If you live in Spring Hill, Thompson’s Station, Franklin or Columbia, you have more than one CrossFit gym within a short drive. They all have barbells and a whiteboard. The difference is in the coaching and in who the gym is built for, and you can find both out before you sign anything.
These are the five questions I would ask if I were the one shopping. Ask them at every gym you visit, ours included.
1. What happens in my first week?
Be careful with “just come to class.” A group class moves fast, and a coach running a full room cannot teach you a deadlift from zero at the same time.
At CrossFit Spring Hill, your first week is three one-on-one sessions with your coaches. Session one includes an InBody scan so you have a real baseline. Session two builds your nutrition plan. By the time you walk into a group class, you know the movements and your coaches know how you move. If you have done CrossFit before, you can skip that week after a trial class.
The full walkthrough is in how to get started.
2. Who is coaching, and what are their credentials?
Ask who coaches the class times you would actually attend, and what certification they hold. A CrossFit Level 1 is the entry certificate, earned in a weekend course. Level 2 and Level 3 take further courses and testing.
I hold a CF-L3. Eight of our coaches hold a CF-L2 and two hold a CF-L1. Coach Kim and Coach Jonathan are also Precision Nutrition Level 1 coaches. Every coach and every credential is on our about page.
For Cj and me, coaching is the full-time job. It is not a hobby, and it is not an excuse to work out all day.
3. What happens when I can’t do the workout as written?
Somebody in every class can’t do something as written. What you want to hear is that a coach gives you a version that fits you that day, and that it is normal.
Here a pull-up becomes a ring row, a box jump becomes a step-up, and a loaded barbell becomes an empty bar or a dumbbell. Injuries and limits get built around.
“At 6’5”, I have some mobility limitations, especially with certain Olympic lifts. Joe and CJ are always right there to help me modify movements, keep me safe, and make sure I’m still progressing. They never make me feel out of place or held back.”
Roger P.
4. Who is everyone competing against?
Some gyms run on the leaderboard and the loudest people in the room. That suits competitors. It is a bad fit for an adult with a job, kids, and a back that needs to work on Monday.
Watch the room for cliques and watch the coach. If the coach cares more about their own workout than yours, you will feel it in the first class.
Here the only person you are measured against is you from last month. We get more fired up about your wins than our own.
“What I love about this gym, that’s different from others I’ve been at, is the message of ‘it’s you against you’ is very much the mantra. Meaning there’s no spoken (or unspoken) need to keep up with someone else and possibly hurt yourself.”
Brian L.
“CrossFit Spring Hill has been the most ‘come as you are’ gym I’ve ever been to… They don’t push you to do more than you can, but they’re always there to help you get the most out of yourself.”
Morgan B.
5. Who already trains there?
Visit at the hour you would actually come and look at who is in the room. You are going to spend three hours a week with these people.
Our members are adults in their thirties, forties and fifties with careers and families. Most had not trained in years when they started, and plenty had never touched a barbell. Nobody here is training for the CrossFit Games.
“Moved here recently and tried out all the other gyms in the area and came back to this one.”
Sidney R.
The fastest way to answer all five
Book a free No Sweat Intro. It is 20 minutes, it is a conversation, and there is no workout. Ask us all five questions. We will ask about your goals, your schedule and anything that hurts, and we will tell you straight whether we are the right gym for you. If we are not, we will say so.
Questions we hear from people comparing gyms
Can I try a class before I join? If you have done CrossFit before, yes, a trial class. If you are new, start with the No Sweat Intro. A group class is a poor first look at how we coach a beginner, and the one-on-one week is.
Do I need to be in shape first? No. Training is what gets you in shape. Every workout is scaled to you. More in can you do CrossFit if you’re overweight.
What does it cost? Current rates are on our pricing page. We cover price at the end of the intro, after we know what you need.
Can I train outside class times? Members have 24/7 door access. Coached classes run on the schedule. Details in how 24 hour access works.
Already a member? Send this to the friend who keeps asking which gym to pick. They get a week on us and $75 off, and you get $75. Refer a friend.