Wednesday, 27 Oct, 2010

QOD: Community, Coaching, Convenience, Price, Atmosphere. Or maybe C,C,C, Atmosphere, Price.
It'd be hard to pay top dollar for the use of crappy bars and equipment then use a slit trench for a latrine. The rustic black iron gym is cool and all, but you can take it too far.

Hahaha... slit trench? I guess our gym isn't so bad right now after all?

QOD: Community, Coaching, Price, Atmosphere, Convenience

I think one thing to keep in perspective is that these can and will change order as an individual progresses in time and ability through their own personal crossfit "career" or experience.

Community, Atmosphere, Coaching, Prices, Convenience

And by atmosphere...I mean "vibe" of the gym -vs- physical surroundings. I gotta have a go hard or go home type place to WOD in.

Rx'd
5:57

QOD: Great point Josh. I'm going to add one, Customer Service. I must be getting old but I've come to really appreciate great customer care and the feeling of being a priority when and where I spend my hard earned dollars, especially in this economy. My order goes Customer Service, Community, Coaching, Atmosphere, Price, Convenience

QOD: Mine would be the same order as Aaron. Like KLowe, I think the atmosphere has more to do with the vibe of the place rather than my surroundings. I feel like community and atmosphere will pull one another in a positive or negative direction. If the community is positive and motivated the atmosphere of the box will reflect that.

scaled to 7 reps 6:14

QOD:
Coaching, Prices, Community, Convenience, Atmosphere

This brings up a great idea. Instead of regular latrines in the new building, can we get build our own from wood? I really enjoy the ones with half a 55 gallon drum in it that you have to burn off every two days or so.

This will certainly save in utility costs down the road.

QOD: Coaching, Prices, Community, Atmosphere, Convenience.
Obviously (to me anyway), the coaching has to come first, who would want to even consider how much it costs, what kind of people are there, or how far it is from the home/office if the coaches are crap. Having said that, reasonable prices are equally important. With the lifestyle changes that one makes when persuing better health & fitness like CF memberships, food costs, all the new clothes/shoes you need to do CF, and competition costs just to name a few, it's hard to keep extra change in your pockets and while CF is extremely important, it's not my whole life. I think community and atmosphere should be lumped in the same category b/c the CF community makes or breaks a gym atmosphere. In meeting different CFers, it's a given that the people you meet are going to be top notch therefore comprising a great community/atmosphere. And the convenience factor...well, once all the others things are considered and you know you're going to do CF at whatever costs, you just make it happen no matter how convenient it is or isn't.

8:59 this morning, scaled to 10 pound WBS & Jumping pull-ups. I have a hard time sometimes at the 6am class...my energy level can be really low compared to how I feel at 4:30 or 5:30pm! I think part of the problem is that I have a hard time eating that early in the morning.

Anyone have any suggestions for what to eat before an early morning workout?

Great summary Kristi!!!

QOD:
Community/Customer Service(thanks Aaron) of the new box
Prices
Coaching
Atmosphere
Convenience

Agreed Kristi.

As much I love Crossfit, if it doesn't fit into my budget then I wouldn't be able to stick with it.

I think this is a great QOD!
I also agree with Aaron, customer service is a great addition to the list and so very important!
Customer Service, Community, Coaching, Atmosphere, Convenience…Price?
Unfortunately, I have a hard time deciding where to put price on my list... while I value the other items much more, I am forced to consider the price of where I work out. Although I would love to be able to pay any price to attend a CrossFit gym, that is just not realistic in my teacher’s budget. So, my question is this… Aren’t we limiting the “types” of people that we are allowing to do CrossFit? There are many great athletes that I know that would love to be doing CrossFit and that would thrive in our gym but simply can’t afford it. I am definitely willing to make sacrifices to attend CrossFit, and I do. I love everything about our gym and community but I would probably be lying if I said that price was the last thing on my list of things to consider.

5:39 as rx'd

"not everyone can be a Justin"

solid work!

Right there with you!

Add me to that list!

