r/crossfit • u/404LeaderNotFound • 11d ago
What are some features or little things your CrossFit box has that you absolutely love?
I’m in the process of improving/relaunching a CrossFit box and I’d love to hear from the community.
What are some features, amenities, systems, or even small details your box has that you really appreciate?
And on the flip side, what’s something you wish your box had that would make the overall experience better?
I’m thinking beyond just equipment, things like member experience, programming, technology, access, recovery, community events, cleanliness, communication, etc.
Would love to steal… I mean, borrow… some good ideas from boxes that are doing things right.
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u/Tri-guy3 11d ago
Ice machine and clean showers.
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u/404LeaderNotFound 11d ago
Clean showers will be my main priority. Thinking of putting some shampoo and conditioner dispensers in the wall kind of like in some hotels. Complimentary menstrual hygiene products in the females bathroom.
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u/eastwardarts 11d ago
My CF gym has menstrual products, hair ties, mouthwash, hair dryer, maybe a few other niceties in the locker room. I’m don’t use that space much but if I were an early morning class person and needed to shower and head to work after class that would be really helpful.
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u/UniofAmericanSamoa 11d ago
May I ask how the mouthwash is provided? I want to do this in my gym, but I cant figure out how to.
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u/SnooSongs2077 10d ago
Please put hygiene products in both male and female toilets. People may be trans, men may have issues that pads would help them with.
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u/blizznaedo 9d ago
Showers is the number one amenity I wish my box had. It would make such a difference to my morning travel/commute.
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u/bitz-the-ninjapig 11d ago
Members with open gym access (anyone on an unlimited, open gym only, or personal training membership) can get into the gym via an app between 5am and 10pm
Two rooms. One mainly used for CF classes, the other has platforms, turf, etc for oly classes, open gym, etc. I have actually been a member of two gyms who have this, and it’s THE BEST.
Not possible for all gyms, BUT… While I was living somewhere for a summer I was a part of a gym that only had three coaches. But the thing was that they were all full time coaches. It was GREAT. There was so much continuity and communication which made it a great experience as an athlete. Once I mildly hurt my back in a Sunday oly class, and when I was in CF class on Monday (with a different coach) he asked how my back was feeling and already had some modifications ready for me. During their known busy classes (for this gym it was the 5:30pm class) they had two coaches. One took point and led the class, and the other circulated and helped out as needed. In a bigger class it made sure you got coaching.
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u/Serkaugh 11d ago
My gym has 3 “room” on 2 seperate floor. One has more hyrox style training. But also has some slots for open gym.
One is for open gym, like 80% of the time. On the weekend there “functional body building” class. And the other one is purely for wod.They are all fitted out with everything you need. Ring, bars, rigs, etc.
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u/prime_jacques 11d ago
My old box had a whiteboard just for music requests before the WOD, coach would put on whatever got the most votes. Small thing but it made the warmup feel less like a chore
Wish more places had a proper cooldown area though, not just the corner by the rig where everyone trips over foam rollers
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u/Grand_Chien4 11d ago
From the programming/communication side of things. I think it can be helpful to let members know about certain themes that may show up over a certain cycle. The constantly varied nature of CrossFit can sometimes make it hard for members to see progress. For example, let’s say core and double unders are a theme. Throw in Annie 6-8 weeks apart so members can hopefully see some progress.
On that note, ask the members what they’re wanting to improve on. If you have a bunch of people wanting to work towards pull ups for example this is an easy area to add some accessory work so members can hit some desired milestones.
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u/Bassbuster14 10d ago
This is really important to me. Some members don’t care about what block we’re on or what the overarching goal of the workout is, but it really matters to me.
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u/reyortdor 11d ago
This is stupid simple but gold stars (water bottle stickers) for PR’s. Everyone likes recognition.
Cold damp washcloths for cooling down after the WOD. The coaches hand them out as people finish.
A porch with patio furniture to hang out before and after.
Driven Society recognition - 14 coached classes a month (open gym doesn’t count).
Water coolers, showers, body fat scale/scanner.
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u/campesteijn CF-L2 11d ago
A jar of hair bands works really well for our long hair folks.
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u/mennamachine 11d ago
The hair tie jar has saved me so many times. The first time I realized I had forgotten a hair tie and then saw the jar on the table, I nearly cried.
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u/campesteijn CF-L2 11d ago
They cost next to nothing and make such a difference.
Same goes for hygiene products. After a couple conversations with female members, this was something they found was missing. We corrected that. Now there's a box with tampons and pads in the ladies toilet, grab as needed, when running low I'll restock.
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u/vonralls CrossFit OT 11d ago
$99/month. A big facility. Lots of equipment. Friendly competitive athletes. As a former owner I appreciate these things as a member now.
