A new gym less than a mile from my house and they had a six am class, which meant I had enough time to go to class and get home to still get ready for work. I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision, so I tried a free class.
Their work outs were different from what I was used to. Everyone actually warmed up. They got there and got right to work. After warm up we some group stretching and then we did our daily WOD. In contrast my old gym not everyone warmed up. We also usually did a mini WOD and then our daily WOD.
I was a little worried after that work out. I knew traditional CrossFit had more stretching and mobility work, but I was nervous I wouldn't get as good as a work out. In the end the time savings in the day, savings in gas, and the ability to shower at home won me over.
Now I have been at my new gym for two months. The do a lot more ring work and the mobility work is helping make me stronger. I am more flexible now and less worried about getting injured. I do miss the amount of heavy lifting we did before. The other reason I am less worried about getting injured is all the trainers are really really good. They correct people's form constantly. They'll interrupt you in a WOD if you are doing something wrong. They are all at least crossfit level one certified, if not higher.
So here are some things to look for when switching:
- Make sure they offer a fundamentals/introductory class for newbies. If they don't I'd be worried about getting injured.
- Check out the trainers. What's their background? Are they CrossFit certified?
- Do they limit the number of participants in a class? If not, I would once again be worried about getting injured.
- Read their blog and check out their Facebook page. See what events they hold at the gym and programs they run. If they gym has a strong sense of community it will probably be a good place to be.
