When most people see the price for a CrossFit gym they are a little surprised. It totally makes sense. Most gyms these days cost anywhere from $10 to $60 a month, while a CrossFit gym may be anywhere from $90-200 per month. So what is the difference between a gym that charges $10 a month and a CrossFit gym that charges $180?
I remember working at 24 Hour Fitness when I first started training and watching the sales guys bring in new members. They had their fancy flip binders with all the different options and all the details of what the gym offered. You could choose to go to all gyms or just certain types. Some had special classes, maybe a swimming pool, basketball courts, etc . . . They all had pretty much the same equipment and most were actually open 24/7. The things they always offered were very tangible, you could walk in and see them, you could look them up online. It all looks so appealing to the average customer. So many offerings for such a bargain!
So why do CrossFit gyms cost so much more? Let’s take a look at what they offer . . . They all are independently owned, so you only get to go to that one location some places like Outlier have more than one location available. The vast majority operate on classes, so you have to schedule around the gym’s set up and you can’t go in when it is at your greatest convenience. The amenities are typically at a minimum, some gyms may have showers or places for you to store your belongings. On paper or online, a CrossFit gym may look like it really doesn’t offer all that much to the average person.
So why do so many people seem to want to start and keep going?
Well that’s because the things that make a CrossFit gym like Outlier worth the cost . . . aren’t things, they’re experiences.
Yes there are classes, some gyms have extra programming like our Hybrid program or our barbell speciality class. We have the equipment to work on your fitness. What makes it special and what keeps people working on a regular basis are the interactions with the other people here. As you attend and come in you develop relationships. Some may be friendships that you wouldn’t have discovered before. Sometimes people make the newest friends at our social get togethers (like our Halloween party)! You have coaches that guide you through the movements and the programming. Coaches to help you figure out what is happening with your lifts so you can get better. You have people around you that tell you when you are looking strong and when it may be a good idea to bump that kettlebell up in weight, or to go down on the pull up band. You have an array of people to help push you to work harder. People that you want to catch up with and serve as motivation for something to work towards. When you are having a rough day and it is flowing over into your workout . . . you have people around that will let you know it’s ok and to enjoy what you can while you’re here and do your best. You have a place where you can relax and not worry about the work day or the chores you have to take care of when you get home. Even if you are a more solitary creature, you have structure. You can just show up and work. No pressure to think about what you need to do or to make up.
While the results of the workouts can do a lot for just about everyone when followed . . . just doing to the workouts isn’t where the magic happens. The best part of CrossFit isn’t the exercise. It’s the showing up and rocking out with your friends and going through the struggle together, shoulder to shoulder, and getting your daily dose of community and improvement.
Coach P