A typical CrossFit WOD lasts 10 minutes.
Classes last an hour. And yet I’m willing to bet the typical member spends two hours at his or her box any given day.
No, I do not have the scientific data to back this up, but, if you have been around the program, you know hanging out before and after the WOD is standard.
We have a client who comes in for the four o’clock WOD and stays for the five, six and seven. Not an employee. A member. He says he feels more comfortable at the gym then in his own home. Yes, this is extreme, but not too surprising.
As an affiliate owner, someone who has chosen the path of teaching functional movements to the masses, my guess is you love your “second home.” Lucky you. The majority of working people are not “jonesing” to spend extra time in their offices, and they’re certainly not hanging out there on weekends.
Why are box gyms such popular hangout spots?
Let me bring in Professor Ray Oldenberg, a notable sociologist and founder of the “Third Place” concept. In his book, The Great Good Place, Oldenberg writes about the importance of developing informal gathering places outside of home and work. His concept outlines bars, coffee shops, and general stores, but if Dr. Oldenberg had known about box gyms, he would have placed them number one on his list:
“The character of a third place is determined most of all by its regular clientele and is marked by a playful mood, which contrasts with people’s more serious involvement in other spheres. Though a radically different kind of setting for a home, the third place is remarkably similar to a good home in the psychological comfort and support that it extends…They are the heart of a community’s social vitality, the grassroots of democracy, but sadly, they constitute a diminishing aspect of the American social landscape.”
This is what we mean when we talk about one of a box’s priceless, powerful intangibles. The workouts provide a means of gaining strength and flexibility. Your box, “the heart of a community’s social vitality,” provides a space for people to grow, develop and feel at home.
Are you doing all you can to make your gym the official third place of your clients?
The perfect third place starts with the trainers and is developed by clients. Attitude and appearance matter every single day. I know you care about each person, know their names and listen to their problems, but what systems are in place to ensure your trainers are creating a perfect atmosphere? Develop systems that remind your employees about the community and the feeling you are trying to create.
In the third place, everyone is equal. This is key to box values of inclusion and scalability. Yes, some people are stronger, others faster. But everyone is valued the same way.
Embrace and welcome people who arrive early, stay late, hangout and unwind. Do you rush people out to create more space? Or push them into a dark corner to create room for the next class? Be aware of how you address people and always make them feel welcomed and at home.
Because people voluntarily come to the third place, it must be comfortable. There should be places to stash coats and shoes, room to stretch, and tools to use for mobility at your members’ disposal. Space can be an issue for some gyms, but excuses and box programs do not go together anyway. Do your best to create a corner for people to post up, post WOD.
Your box probably doesn’t have fancy extras like a juice bar, or changing room, or even a shower. And it doesn’t have to. It only needs to feel welcoming and inclusive…for everyone.
Have you done anything recently to make your gym more welcoming? Share your ideas with us.
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.