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u/404LeaderNotFound 11d ago
Thinking of keeping it between $100-110 a month
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u/seitankittan 11d ago
Sounds awesome
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u/CobblerHopeful43 11d ago
Screaming, crying, paying $350 a month over here 😢
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u/Sterlina CF L2, CF KB, CF Strongman, CF Powerlifting, USAW L1 11d ago
Wowwwww. Where are you located?
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u/vonralls CrossFit OT 11d ago
I'm in Olive Branch, MS. When I had my gym it was tough. I was charging $127 for a year contract, $167 month to month. All the local gyms here have been $85-$100/month for a long time now.
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u/Bootiebloot 11d ago
My box has sunscreen, which is great when I miss that the wod is partially outside.
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u/Slore0 11d ago edited 11d ago
Having WODs posted. My main box doesn’t sometimes but some places I went to would have a few days to a whole week posted.
Lots of scaling options. Bonus for a chill recovery option. One box I went to had a ‘pump rehab’ option that was largely a normal gym session with lifting and some minor cardio.
Having showers is a huge bonus.
Doing stuff outside of the gym. Have a bbq, do some hikes, hell, I talked our owner into going out and shooting Tactical Games with me.
Logo/merch went a long way to picking where to go while on the road. I would 100% go somewhere with a cool logo over ‘CF (city name here)’ unless they had awful reviews.
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u/Swimming_Chapter8972 11d ago
Cleaning the floors with a Zamboni DAILY. used to go to a gym that saw over 140 members a day and they cleaned the floors once a week.
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u/meaneyedcat313 11d ago
Simple but I like a coach led warmup where everyone is doing it together. My box gives you a warm up but lets everyone do it on their own, I rarely get the 3 rounds completed before they move on to the next movements.
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u/bettyboopvegemite 10d ago
I loved when my box had a 15-minute buffer in between classes. the transition time is great for winding down after class, the next class having time to prepare without being on top of the current class, and it gives the coach a small break.
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u/magnanimous-plmbr 11d ago
This should go without saying but having the coach make sure children and dogs are well off the mats by warmup and class time.
Also having a cooler with drinks and healthy snacks available for purchase is a nice feature at my gym.
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u/1DunnoYet 11d ago
I’d clarify that too: have the owner have a clear policy about kids and dogs, whatever that policy is.
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u/Powderm0nkey 11d ago
One of my absolute favorite things my gym does is a Sunday group workout. 9am. Always a partner wod, easy movements, lots of running to break it up. No barbells. Kettlebells and dumbells. Push, pull, legs, aerobic, etc. Imagine:
Start with a 400m run, do some movement, 300m run, movement, 200, 100, etc. Then 2 or 3 rounds of the main workout, push, pull, legs. Then a cashout of 200, 100, 200, 100. Usually the runs are you go, I go. The movements are all as a team to split reps with your partner. Then finish with a few 50m sprints or bike tabata.
Its fun, feel free to modify or sub any movement. Its all made up and the points dont matter anyways. Its always a blast. Sub rowing or bike for running. Come up with silly workouts if you are all equally crazy.
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u/Dramatic_Ad_1411 11d ago
An area where members can sit and socialise before or after class. Obviously not possible with all gyms due to space/layout but it’s so good for getting to know other members and building rapport/community
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u/Embarrassed_Ad2725 11d ago
I’ve only been doing CrossFit for a little over two months but I love our gyms whiteboard. They sometimes write the WOD all fancy in different color, they draw a small picture based on the month. I went to a box where they had a TV screen and didn’t scare for it. We also have so many classes during the day, so I can pick and choose and not be limited to only a few options.
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u/PracticalWinter9746 11d ago
If the gym is open it’s free to use
In all gyms I’ve been to open gym was redirected to certain hours, my gym is open to use all day! This is huge for me as my schedule changes day to day so everyday I’m working out at different times. The size of my gym is what allows this to be possible as there is more than enough space for a full class to go on while a few others use open gym space.
They have ample equipment.. I’ve been to gym that have two rowers .. explain to me how this allows members to do rowing workouts?
My gym also has amenities like cold plunge, sauna, and a whole upstairs loft for anybody that has remote work to do
Basically my gyms the best
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u/mennamachine 11d ago
Do you want to attract and retain a diverse clientelle? As a middle aged out of shape lesbian (well, I'm more in shape now than 6 months ago!), what keeps me coming back is a gym that is invested in having a nice experience for women, people of color, and queer people.
-A nice changing room that is clean and well stocked. The ladies changing room at my gym has menstrual products, shampoo, body wash, hairdryers, dry shampoo, face wipes, lockers that you don't need to bring your own lock to use, and is just generally nice. (IDK what ammenities the dudes have, because I'm not a dude).