Erin,
When I have my 2 block snack before bed, I'm good to go in the morning. However, if I miss it and wake up hungry I will usually eat half a Lara Bar before the 6am wod. Of course, I always have a cup of coffee before anything. This helps me with energy and definetly "lightens" me up before the wod.

Very true- I will pay more for good customer service and do so all the time- have gone a few miles out of my for good customer service too.

Well put Kristi.

A month @ CF is what I ask for now for b-day and holiday gifts. :) It has helped a lot. It is a lifestyle choice for sure.

It is always a treat to see the CFHSV pacesetters do thier WOD in person- amazing. Great job today.

sp* "write", not "right"

Great Question: "Aren’t we limiting the “types” of people that we are allowing to do CrossFit?"

- IMO not at all. Anyone can crossfit anywhere. Everything you need to get started is all available for free online. Equipment subs can be as simple as finding a rock or a tree branch.

- What we are paying for is great coaching. As a professional that gets paid for my "knowledge" I whole-heartedly grasp the concept of paying well for talented people that not only know a lot about a subject but also care enough to motivate the client to a positive end.
CFHSV is EXTREMELY blessed with our coaching staff.
-Level II - traveling cert instructor, Games Athlete, Games judge
-Level II - Multi Cert, EXTREMELY EXPERIENCED military leader, CF
-and two multisport background, training background, extremely talented and motivating coaches.

Think about what we have pushing us -vs- going to a cheaper box with non-certed staff under the leadership of a level I that thinks they know it all.

There is VALUE in the world class coaching that we get on a daily basis

12:10 as rx'd

WBS were just plain silly after all those pullups. My arms were like jelly!

I used the pullup grip from the article yesterday and did not rip at all!!

Coaching quality , Community, Prices, Atmosphere, Convenience

Coaches set the tone- quality is important and so is personalization. I love the fact that our coaches know everyone's name, their personality type, and skill level. This would also fall into customer service for me.

Our CFHSV community is a HUGE part of what makes the CF experience and can be lumped in with Atmosphere. Sometimes when we have the team days I feel bad b/c I am not pulling my weight, but when people are supportive that makes it better. Also in general its nice when others finish their WOD and cheer/help inspire those who have not finished yet or give pointers to get them through.

Price has been discussed above- it is a lifestyle choice and there is a limit (in our household at least).

As a recovering OCD person, CF has taught me that dirt, grime, blood, skin, and all the other wonderful things found at CF are ok and it has actually helped me outside of the gym not to be so grossed out all the time. I love the atmosphere at CFHSV.

Convenience is last b/c I LOVE where our location is and have never had to think about it.

You are right Kevin. You don't know what you don't know... if this is the only box you have been to, you may not fully grasp the difference that a great coach makes.

1) Coaching / Programming
2) Equipment

Nothing else matters as long as it isn't blatantly unacceptable (like a $35 one-time drop-in fee I had to pay once while traveling, or one that I didn't try because they only had 6am classes).

I eat 2 blocks as soon as I get up at 5AM. I usually eat chicken, an orange, and almonds.

8:19 as rx'd

This is an unsat time to say the least. I lost waaayyy too many wallball shots due to crap technique. Pullups were all unbroken and pretty fast, so this WOD should have been much better for me.

List of stuff to work on:

#187: wallballs

I agree with what both of you said... and I know what kind of excellent coaching we have at CFHSV but what I was saying is that not everyone can afford to join a CrossFit gym (Community, Coaching, Atmosphere, Convenience would all be missing)and still pay their other bills. I actually think that coaching is a lot like teaching, which I can relate to.

Kevin said "What we are paying for is great coaching. As a professional that gets paid for my “knowledge” I whole-heartedly grasp the concept of paying well for talented people that not only know a lot about a subject but also care enough to motivate the client to a positive end."
- Although I completely agree with that, it's hard for me to swallow because I feel like I do the same at my job but only get paid what the state says a teacher is worth (which is a whole other subject.) Anyways... As someone who would be at risk of losing their membership IF prices went up, I was not trying to make a comment on coaching (although they are related) just simply point out the many quality athletes that we would lose simply because of their chosen profession.

