Real talk: there are a lot of good gyms around. I've been in the local CrossFit community for a long time and I have friends at most of the gyms nearby. When I tell you that Resistance is in my opinion the best of the bunch, it's not because the other gyms are bad: rather it's that Resistance is that good.
I last reviewed Resistance four years ago, about a year after I came here from another local gym that was a mainstay in the community. What with Covid and all, a lot has changed in the gym-world since then. What initially brought me in the door at Resistance and then got me to stick around was the great people here and the awesome vibe. Whether you're an experience CrossFit athlete or someone taking your first steps into functional fitness, as long as you're a good person, there's a home at Resistance for you. If you're legitimately trying to go to the Games, there are better places for you to train. Similarly if you're looking for a gym that's a pick-up spot and like a Vegas pool party with more muscle, there are other places to go that'll be right up your alley. However if you're looking to be the best you, whether that means landing on the podium in local competitions, developing fitness that you can use to excel in your other athletic endeavors, or simply feeling more energetic and capable as you go through daily life, this is the place for you. If you want to make a lot of friends with people who will genuinely support you in your fitness journey, this is the place for you. If you want to be part of a true fitness community, this is the place for you.
Some other things I like about Resistance:
- The location is, in my opinion, phenomenal. The fact that it's right next door to one of Pasadena's best local coffee places is unbeatable, and let's be honest: having a great by-the-slice pizza spot between the two is pretty nice as well.
- The gym is the perfect size. I've trained at gyms that were so small they could be confused with a large closet and others so large they could aptly be described as cavernous. Resistance falls right in the middle and threads the needle perfectly.
- The bathrooms. Really? Yes. How many times have you been to a CrossFit gym where they were obviously super into elite level training but the bathroom was of a level that would be considered unacceptable in most interstate truck stops? Yeah, too many. Here we keep the bathrooms clean and well stocked, which I always take for granted until times like last week when I brought a friend and his first comment was about how clean the bathroom was.
- Parking. It's one of the things people love to hate here because the lot is small, but I feel like that totally disregards the fact that we have our own lot and if you arrive earlier than 60 seconds before the start of class, there are always spots to be had. After five years here, I've literally never found it difficult to park.
Look, I've been here for five years. Obviously I'm highly biased. But the fact that I've been around for long enough to get so biased says something. I was at my last CrossFit gym for eight years and after year five, I was nowhere near this happy. Come check it out and you'll see why. read more