One of the best gyms I've ever been to, and I have dropped in all over the USA. So glad to call it my home gym, let me tell you why...
A good Crossfit Gym needs to have these three qualities:
- Programming - This is the schedule of workouts. Good programming will help you reach your goals. Crappy programming means your doing workouts that don't get you anywhere, or workouts that just destroy your body for no good reason
- Hands on coaching - The coach should coach you. The coach should understand your needs and help you get there. Crossfit isn't just getting super strong or super ripped. You should have a goal, and the coach at your BOX needs to understand them and get you there.
- Knowledgeable coaching - A good box should have a coach or coaches that can actually perform all the movements. A good knowledgable couch should be able to spot what issues you have, safely guide you through them, and give you coachable moments to improve.
Without these three things, it doesn't matter if your box has awesome people, or all the shiniest toys, you are basically wasting your potential and opening yourself up to injury.
Iron Valley excels at all three of these things. The owner and head coach Travis is a two time regional athlete in 2015 and 2014. He clearly knows all the movements. Better yet he is passionate about teaching them to you or helping you learn them.
Within the second day I set foot in this gym he asked me immediately what goals I had and what I want to learn. He's given me countless talks on how to attain these goals. Also, during the workouts he's always watching us and giving us coaching cues. Making sure our form is right and that we aren't killing ourselves. You think this is COMMON SENSE, but I can't begin to tell you how many gyms where coaches are just glorified cheerleaders or busy doing God knows what than actually coaching you.
The programming here also is good. At any point you can question Travis or Nick and ask them why the workout is set a certain way, and they have a good answer. Participating in classes and putting effort in I have hit personal records in all my lifts, and have reached the strongest I've ever been. Yet while working out I get beat by the majority of the other members. This gym is strong. They are strong because the programming works.
Anyways, if you are in town looking for a crossfit drop in, or a new box, I believe drop ins are free and the first week is free.
The rates here are really reasonable. If you pay up front it's actually stupidly cheap for a crossfit box. read more