• EDUCATE. EMPOWER. SUCCEED.
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Login
Club Solutions Magazine
  • Topics
    • Leadership
    • Marketing & Sales
    • News
    • Operations
    • Programming
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • On-Demand
  • Education
    • Club Solutions Leadership Summit
    • Club Solutions Leadership Retreat
    • Pickleball Innovators
    • The Leadership Accelerator Video Series
    • Club Solutions Book Club: High Road Leadership, John C Maxwell
    • Club Solutions Book Club: The Advantage
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier Voice
    • Supplier News
  • Podcast
  • Webinars
    • Thought Leaders: A Virtual Roundtable Series
    • On-Demand Webinars
  • Buyer’s Guide
No Result
View All Result
  • Topics
    • Leadership
    • Marketing & Sales
    • News
    • Operations
    • Programming
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • On-Demand
  • Education
    • Club Solutions Leadership Summit
    • Club Solutions Leadership Retreat
    • Pickleball Innovators
    • The Leadership Accelerator Video Series
    • Club Solutions Book Club: High Road Leadership, John C Maxwell
    • Club Solutions Book Club: The Advantage
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier Voice
    • Supplier News
  • Podcast
  • Webinars
    • Thought Leaders: A Virtual Roundtable Series
    • On-Demand Webinars
  • Buyer’s Guide
No Result
View All Result
Club Solutions Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home Programming Group X

Outside the Box

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko by Rachel Zabonick-Chonko
May 12, 2016
in Group X
0
CrossFit
Share on FacebookShare on LinkedIn

In 2005 CrossFit had just 13 Boxes (the CrossFit term for gym). Today, the organization has over 10,000 affiliated Boxes throughout the world, with dozens more opening up each month.

“It seems like every time I turn around there’s someone else opening up another CrossFit Affiliate,” said Matt Mallard, the director of education and personal trainer development at Gainesville Health and Fitness (GHF)  in Gainesville, Florida.

To capture some of that audience, GHF opened its own CrossFit Box in 2013. To best compete, Mallard shared the following strategies.

Prioritize Safety

CrossFit incorporates elements from high-intensity interval training, Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics and other exercises, and some moves can be too advanced for some athletes, until they master their form. “We make sure that everybody goes through a very comprehensive screening process before they come out and take classes,” said Mallard.

Members are screened in one of either two ways. They can set up an introductory session, where their basic form is tested, or they can sign up for a two- to four-week fundamentals course.

In addition, GHF hosts workshops throughout the year, where members can work to master things such as Olympic weightlifting or toes to bar. “It’s in a class setting, but the coach will figure out what’s going wrong with each one of those movements and help you get better at it,” explained Mallard.

More than anything, Mallard said it’s important to ensure members are properly vetted, to ensure their safety.

“CrossFit is one of those things where it’s nice to say that everything is infinitely scaleable, but at the same time you want to ensure people are staying as safe as possible, because you can’t see results or have any type of transformation if your body is broken,” said Mallard.

Part of prioritizing safety includes having trainers who know what they’re doing. At GHF, it is required that CrossFit coaches be successful one-on-one personal trainers, prior to teaching at the Box.

Offer Something Different

GHF’s CrossFit Box stands out in a unique way from other Affiliates in the area — it is located outside. Equipped with Astroturf and a variety of other training tools, this is a draw.

“In Florida [in spring], the hottest it gets is 80 degrees, and it’s absolutely gorgeous,” said Mallard.

GHF also emphasizes community, which is an extremely important aspect to CrossFit.

“More than anything else is community and relationships,” continued Mallard. “If that’s not there, there’s no magic to a class. Not only do you have accountability to the coach, but you have accountability to the other [athletes], so everybody pushes one another, and then everybody sees results.”

Ultimately, if you’d like to successfully compete against a boutique CrossFit Box, keep safety, community and differentiation in mind.

Stay ahead in the fitness industry with exclusive updates!

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko
Rachel Zabonick-Chonko

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.

Tags: communityCrossFitgainsville health and fitnessGroupXGroupX Programmingsafety
Previous Post

Hit the Road, Indoors

Next Post

Setting the Barre High

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko

Rachel Zabonick-Chonko is the editor-in-chief of Club Solutions Magazine. She can be reached at rachel@peakemedia.com.

Related Posts

group fitness
Programming

Cracking the Code to Group Fitness Engagement and Retention

December 12, 2024
Tiffany Hamlin
Programming

From Gym Kid to VP: Tiffany Hamlin on Shaping Group Fitness at World Gym

August 22, 2024
Amy Boone Thompson
Leadership Viewpoint

Amy Boone Thompson on Successful Group Fitness Departments

July 3, 2024
Group fitness
Group X

Balancing Innovation and Tradition in Group Fitness

July 1, 2024
The Group X Resurgence
Features

The Group X Resurgence

July 6, 2023
Group Fitness
Column

Rebuilding Group Fitness

February 6, 2023
Next Post
Barre Classes

Setting the Barre High

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GET UPDATES IN YOUR INBOX

Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

The Current Issue

July/August Issue 2025

July/August Issue 2025



Browse

  • Home
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter
  • Media Kit
  • The Magazine
  • Club Solutions On-Demand
  • Buyer’s Guide
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Club Solutions Magazine. Published by Peake Media.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Topics
    • Leadership
    • Marketing & Sales
    • News
    • Operations
    • Programming
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletter
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us
  • On-Demand
  • Education
    • Club Solutions Leadership Summit
    • Club Solutions Leadership Retreat
    • Pickleball Innovators
    • The Leadership Accelerator Video Series
    • Club Solutions Book Club: High Road Leadership, John C Maxwell
    • Club Solutions Book Club: The Advantage
  • Supplier Insights
    • Brand Voice
    • Supplier Voice
    • Supplier News
  • Podcast
  • Webinars
    • Thought Leaders: A Virtual Roundtable Series
    • On-Demand Webinars
  • Buyer’s Guide

© 2025 Club Solutions Magazine. Published by Peake Media.