It's been a while since I've been a part of a CF gym class as an athlete instead of as a coach ( CrossFit Iron Tribe would be the last) but I figured I would add my 2 cents as well.

I think this is actually a pretty hard question to answer, because a few of these factors are intrinsically linked. Good coaching, for instance ( in my opinion) builds great relationships and therefore helps with both community and atmosphere... but I don't want to sound like a politician here so I'll just answer the question:

Coaching, Community, Convenience, Prices, Atmosphere.

I think Coaching is the key to results, relationships, motivation, and enjoyment of any gym. Community is huge because I sure hate to workout around people I don't know or don't feel connected to. Convenience comes next because I truly hate driving long distances and taking a ton of time out of my schedule just to workout, and while prices are important, I am a firm believer that anyone can afford CrossFit, it's just a matter of what other things you are willing to give up ( just like I would be willing to give up coffee and sell a car to pay for something like private school for my kids) and because I am willing to give up A LOT I would probably pay a little more than some people. Atmosphere is last, not because it isn't important but because it is like the icing on the cake. I love a big, clean, open gym with lots of natural light and heavy objects lying around. Dirty stuffy warehouses and broken barbells aren't my favorite....hmmm.. time to move maybe??

As rx'd - 9:44
Not my best performance.

QOD:

I see "community" as being about the people. With the right people, you get the right vibe.

I see "atmosphere" as being about the quality and quantity of the actual gym and equipment.

My ranking...

Coaching quality:
Without this, I wouldn't be here.

Prices:
It's important. I got other hobbies too.

Community:
It's important to me to be surrounded by quality people. I like training with everyone and I really love all of the new CF friends I've made, but honestly speaking... without quality coaching at a price I can afford, I wouldn't be here.

Convenience:
This is a concern, but I'm willing to go out of my way for the right training.

Atmosphere:
It is nice having quality equipment, but that's not what brings me to the gym.

WOD - 4:01
Jake killed this one! I'll let the freak post his own time and notes.

Good to be back to metcon land!

QOD - I think I would rank those factors as follows:

Coaching - I know enough to know I need expert trainers helping me out. I could work out on my own (and have in the past) but I think what really helps me get results is having someone to tell me when I'm doing it wrong. And how to do it right.

Community - I've enjoyed meeting everyone at the gym (at least in the afternoon classes) and I think encouragement from other Crossfitters is really important in helping me do better.

Convenience - I opted to go the CFHSV instead of the one in Madison because it is far closer to my office and home, even though Madison is cheaper. So in fact, I already have made a decision about where to train based on convenience instead of price.

Price - Price is pretty important to me, but I think I am receiving a good value for what I pay. That said, I hope prices stay where they are. ;)

Atmosphere - If by atmosphere you mean facility, that isn't particularly important to me. A burpee doesn't suck any less because you are in a posh setting. If by atmosphere you mean friendliness, good vibes, etc. than that would rank higher on the list, probably on par with 'Community.'

Rx'd
3:54

I have a video of this, I just have to figure out how to upload it to my computer. We'll see if it stands the test of the critics

QOD: When I first started working out at CFHSV in August of 2009 all I knew was that I wanted to do CrossFit and I wanted to be apart of an affiliate. Was the price more than what I was used to paying at any other gym? Of course. To be honest though I didn't really care about the price. I had to sacrifice a lot to be able to pay for CrossFit on my own but it was more than worth it.

So, my list when I first started CrossFit would be as follows.

Atmosphere, Community, Price, Convenience, Coaching

I wanted an atmosphere and community where I knew I would be pushed to my limits day in and day out. The coaching was more of an added bonus at the time. As my knowledge of CrossFit has grown and I have had the opportunity to realize how important having good coaches to teach and motivate us can be it now looks like this.

