by Michael Plank
You’ve obviously heard of CrossFit. Maybe you’ve seen fit people lifting big weights on Instagram. Maybe one of your co-workers goes to CrossFit after work every day. Maybe you even have friends who won’t stop talking about it. But before you go down the Google rabbit hole, consider these three things when searching for “CrossFit gyms near me.”
1. Consider more than just price and location
When choosing a gym, price and location are often the deciding factors. But a great CrossFit gym with an awesome community might be worth the extra an extra 10 or 15 minutes on the road. (I personally drive 35 minutes each way to the jiu-jitsu school I attend. It’s not the closest by a long shot, but it’s my favorite). CrossFit is a social activity and every gym has a different culture, and you should find a gym whose coaches and clients you connect well with.
And yes, CrossFit can be expensive. But guess what… It can also be cheap. But often you get what you pay for. So you need to ask yourself what you’re looking for. Do you just want access to equipment and programming? If that’s the case, then maybe the lower-priced option is good for you. If you are new to CrossFit, however, or are looking to dive in deeper, you might do well with more hands-on coaching.
At Underwood Park CrossFit, we pride ourselves on client service. We begin all our clients with one-on-one personal training services, which have a higher price point. But we also see incredible results, especially with people who are new and just starting their CrossFit journeys.
2. Ask “Does this gym understand my goals?”
The most successful gyms should understand the wants, needs and desires of their clients. The best gyms in the business understand that we are in the results game, not the the “get-bodies-in-the-door” game. The path to results begins with a goal-setting session when you first walk in. We call ours a No Sweat Intro. Good gyms will ask you what your goals are. Do you want to lose weight? Gain strength? Get toned? Feel better in your skin?
Now, here’s the secret—the great gyms will ask you WHY.
Understanding the “why” is very powerful in setting any goal. Is it about more than just losing weight? Does your family have a history of chronic disease? Do you want to get stronger so you can play with your grandkids? Do you want to be able to use your fitness outside of the gym in activities like golf, swimming, kayaking or hiking? If no one sits down with you and talks to you about your goals and your “why,” then they don’t truly understand you. And like Dale Carnegie said, “the deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”
You deserve to find a gym that appreciates you!
3. Find out if the gym offers nutrition coaching
Yes! You read that correctly! The best CrossFit gyms in your area should offer nutrition coaching.
Despite the fact that what we read on the internet is obviously 100% correct (hint—that was a joke!), CrossFit is not about heavy barbells and kipping pull-ups. It’s about improving your fitness. The founder of CrossFit, defined fitness in 100 words: “Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.” He goes on to talk about movements and training, but the first 26 words are all about nutrition.
In any health and fitness routine, nutrition is responsible for 80% of the results. We see it in our clients all the time. Those who do nutrition coaching see 3.5 times the results of those who just exercise. If you are not eating real whole foods, you are not doing CrossFit … period. People quit gyms when they don’t see results. If you want the fastest route to results, you need good nutrition and exercise. So why not find a gym where you can get both?
Your health is worth some due diligence. Don’t just toss out some search terms and sign up with the first gym you find on Google Maps. Make sure you find a place that is the best gym in the world for you.
Inspiration provided by Rob Connors at SignumCrossFit.com.