Crossfit boxes are more than just a gym. In addition to teaching a very different sport that tests your physical – and mental – abilities, it offers you the opportunity to discover new disciplines or train in an environment unique to its people.
That is why it is vital that you are in a place with all the guarantees where you feel comfortable practicing this discipline that gives us so much joy. If you are thinking about starting CrossFit and you are not sure how to choose a box, or you are already in one but you don't know if it is one of the good ones, keep reading and we will answer the question : Is your box as good as you think?
We suggest you identify it thanks to the following 7 quality indicators . With these keys you will know what you should take into account when choosing a CrossFit box .
1. Coach with CrossFit training.
Whether it is an official box or a conventional gym, it is necessary that your coaches and trainers have formal training .
It can be CrossFit Level 1, 2 or 3 or training as a physical activity instructor or an official qualification to teach guided classes in a discipline.
Training is more than a quality criterion in a box, it is a safety criterion for you .
A good coach is the one who correctly teaches you sports technique and practice, but is also the person who cares about your safety and well-being throughout the class.
You already know, CrossFit is not more harmful than other sports. If you don't assimilate the technique, you don't correct the mistakes, you don't listen to your body and even less so to your coach, you are clear.
Trust your coach, follow his programming and you will see how you improve your marks with work and discipline.
2. Functional and clean box facilities.
Although CrossFit boxes are usually industrial warehouses with a simple layout, it is important that it is well done.
What does a good CrossFit box need?
- a rubber floor to cushion the bars and kettlebells that you throw on the floor.
- a rack well fixed to the floor and the wall.
- Enough space to perform the WOD in complete safety.
- areas to warm up and stretch.
- changing rooms and waiting room.
- etc
In other words, the box has to be functional so that you can practice the sport correctly , without endangering yourself or your teammates, taking care of your health and well-being.
You're going to train, not get injured or get an infection from getting covered in other people's dirt.
Therefore, cleanliness is another notable criterion to take into account to evaluate the quality of a CrossFit box. Have you ever gone to CrossFit and the box was dirty or in poor condition? If this is so, it is a clear indicator that it is time to change.
Whether it's the main area, the adjoining rooms, the changing rooms and showers or the entrance, you better not see cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, mold in the showers or end up black with dirt when doing two burpees – yes, the rubber floor is bad for your knees. black, but there are levels of black that reach the unhealthy level.
3. Quality material.
We are not referring to prestigious brands – although good material is usually associated with a good brand.
We mean that the material has to be correct and not in poor condition .
A clean and well-fixed rack, bars and discs in good condition, ropes without fraying, ropes without tangles, abmat without breaks due to wear, etc.
It is normal for the box material to break due to use, but misuse of the material or poor quality material denotes little interest on the part of the owners in offering safe classes .
And having an entire Rogue box whose material is in pieces is just as bad as using non-professional material. Has it ever happened to you that you have been slow when picking up a rope and that the one provided by the box did not rotate well? This is another very negative and very frustrating sign.
4. Tracking
By monitoring we mean, on the one hand, the monitoring of the athletes' training , the progress of the novices; and on the other, to customer service .
A gym is, after all, a business that provides a service. And every business needs constant feedback to improve.
What is the follow-up of athlete-clients like?
- It can be done one on one, talking to boxing partners.
- Through social networks such as Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp.
- Through booking and athlete tracking applications.
- Sending periodic satisfaction surveys.
- With a simple suggestion box available at reception.
A box that cares about you as an athlete and as a partner is a plus. If there is no follow-up from the box, it is difficult for you to improve, to integrate into the community, and in the end you will end up getting tired and stopping going.
5. Specialization
When you have been doing CrossFit for a while, you will reach a point where you will get bored, you will seek to improve a specific skill or you will want to specialize in a specific discipline.
Hence, a good CrossFit box must also offer you complementary classes to maintain your sporting curiosity until the end.
Surely more than one person has discovered their talent in gymnastics or weightlifting thanks to CrossFit.
Therefore, if you see that your box does not offer more specific classes such as strongman, endurance, yoga or powerlifting, you are already giving your coaches a warning to wake up – and if there is no suggestion box for this, run away! – .
6. Community
Crossfit is also Community .
You are your own rival and you compete against yourself. But better to suffer accompanied than alone, right?
This is the beauty of CrossFit, what some who see it from the outside call a 'sect'.
A good box has to foster community through competitions, solidarity events, dinners and various meals because, after all, we sign up to play sports and socialize.
Here you have examples of plans to do with your community
7. Feel at ease
And, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable.
As we have said before, each CrossFit box is a world in itself and, in addition to the six quality criteria that we have listed, the seventh depends on each one.
There will always be a more personal factor such as the people who train with you, the music they play at the WODs, the classes they teach, the location, whether it is an affiliated box or not, and a long etcetera.
Whatever the criteria, a good CrossFit box is one where you are going to train motivated, comfortable and to which you return week after week, month after month, year after year.
Therefore, when choosing a CrossFit box, you should ask yourself if it meets these criteria, and if not, it is better to look for others. If you are already signed up for one...
Does your box meet these 7 quality indicators?
