I do really love this gym and feel that it has grown into quite a home. I have been fortunate to not had too many bad CrossFit box experiences across the various places I've lived, but 404 is special and I'm happy to be part of the community.
Onboarding was super easy, Hunter set me up with a week's trial period to test out if I liked it and everything was smooth sailing from there.
The insides:
The gym is clean, maintained, and conveniently located with lots of parking in the back. The equipment is practically never broken and the community is good about cleaning up after itself and keeping it neat looking.
The programming:
There's a ton of variety at this gym, seven regular CrossFit class time options during the week, three on Saturday and a Sunday WOD; an option for 'misfits', for those who are not looking to engage in as intense a program as CrossFit, two sessions of foundations classes, two weekly 'endurance' classes, and a kids program. Bring a friend one of three times a week to the basic classes and get them started.
The skills-build rotates in series, meaning, that there will be a focus of building two particular movements slowly to a one rep max over the course of about a month to six weeks. The two movements are complimentary in muscle groups and then complemented with gymnastics movements such as pull-ups, handstand pushups, muscle-ups and double-under rope jumps, etc. The cycle rotate upper body strength with lower body strength so a member doesn't experience the same movement focus on an on-going basis.
Lastly, 404 conducts skills workshops periodically and a barbell class every Saturday at 8am to work on specific skills, which I think is awesome.
The trainers:
All trainers are very knowledgeable at 404, making sure to go over the correct way to perform a movement to stretching and 'afterparty' recovery movements to keep you healthy and from hurting yourself. If you do hurt yourself, they help to ice you down and walk it off if need be. I personally have been hurting myself a whole lot more as I gain in age and stupidly now cannot gauge well what I can (and mostly cannot do anymore - when your mind tells you that you're done with deadlift - do NOT try to pick up 200+ lbs again). The member ages range from early twenty into the fifties and the trainers accommodate and adjust across any skill set.
The community engagement:
The members at this gym care about getting involved and giving back. Throughout the year 404 will engage in community events: volunteering events at soup kitchens, fundraisers for various causes, social media give-away contests, and holiday WOD and some parties (bowling and boating anyone?).
Additionally, the gym is dog friendly, so bring your four legged friends along. read more