Coaching, Atmosphere, Community, Price, Convenience

Even as a trainer the Coaching that I receive from Russell, Tracey, Josh, and Dennis cannot have a high enough price put on it. If it were not for them and the high intensity atmosphere that we have at CFHSV I would be no where near the level of fitness I am at today.

Scaled to 5 reps - 4:57

1)Coaching - Coming from someone who has NEVER worked out with weights before and only doing CF since June...coaching is vital to my improvement and success in CF.

2)Price - I waited a year before joining CF b/c of the price. Having said that, now that I'm here...I understand why the prices are what they are. But, with most people in today's society...I live on a budget...so they are important to me.

3)Atmosphere & Community - These two go hand and hand to me. If the community is bad, the atmosphere is not pleasant. I believe that 'typically' leadership sets the tone for both of these and then most tend to follow.

4)Lastly is convenience. I wouldn't mind a drive to a CF location if all the above was above par.

9:01 (Scaled to 7 reps per round & 10#); I was defeated by negativity before I ever started. I have got to get over that with WBs.

QOD: Extremely hard question! I put coaching first, convenience last, community/atmosphere somewhere in the middle, and all balanced with price.

I was worried about the same thing and usually don't do well in morning workouts in the past, but so far so good. I eat a block before I work out, but his morning I woke up too late and had to take meds instead of eat... The night before I had a late dinner and I may have actually liked that better?

Great comment and you time is SICK! Post the video!

Your last 4 rounds got better and better once you got in the zone. You CAN do WB, seriously- I saw it with my own two eyes sister!

Community, Coaching, Convenience,Atmosphere Prices

I think everyone has a different set of priorities just like in life.

Jake way to smoke that WOD today. The Bourbon Chase run must have helped you!

Awesome times CFHSV athletes. It is scary for me when I completed all sets unbroken, no rest in between sets, all pull-ups butterfly linked non-stop, all wallballs hit and no drops, and no hands on knees straight to each exercise without a rest and still get beat by over a minute. Great job to everyone today that CrossFit and hit today's WOD at full speed.
No Regrets, but more work needed as RXd = 5:13
Train Hard, Train Smart, Train to Survive!

Coaching then Coaching again,
then Community, all else falls in line thereafter in no particular order.
I will travel the high seas, climb the highest mountains and pay extreme amounts to get coached and learn even one thing from a coach, someone I coach or another person (no matter what skill level) that will help me coach, teach, mentor in an effective, efficient and safe manner that helps athletes better themselves and others.
Train Hard, Train Smart, Train to Survive!

7:08 rx. I did this yesterday at home.

Coaching quality, Convenience, Price, Community, Atmosphere

I would also add programming as a field. Some of the gyms I have been to do their own programming and it sucks. Some do there own and have some really creative wods (like what Russell does on the off days).

FYI. My mom was a teacher for 20ish years. I totally agree that you guys don't get paid enough and that such an incredibly important profession of educating kids lacks the much needed respect it deserves. Like you said.....different argument all together.

I think that i would have to disagree with the limiting portion. I agree with Katie, if this is the only box you have gone to, you might not be able to understand how great it is. also, if you learned the basics here, you also might not realize (when going to another gym) what an amazing foundation you have because of your start at CFHSV. When I went to my level one cert (and I have heard this from many other CFHSV athletes), the coaches were amazed at my proficiency and had very few critiques of my form. I know that this is not because I was online studying technique, but because of what I was taught at CFHSV.

That being said, I do think we (the entire CF community who chose to go to a box rather than going it alone) pay a lot for CrossFit. It is an expensive program and I agree with Kristi that the lifestyle expense can add up too....BUT, we also get A LOT for our money. If you have ever worked out with a personal trainer, you might know what I mean. I worked out with one for about 6 months, 3 days a week. It cost me (back in 2005) over 400 a month. I did not receive the same level of attention (yes, even with a one-on-one trainer) or results as I do with CF. I have also had a wide variety of jobs, including one year as a teacher. It is a VERY underpaid profession and I hate that. I think teachers should make much more money and I think other occupations are often undervalued/underpaid as well: police officers, fire fighters, military personal.