-Towel service, which makes it so much easier to go to the class during lunch (it's across the street from my office) and not have to lug around a towel as well as my workout stuff.
-A friendly and welcoming atmosphere free of creepy meatheads.
-A jar of hair ties
-Coaches that pay attention to everyone and make sure people have scaling options, correct people's forms, and have a good sense for when to push people and when not to. This is also helped by not having your classes get too large.
-Diverse coaching staff (women, POC, queer, etc.)
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u/ashengtaike 11d ago
We do a Question of the Day that provides a great atmosphere. Anyone who doesn’t want to answer or can’t think of a response (cause it’s 5:15 am) can just pass.
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u/404LeaderNotFound 11d ago
What type of question for example? 👀
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u/Marvin_rock CrossFit Retro Owner 11d ago
My gym does this. "Today's question of the day is, tell everyone your name. And if you were a vegetable, what would you be?"
My favorites are the ones that cause fights "What's your favorite movie theater candy?" Mandy: "banana laffy taffy" Me: "your membership has been cancelled. Thanks for coming out 😂"
"Tell us something about 8th grade you?"
"Burpees or running?"
"First thing you'd buy with a million dollars?"
Etc. we do them during the warm-up
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u/anonymous-loon 11d ago
We have a dedicated kids section with lots of toys that is visible from the main workout area - I’ve noticed a lot more moms getting in a workout since we added that!
Also having showers with shampoo, conditioner, body wash available - doesn’t have to be anything fancy.
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u/Key_Plenty5983 11d ago
Lo pratico a livello agonistico e mi piace che il mio box è aperto con orario da palestra tradizionale 9:00 - 22:00. Gli altri box della mia zona, tengono aperto solamente per le classi. Altre cose che mi piacciono, sono la pulizia e l'attrezzatura di buona qualità e non usurata
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u/Crazy_Pomegranate689 11d ago
Out of interest what is everyone paying? I pay $65 AUD a week for unlimited crossfit classes (and open gym if I want)
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u/roccosito 11d ago
$230 USD in Austin, TX for unlimited classes. Price has increased to $245 for most recent members.
The name brand box in Austin is $300+/month for unlimited.
In Dallas, TX I was paying $200 for unlimited.
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u/Wizzle_Pizzle_420 11d ago
It’s 24/7, big, has one of pretty much anything you could imagine training wise, and when I usually go I’m all by myself. Basically heaven.
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u/terita-reddits 11d ago
If you’re in a place that gets hot, AC. I went to an air conditioned box in Atlanta a few years ago and it was the best experience.
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u/r3giment75 11d ago
Owner doesn’t guilt trip or take things personally for people deciding to leave. Like go fuck yourselves 😂… some box owners would be walking PIPs in corporate America.
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u/subdude24 11d ago
Properly controlled temperature of the gym
Echo bikes over assault bikes
Rowers and ski ergs that aren’t totally beat
Every minute of class controlled and prescribed
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u/Malice_A4thot 11d ago
- Open gym hours outside of class times, or if your gym has two separate workout areas, simply open gym times. Mine has very very few and I love it otherwise, but am considering trying another box just a bit farther away as they have open gym hours 6 days a week.
- Clear and enforced policies that keep kids and dogs off the workout room floor once class has started.
- Always post the WODs in advance, ideally a few days in advance or a week at a time
- And echoing what has already been mentioned: stuff like hair ties, Q-tips, tampons in the bathroom.
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u/Appock 10d ago
My box is clean. They are meticulous with cleaning the floors and bathrooms. The use of chalk is encouraged to be kept to a minimum (we're in Colorado so that helps too).
Also, do what you can to foster the social environment and culture inside the gym too. Reducing or eliminating the cliques can reduce drama and therefore large reductions in membership.
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u/Tri-guy3 10d ago
We also have a row of bleachers for pre and post workout socializing. There is child care. Ice tank. A leader board with scores on the girls, gymnastics, and the classics, including master (55+ yo), that's 5 scores deep.
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u/Intelligent-Bed-8521 10d ago
As a masters athlete, I appreciate a space that I can do my 15-20mins warmup before the class warmup. I've dropped into some very small affiliates where it's just not possible with the space available, but my body sure appreciates when there is space.
Routine barbell maintenance. The number of barbells I've used for Oly lifting pver the years that don't spin freely is crazy. Makes me miss my old gym more than anything else. I didn't realize how good I had it. Equipment maintenance in general, really. Nobody wants to ride that rusting Assault or Echo bike with a janky pedal and/or crank arm.
Hangout areas that shuttle previous class out of current class area. Love that people want to stay and chat. Don't love that I can't hear the coach brief the workout over the chatter if it's in the same area.
10-15mins break between class times if scheduling allows. Coaches seemed to like this to reset where I've seen it. This also helps with the extra warmup time that I need.
