Thank God there are two crossfit gyms located in Glenview. I learned the hard way that this is the one you don't want to join. I have been doing crossfit for a little over two years. I started out at Windy City Crossfit, where I was a member for two years. I was totally hooked. I had never picked up a barbell in my life and as they say, I drank the "kool aid."
Before moving to Glenview I attended a seminar on double unders. I met a CFI member there and told her I was moving and CFI was the closest gym to our new home. I asked her if she liked it. She said it was "fine", but some people thought Carlos, the owner, was a little stand offish and cold. It was a less than positive response, but I really don't have issues with people and if I was not best friends with the owner of my gym my world would not end. It's funny now that I am writing this review because when I read the reviews for Crossfit Haven,the other crossfit gym in Glenview, a yelper describes the owner of CFI as being not "personable." I really wish I had read some reviews before signing up which is why I feel the need to write one now.
It is true that the owner is impersonable, but his business skills leave much to be desired as well. I joined CFI in March with a contract for 9 months that cost me $195 for three visits a week. Crossfit is expensive, but this is EXTREMELY pricey. You can get the same deal without a contract at Crossfit Haven for $36 bucks cheaper a month. The first month I was a member of CFI they canceled Saturday classes for the regular membership holders because they were holding a special WOD for people who paid extra ($65 or so) to do a lifetime challenge or something. I like to go on Saturdays and I had paid to be able to go on Saturdays. This was the first sign I got that keeping their members happy might not be a priority. The owner kept sending an email asking for feedback as a new member. I did not say anything because I don't like to rock the boat. I knew I had a 9 month contract and the owner was unfriendly enough. Pointing out his lack of business sense, let alone common sense, may have left him even more disgruntled.
The crossfit regionals came to Chicago one weekend in the spring. One of the coaches, who happened to be the owner's girlfriend, was a participant. Surprise, surprise...classes on Saturday were canceled and then Friday evening classes were also canceled shortly after so the owner could watch the competition. I guess he never thought of accommodating the paying members of his gym by providing another coach so that no one lost out. The more I thought about it, the more I decided it was time for me to provide the feedback for which he had been asking. I wrote a very nice email stating that I was disappointed the members could not be accommodated and it was the second time it had happened in two to three months. He responded that "all gyms are different." Weird response, but yes, gyms are different. Some are good, some are bad. This one is bad. But, I still had at least 6 months on my contract so that was that.
About a month later I get some weird email from asking me to have a meeting. Seriously, crossfit is a hobby and form of exercise, why do I need to have a "meeting" with the owner? Then I get an email saying he refunded my membership for that month. This all happened in one day. So I call him and he starts yelling over the phone that he doesn't like my "behavior." I was confused. Had I accidentally called my kindergarten teacher? I asked him to please explain and he said he was "not going to get into it." It was quite obvious that while he had asked for my feedback, he did not like it when I gave it to him. There are countless ways this could have been handled more professionally that anyone with some level of social awareness could figure out.
I got out of my contract, which is awesome, and I got to go to a different gym (Crossfit Haven) that is cheaper and much better. In terms of atmosphere, Crossfit Impact could stand to improve as well. It is extremely rigid. You are not allowed to drop a barbell with 10 lbs on each side. They encourage new members to join who may have never lifted weights before.They want you to lift as much weight as you can, but please, don't drop your weight on the concrete floor of the warehouse. Their floor is more important than your...(insert body part). It's a warehouse, not a crystal ballroom. Instead of respectfully asking people not to move the bins of chalk, they just nailed them to the floor one day. This is the way you would treat a child, not grown adults.
It has been a while since I was last in CFI, but I still felt like I needed to reflect on the negative experience I had there. I would strongly suggest you look at the positive reviews for the other crossfit gym in Glenview, Crossfit Haven, before making your decision on where to join if you are interested in getting into crossfit. read more