But I would also like to you all to think about your CrossFit trainers...what about them? Much of what your membership dues go toward are salaries for your trainers. CFHSV costs more than some CF boxes. This is a plain fact. BUT, we also try to pay our trainers well enough (and we are not even close to what I would like to pay them) so that this can be their career instead of some job on the side. We have trainers at our gym who have multiple certifications, years of experience, and a genuine love and talent for what they do. I think we should consider them when we think of our rates.

Finally, as I said before, I have been a teacher and I know how hard it can be to make ends meet and sometimes it just won't work. At the same time, I also know that almost all of us spend money on random stuff or stuff we do not HAVE to have from time to time. Most of us can cut things out and find a way to pay for our membership IF we really value it. Maybe it's getting cheaper gas for the car or walking to the grocery from time to time. Maybe its getting groceries online from amazon (for all you moms, you can get 30% off of tons of stuff if you put it on auto-order...great for diapers, etc) You can also go in with friends on a whole cow to make it cheaper, grow veggies in your own garden. blah, blah, etc.

The point is that when you really value something and the people who are behind it, you will find a way to make it work. You will realize that people like Jake, Dennis, Josh, and Tracey deserve to get paid well because they are amazing coaches with considerable talent who devote a great deal of their personal time to thinking of new and better ways to help you.

COACHING QUALITY (without a doubt. who cares if people are nice to me and the bathrooms are clean if I do a lift and break my back)
COMMUNITY (in the new bldg, I think this will grow to be even better)
CONVENIENCE (with two kids, I need child care and a close location)
PRICES (I would like them to be reasonable and budgetable for me)
ATMOSPHERE (clean is nice but its not alllll that important)

As Rx'd - 3:22

7:55 10 wall balls/7 pull ups...scaled for intensity.

Thanks guys! I might try a snack before bed, wake up a little earlier, and have a 1 block snack in the morning...maybe that'll help!

First I just want to say that I think people are misunderstanding my comments. I completely agree that we have excellent trainers and pay a high price for them. Which is fine. I believe our coach makes us the community and athletes that we are! Basically I was trying to say that I would be really sad if I had to find a different gym to work out at because it didn't fit my budget. I also understand this is a business and everyone needs to get paid. I love CFHSV, that's why I have been around since 2008, and don't plan on leaving.

9:39:43 as rxed

9:43 as rxed

Honey Nut Cheerios with Protein Powder in the Whole Milk. Better than nothing in a bind.

Lindsey,
I get what your trying to say. My little sister (hell, not that little... she's 28) is in PT school in Chattanooga. Basically living on loans and fumes. She's been trying to CF solo for the last 18 months with typical results. Reading the mainsite WOD, trying to do too much too soon, getting too sore, too discouraged or injured. Lather, rinse, repeat. She has finally (as of this week) joined the CF box in Chattanooga and is ecstatic to finally have a coach that will rein her in and keep her safe. But, she's wasted the last year and a half farting around. She had to make it a priority.

Hey Lindsey,

I apologize if it came across that way or if I misunderstood your comments and headed off in some random direction :)

I was basically just trying to say what Patrick so nicely summed up....making things a priority. Same thing happened to Russell and me when we decided to go for it and make CFHSV its own business (rather than a class at the Matrix). He quit school and we had to cut out things we really liked like smart phones and cable and HBO...we really had to cut back to make it work (like many of you already do).

That being said, I am glad you and Brad have stuck with us since that original class over on the green floor. You two were with us nearly from day one and we are so proud to have you and to have you as friends.

(and Cole and Campbell are going to get married and crush it at the 2030 Games!!!)

Kat

As Rx'd in 3:22 guess my posts are being screened or just rejected

Josh that's called a spam filter.

That is a ridiculous time. Nice work.

I would like to add a new quote in the mix:

"not everyone can do wall balls like Josh!"

AWESOME time!!!!!!

Thanks for clarifying Russell. I figured it was the server, it has done that a few times to my posts. For some reason it happens when I right less, rather than more.