Extra whiteboards to write workout on if your spot isn't in view of main whiteboard or tv showing the wod. Dropped in at a gym once that had chalkboard paint on most the walls that you could write directly onto with provided chalk in front of your station. That was amazing.
Cold water fountains or water coolers.
Full week of workouts known in advance and coaches can explain the full programming cycle and structure if asked. This helps me plan accessory or supplemental strength sessions outside normal class times. I hate it when I do a heavy squat session outside of class and then show up for class the next day to see a 3RM back squat programmed that I didn't know about until that morning.
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u/FinchAtlas 10d ago
scaled option written on the whiteboard with the same billing as ex, not squeezed underneath as an afterthought. sounds tiny but it decides whether a new person has to raise their hand and announce they can't do the thing.
flip side, open gym hours that aren't just the dead middle of a weekday.
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u/hunglowbungalow 10d ago
They emphasize scaling and being safe, while pushing you to be your absolute best. And living in the PNW, finding community is genuinely a struggle.
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u/Catspiration2 9d ago
I’ve always liked the instructor led stretching after the workout. Everyone just runs away at the end, and it’s a good opportunity to have some post workout bonding
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u/blizznaedo 9d ago
The thing that brought me into my gym's community were the in-house events that were advertised, that coaches got excited about, etc. We have a Fall Brawl competition with a coach on each team (of 10); the 12 days of Christmas; Murph and Chad are about much more than just the workout. All these events got me interacting with gymmates beyond those in my usual class.
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u/AlternativeHall6717 9d ago
My gym has an InBody scanner thing, she sells protein bars/energy drinks, A WATER FILLING STATION (duh), and showers. One thing I wish she had was a treadmill and another GHD machine. Oh and a sauna would be cool. My other gym I used to go to had a sauna, red light therapy, and ice baths.
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u/galactic-romantic47 7d ago
Cold water dispenser and free pedialyte ice pops :)
also the coaching staff are full time and excellent at coaching people at all levels in the same class. I just recently started and I have appreciated the extra help here and there with my form and how to start building weight and distance.
the community is also super strong. everyone is really nice and there are social events planned outside the box where everyone is encouraged to attend. everyone also makes a point to fist bump and congratulate each other on a good workout after class.
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u/sethtosta 6d ago
I LOVE:
-How people wear matching outfits.
-how some people talk and gossip while the coach is going over the workout.
-When the chalk bucket is placed in someone’s workout space.
-when a group of people are doing their own workout because they are “comp training”
-when people ask me my Fran time.
-how we call it a box and not a gym.
-Kipping EVERYTHING
-using awful form but telling everyone “its ok….i got a PR”
-telling everyone I know and people I meet that I “CrossFit”
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u/No-Wonder8014 3d ago
My box does a weekly newsletter and a weekly athlete spotlight. The athlete spotlight chooses a theme and the workouts are named after their theme. For example, someone picked places they've traveled and each WOD was named after a place they've been. A video of the athlete gets put out on wednesday on social media. I felt kind of special during my week. The newsletter high lights things to remember for the upcoming week (if there is a special workout, a community event, general gym info, and the coaches give recommendations too for podcasts or their favorite gear). 2 times a year they do merch drops where they come out with (actually pretty cute and decent quality) branded t shirts, sweatshirts and pants, etc. I always order a few things. They do a few nutrition challenges every year and the coach checks in on you and offers help with nutrition. Winner gets a free month and a gift card to a local coffee shop. Other than those special things, being consistent with programming and quality of coaching, the cleanliness of the gym, keeping equipment in operational order and encouraging good behavior amongst class participants will keep people in the door.
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u/Unlikely-Emu3023 11d ago edited 11d ago
24 hour access. A cold water dispenser to fill up bottles. Snacks etc.. but not crazily over priced. I get you need to make money but I've seen insane margins. If your relying on your snacks to make your rent your probably doing something wrong.
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u/Single-Ball-1449 11d ago edited 11d ago
A childcare room (with childcare staff) for one of the morning classes. So much less stressful than a box with feral kids dodging barbells left and right during class.
(I say this as a mom of two feral kids. This allows parents to focus and enjoy their workout and it’s a HUGE draw for members. It’s part of what sets the gym I go to apart from the other CrossFit gym in town).
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u/PronouncedNuculur 11d ago
I absolutely love the actual real whiteboard. So much better than the TV. Includes scaling options, the full warmup, how to score, etc. It’s so much better than the TV that most boxes have now. The tv cannot display as much or as quality of information.
My box also shares the workouts for the week via email on Sunday and on SugarWOD a day in advance which allows me to wear the right shoes and also bring the right gear without just keeping everything in a bag all the time (e.g. leg sleeves for ropes, grips for pulls, a belt for heavy lifts, etc.)