If you haven’t noticed, my bio has changed at the bottom of the page. I am now the former owner of CrossFit Mission Gorge. Currently I am in an undisclosed location looking to open my next box. Okay, it’s not that serious, I am in Maryland. Before I started my drive east, I drove north from San Diego. I hit over ten boxes in ten days for a total of about 2,500 miles (not counting three ferry rides), all the way up to Vancouver, British Columbia. The trip was an intense learning experience and the heavy lifters at 321Go Project were nice enough to let me share what I learned during the heavy-breathing, weight-pounding journey.
I could write a page on each box, but I will go over the four big take aways from the trip. I analyzed each stop as a former box owner, but most of all as a client and how it would feel as a first-time customer.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The first and most profound thing I took away from the tour was how impressionable I was each and every time I walked into a new gym. From how I was greeted to how neat the weights were stacked. As an owner you need to remember how important first impressions are. Owners and trainers are in the gym seven days a week and greet hundreds of people a month. Do not become complacent. Keep your facility cleaner then yesterday and greet every member like your very first.
CREATING COMMUNITY
Everyone in the box talks about community. Everyone who writes about having a box talks about how important it is. 321Go Project has a whole section on Building a Community. The community that is developed in each gym takes on the persona of the owners and trainers. Your job is to develop systems that will lay out exactly how to keep your community strong. How to greet new members; how to answer “What is an box gym?”, and how to run a class are a few quick examples.
Sending an extra email, saying happy birthday, and spending extra time on nutrition are all great, but do no good if it cannot be reproduced. The longevity of your business depends on your ability to convey exactly how you created, developed and molded your community.
HOW TO RUN A CLASS AT YOUR BOX
There are three basic parts to running a class:the warm-up, workout, and cool down. The warm up should include a general and specific portion. Technical information and movements standards should always be addressed. Enthusiasm and discussion in the beginning of class should also be a priority. A solid workout sets up the class for success.
If the coaches present themselves as the knowledgeable leaders, then their presence alone creates great movement. It is like your fourth grade teacher peering over your shoulder while you take your math test. Nothing needs to be said, you just want to do better when they are watching. The middle of the WOD should be a mix of instruction, correction and encouragement.
The cool down was pretty much nonexistent at every box I visited. Box gyms cause souls to crumble, muscles to tighten up like resistance bands on a pull up bar, and legs to feel like rusted steel rods. Cool down doesn’t have to be elaborate. Stretch as a group, it takes 2 minutes to touch your toes and do the pigeon pose.
VALUE
Speaking of the class, let’s talk about the middle. The workout, the beef, that is what everyone is really paying for, right? Setting the class up is important, but encouraging and coaching during the workout is the next step. We took one class that took an average of 30 minutes to finish. All we heard was “good job guys”, twice. It would be laughable were it not so depressing. It does not matter if it is your fifth class of the day or you had no sleep last night. Each class should be coached like it is the last Affiliate class you will teach. Bring the enthusiasm, the noise, the encouragement and sound technical advice in a well-bundled package. Silence is forbidden, texting is never allowed and Facebook is for promoting not checking out your friend’s paleo dessert. You will probably be teaching a class in the next few hours, so set the tone with your presence, knowledge and energy. Then replicate that for every class you teach from here on out.
Do you bring the noise? What is your coaching style? It would be awesome if you left a comment below.
This blog post was kindly written for us by Geo Rockwell, former owner of CrossFit Mission Gorge in San Diego and founder of Fitrilla.com, where fitness entrepreneurs share their secrets to success. He has his CrossFit level one certification, CrossFit Endurance Certification, ACE Certification, and a Bachelors in Physical Education.