Future of Crossfit gyms

[Jacob Israel Briskin]

Original post is OP's fifth post. One of his other posts contains the sentence: "All this attention, combined with some sweet tunes from my iPod, really motivated me to workout hard."

And another one is about how he enjoys using the adductor machine.

My face when...

[Joey Powell]

Here is a better question...

What is the difference between a gym and a training center? When you figure that out, get back to us.

[Aaron C Bennett]

Originally Posted by Fredrik Tuvene

I understand if the owner doesn't want to sit in there all day, that's why you bring in 3-4 high school/college students that will get free membership in exchange for watching over the gym a couple of hours a week during non-peak hours.

These students would need at least a Level 1 cert to be able to legally be the responsible parties on premises when the owner is gone. This would cost those students more money than I could have afforded as a student. If you are getting such people, they doesn't sound (stereotypically) like trainers who would be able to help people on their lifts (which is why you wanted the affilitate open). There is a reason why most GloboGyms don't have bumpers and lifting platforms. It may not be rocket surgery (to quote David Lee Roth), but it's a precarious situation that I wouldn't want to be responsible for.
Perhaps a solution to your problem would be for affiliates and the local olympic weightlifting clubs to have some sort of reciprocity deal.
Another solution would be to pick up a cheap set of iron weights on Craigslist. Store the weights in your apartment/condo; bring them out and lift on a patch of grass at your complex.

[Scott Stevens]

Originally Posted by Jacob Israel Briskin

And another one is about how he enjoys using the adductor machine.

hahaha. I did the same thing. I loved that post too.

[Aaron C Bennett]

Originally Posted by Joey Powell

Here is a better question...

What is the difference between a gym and a training center? When you figure that out, get back to us.

One of the big differences I noticed when I trained at the Olympic Training Center was the knowledge of the trainers. I don't think this is quite the same if the affiliate is staffed by Level 1 trainers who just put people through the mainsite WOD and don't have a broad enough knowledge of the subject to be able to fully coach someone with any issues outside of the norm. We've all seen people who come here, drink the Kool-Aid, and are opening a box in less than a year of working out (for some, that's total, not just under Crossfit methodology). Now, I understand that there is a huge difference between the Olympic Village and Podunkaville; but, with grossly inadequate trainers, I really don't think people are getting their money's worth. In those cases, it is pretty much the access to the equipment (as they could, presumably get the WOD themselves off the website).
Of course, people could always get the Level 1 cert and then work out a deal with a box owner that would allow them freer rein of the box in exchange for teaching a couple classes a week.

[William F. Burgess]

http://www.crossfitcombatfitness.com/prices.htmlYOU MUST ANNOTATE ALL LINKS AS TO WHETHER WORK AND FAMILY SAFE

Here is an affiliate in Fresno. $40 a month open gym. If you want personal training or classes you can get that for more. Take a look at the facility pics. Pretty well equipped. They even have the high quality bumper plates from what it looks like.

I was going to bring this up myself, but since a thread has already been started I will chime in. With more and more people becoming proficient at CrossFit exercises and its ever growing popularity I can't see this pricing substaining itself.

Its only a matter of time that some opens a non-affiliate gym that is equipped to do all of the CrossFit workouts. If I ever figure out how to generate the capital to start one thats what I will do. I am sure it will cost less than starting a globo gym with all of their fancy machines. For the price of each machine one can get at least one high quality bumper plate set and probably several economy sets.

It is only because most globo gyms are not CrossFit workout friendly(especially to the O-lifts) that there is a market for this. Even though this is the case a lot of people shy away from joining an affiliate because of the price. I went to get some O-lift lessons at a local affiliate before the instructor started his regular class. I couldn't help but notice how little people were there working out. On the other hand, when I was a member at the local globo gym with more competitive pricing there was always an abundance of people there. Granted a lot of people were just goofing off, but still I saw quite a few serious power lifters training there at any hour of the day, even 5 AM.

My prediction is that in five years or so the market for this will dry up.

[Tamara Cohen]

So much I could say here, but I'm not going to fall into that trap.

I will say that my affiliate stopped offering open gym about a year ago for a variety of reasons. At the time, there were TWO of us who regularly attended open gym. Now the affiliate is much, much bigger and people started making a lot of noise about having open gym. So, open gym sessions started again a few weeks ago. Number of people who have worked out so far at a weekday open gym session other than me = ONE. And, she only came on one day. So, yeah...I'm sure the owners have nothing better to do with their time than to sit around and wait for no one to show up.

Still wondering what is going on in that avatar pic, though...

[Tamara Cohen]

Originally Posted by William F. Burgess

With more and more people becoming proficient at CrossFit exercises...

Can't. Stop. Laughing.

Really.

Please define proficient and reference relevant videos from out in internet-land. You can even use photos and videos from various CrossFit affiliates to show just how "proficient" people are. Perhaps as proficient as the avatar pic of the OP...

[William F. Burgess]

Originally Posted by Aaron C Bennett

One of the big differences I noticed when I trained at the Olympic Training Center was the knowledge of the trainers. I don't think this is quite the same if the affiliate is staffed by Level 1 trainers who just put people through the mainsite WOD and don't have a broad enough knowledge of the subject to be able to fully coach someone with any issues outside of the norm. We've all seen people who come here, drink the Kool-Aid, and are opening a box in less than a year of working out (for some, that's total, not just under Crossfit methodology). Now, I understand that there is a huge difference between the Olympic Village and Podunkaville; but, with grossly inadequate trainers, I really don't think people are getting their money's worth. In those cases, it is pretty much the access to the equipment (as they could, presumably get the WOD themselves off the website).

Good point. When I took Tae Kwon Do as a kid, anyone instructing the class had a minimum of 3 years hard training under their belt. That would be a rare instance as it was often tought by the owner of the school, with 20+ years experience or one of his senior students with 10+ years experience.

[Ron Murray]

oh boy, this old chestnut...