CenterPointe Raise the Bar classes were one of the best parts of my summer internship in DC. Amy, Chris, Jeanie, and Andrew are wonderful coaches. They and my RtB classmates were super welcoming, supportive, and encouraging.
Programming-wise, RtB is similar to CrossFit. Every workout starts with a warm-up that is related to the day's main workout. The main workout is usually a compound lift plus conditioning/accessory work, intense conditioning work, or some kind of running/sprinting.
The coaches make sure to work with your level--what they ask you to do is adjusted for whether you have been doing heavy back squats for years or can't squat to parallel, whether you can do five unassisted pull-ups in a row or are working up to assisted pull-ups through inverted rows. They also happily work around whatever injury you may have, coming up with alternative exercises that avoid stressing the injury. And they keep track of your progressions on various exercises and recommend how much weight to lift/how deep to move, so you don't have to guess what you should be doing. They can do this because class sizes are capped at around 8 people. It's as much attention as you might want from a one-on-one personal trainer, but much, much more affordable if you work out frequently.
In the three months that I had the pleasure of attending RtB, I did an unassisted pull-up for the first time in my life and vastly improved my form for both Olympic lifts (with which I had little prior experience) and powerlifting lifts (with which I had years of prior experience). I was having trouble progressing beyond intermediate strength standards because my form was off, and RtB has so noticeably improved my form that I look forward to seeing what I can do in the upcoming year.
Whether you have little experience with exercise and don't know where to start, or have been exercising for a while but are feeling stuck, CenterPointe RtB has the individualized, attentive coaching and focus on form that you need! read more
