How to Choose a CrossFit in Wilmington

Choosing a fitness facility to train at can be one of the most important decisions you can make.   The most important part is joining a facility you’ll use and attend.   If you choose a gym you’ll attend regularly, you’ll be set to experience the benefits of what ever type of training they offer.

There are a few CrossFit Affilitates in Wilmington, NC.  How you choose the one that is best for you?
If you choose well, you get high quality, effective training in a friendly, drama free environment.  Choose badly and you get less than effective training, wasted time and money, or worse… injured.

For many, proximity is the number one reason for selecting their gym or CrossFit.  Luckily, Wilmington has three exceptional CrossFit Affiliates in three different areas of town.  Port City CrossFit in downtown, CrossFit Carolina Beach located on the boardwalk in CB, and our facility, CrossFit Wilmington, on Market Street.  Click here to see our location on the map.

It has been said “any CrossFit training is better than none”.  That is mostly true.  But CrossFit Affiliates are not created equal by any means.  CrossFits are affiliates, not a franchise, and therefore can differ drastically.

It goes without saying higher quality training yields higher quality results.   CrossFit Wilmington instructor’s experience, professionalism, and maturity, is why the most discerning  individuals join CrossFit Wilmington.  Our supportive atmosphere and results keep them training here.

At first glance, CrossFit Wilmington and CrossFit, in general, may seem intimidating.  Anytime we go outside our personal comfort zone it is easy to become apprehensive.  It is easy to be tempted by the gyms with warm paint schemes and feel good sayings carefully painted on the walls.  Don’t get drawn into joining a facility decorated with pretty things.  The most effective CrossFit stresses proper nutrition, training, and results.  That is how we make you feel good about yourself…  results.

CrossFit Wilmington sets the example.  Our members are some of the most fit people in the world.  The CrossFit community has competitions, called The CrossFit Games.  CrossFit Wilmington is the only CrossFit in Wilmington to have athletes compete in the Games.  In local and region CrossFit competitions, CrossFit Wilmington’s athletes and trainers have dominated the events.  When considering a CrossFit, it makes sense to join the one who provides the training that makes champions.

We have many high placing TriAthletes and Endurance sports competitors who train at CrossFit Wilmington.  We train the areas’ police, fire, Special Operations Marines, and other first responders.  They’re stake in physical fitness is typically more important than the average “Joe”.  They trust us to prepare them for their jobs, why shouldn’t you?

CrossFit Wilmington is also very active the community.  We participate in many fundraisers supporting charities like The American Cancer Society, The Wounded Warrior Project, The Pink Ribbon Foundation, LiveStrong, and other local events.  We enjoy being involved in Wilmington’s community and appreciate how we’ve been allowed to be part of it.

So when choosing your CrossFit, here are a few questions you should ask…

Is CrossFit the only teaching and athletic experience the staff and owner possess?
This one is very important.  If all the background the ”coaches” at CrossFit Gym is CrossFit, you won’t get the experience and expertise of CrossFit Wilmington’s staff.  CrossFit Wilmington’s diverse knowledge and athletic backgrounds are two of our greatest assets.
One of the key persons in a CrossFit Facility is the owner.  The owner of a CrossFit is the key in setting the standards and pace for the facility.  If you’ve traveled to CrossFits around the world, you would see more CrossFit affilitate owners are performers.  Not frail and weak.  The owner of an affiliate should set and uphold the standards by maintaining a high level of the 10 general physical skills defined by CrossFit’s founder, Coach Greg Glassman.  If the CrossFit’s owner isn’t good at CrossFit, how can they be good at teaching it?

Does the the affiliate adhere to its timeline and schedule?
Punctuality is a major part of professionalism.  CFW opens on time and begins classes on time.  We recognize that your time is very important and we have no right to waste it.  You won’t sit in our parking lot in the morning wondering if you’ll have time to get a good workout in.  Even better, we don’t make up our workouts when we open each day.  Our workouts are carefully planned weeks in advance.  That careful planning and consideration is one of the many reasons we yield such impressive results.

Does the CrossFit lead the way, or imitate other affiliates?
CrossFit Wilmington is the first CrossFit Affiliate in Wilmington, NC.  We opened January 13th, 2008.  We are the first gym to introduce Wilmington to Olympic Weightlifting, strength periodization, and how to properly incorporate tires, sledge hammers, sandbags, and weighted sleds into athletic fitness.  We are the only gym in Wilmington to offer quality Olympic Weightlifting training.  Less experienced trainers called the tires, sleds, and hammers, “toys”.  That was, until they realized how effective they, and CrossFit Wilmington’s programming in general, are.  Since, those items have become popular.  Basically, other fitness facilities in Wilmington are just trying to keep up with CrossFit Wilmington.  But make no mistake, CrossFit Wilmington is only imitated, not matched.  We do appreciate the flattery.  It reminds us how effective we are.

How large and well equipped is the facility?
CrossFit Wilmington is 8,000sq ft of world class training facility.  We’ve more equipment than any other facility in Wilmington.  But not just more, more variety of equipment to better vary your training and keep things from becoming monotonous.  We have a  full indoor spinning studio, mats for basic gymnastics training and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu.  We have kickboxing equipment and have regularly scheduled Yoga classes.

Does the facility have heating & air conditioning and showers?
CrossFit Wilmington does.  Our 4 AC/Heat units keep us cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  There’s nothing fun about working out in 100 degree NC summers or freezing winter mornings.  On the nicer days, we open our four large bay doors and let the fresh air in.
Our shower and changing rooms are very nice.  Come in, work out, and get cleaned up before you’re off to where ever you have to be.

What community network does the CrossFit Gym have?
CrossFit Wilmington’s members include the finest MDs, Chiropractors, Restaurant Owners, and Professionals in Wilmington and New Havover County.  We’re friends with the Multi-Sport and Cycle stores in town and the best massage therapists.  One of Wrightsville Beach’s most exclusive resorts extends our members and visitors courtesy discounts.  And we’re friends with the other CrossFits, Carolina Beach and Port City, in the area.  Their members, and those of any other CrossFit, can workout at our facility at no charge.  It’s a courtesy we extend each other and just part of being involved in the largest fitness network in Wilmington.
It’s easy to judge a person by the company they keep.  A CrossFit Affiliate is no different.

When members leave, why do they and where do they go?
Every gym, CrossFit differs none, has turn over.  Some people are not ever going to work out, much less at a CrossFit gym.  Ask why when people leave the facility, do they?  CrossFit Wilmington is drama free and bound to integrity.  Our instructors are mature and professional.  Be sure and ask when they leave, where they go to0.  Crossfit Wilmington doesn’t lose members, and certainly not instructors, to another CrossFit.  Members come to us looking for our training, professionalism, and integrity.
Our members love to work out at our facility and CrossFit Instructors want to be part of our staff.

These are just a few of a the reasons CrossFit Wilmington is the best choice for CrossFit, Strength Conditioning, and overall fitness in Eastern NC.  Call for an appointment or just stop in to see what makes us Wilmington’s CrossFit.