Rounds f/ time –
Run 200m
7 Hang Power Snatches