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This fall we sat down with six of our members for some feedback. We asked a variety of questions which included what almost kept them from walking through our door, and what keeps them coming back? These members also ranged from long-term members (7 & 9 years) and shorter term members ranging from 1-3 years.
The first answers surprised us a little but were understandable. Nobody said the workouts looked too hard. They said they thought CrossFit was for soldiers and serious athletes. They said barbells looked scary. They said they wouldn't know anyone.
The reasons they stay were really cool to hear because it had nothing to do with fancy equipment or even the workouts themselves. The reasons they stay are the hardest to put into words & quantify. Members talked about coaches who notice every rep, a room that cheers you on and supports you through the last few reps. They talked about feeling stronger and calmer long after class ends and they're outside the gym walls.
If you've had some of the same worries, this post is for you. Below are the five things our members believed before joining and what they found instead, plus what gets them in the door on the days they'd rather stay home. You also have the opportunity to come see for yourself at our free trial class, Saturday, November 14, 9:00 to 10:00am.
One member, a mom who wanted a class while her kids were at school, told us she assumed CrossFit was for military folks and people training for something big. Another had heard the stories about intense, ego-driven gyms and had lived through one himself.
What they found instead: a regular neighborhood gym with parents, teachers, retirees, and people with desk jobs. The same member who had previously experienced an ego-driven gym said the first thing he noticed about CrossFit Good Fortune was that we looked approachable.
You don't. Three different members told us the same thing they now tell their friends: you don't need an athletic background, because every workout is scaled to meet you where you are. Some of our members did CrossFit in college. Some had never touched a barbell. They do the same workout, side by side, at different weights, speeds and complexity. Everyone comes into the gym in a different place each day, so the workout adjusts to you.
Fair. They can look that way if you've never had the opportunity to experience one. One member came to us after yoga, spin and an online boot camp, and the barbell was the part that worried her most. That's exactly why we coach every lift from the ground up, and why a coach is watching every rep, not just running a clock. We don't expect you to know everything on Day 1 or even Day 51.
Walking into a room where everyone seems to know each other is hard. One member said not knowing anyone was her biggest hesitation. Today she talks about how everyone cheers for each other, even for whoever finishes last. You'll get greeted at the door, introduced at the whiteboard, and you'll know names by the end of the hour.
A member who'd tried to figure out a commercial gym on his own said what hooked him was that we have an on-ramp, not a sink-or-swim start. New members learn the foundations before they're expected to do them under the clock. And the coaching doesn't fade after the first month: another member said he still gets the same attention he got on day one. The coaching never stops.
Getting through the door the first time is one thing. We also asked what gets them in on the days they're tired and just don't feel like it. Here's what they said.
Our classes are small enough that coaches see every rep. One member said even a small correction makes a huge difference, and she doesn't think she'd be coached this well anywhere else. Another, who did CrossFit in high school and college, noticed more attention to detail and better movement breakdowns than she'd had before.
Miss a few days and you'll get a text from a coach checking in on you. Members told us that being missed is part of what keeps them consistent.
Our members love the Committed Club dubbed "Good Fortune Gains". When you hit 15 classes in a month you earn a sticker and a shot at our raffle prize. It sounds small, but members kept bringing it up anyway.
We asked members for their favorite moment of class. They named the greeting at the door, chatting at the whiteboard, and the hype right before the clock starts. Kids are welcome in the gym too so when life gets busy they're a place for them to hang out in the lounge. One member remembered a classmate bringing both her kids and nobody batting an eye. The kids think of it as their fun place too.
Members talked about more energy, handling stress better, and being able to keep up with their kids. One said CrossFit taught her she can do anything for a minute, and that mindset shows up everywhere. Another said it made him think about his health, body and mind, as a whole.
Several members came to us after getting bored with spin, apps and solo routines. Workouts change every day, so there's always something new to work on.
One of our members put it best: what hooked him wasn't anything he read online. It was the trial class.
We're offering a free trial class this Saturday, November 14, 9:00 to 10:00am, at 34C Industrial Park Rd in Niantic.
Here's what to expect:
Bring a friend if that makes it easier. Nervous is normal. Almost every member we talked to was, too.
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