CrossFit is the branded workout that has swept the nation over the last 15 years. It’s extremely high intensity and mixes strength and conditioning with functional movements.
Established in 2000 by Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai, they wanted to create a workout that incorporated many different actions but also helped with getting stronger. They opened a gym together in 2001 and posted the workouts online as well as helping their members get used to CrossFit. Law enforcement and the military soon adopted the fast-growing phenomenon. The first affiliated ‘box’ started in Seattle, Washington in 2002. By early 2022, there were around 10,800 paying affiliate gyms, with France becoming the largest adopter of CrossFit outside the USA.
CrossFit has expanded from a popular online gym class and way of keeping fit into a way of life for many of its supporters. There are now CrossFit competitions and even the CrossFit Games which began in 2007 with thousands of competitors worldwide taking part for a chance to get to this prestigious event and win medals.
If you want to get into CrossFit, there is probably at least one CrossFit gym nearby. The only question is how much it will cost to get set up and your monthly membership. We have looked into some of the options you have for either in-person or online classes.
Online Classes
CrossFit Website
The CrossFit official website has daily workouts which you can access for free. Ideal if you want to try out CrossFit exercises but don’t want to sign up for monthly membership costs just yet. They have beginner, intermediate and advanced exercises so you can do it no matter what your current fitness level. If you’re just starting out, this is an ideal option so you can figure out your skill level and do some CrossFit workouts in the comfort of your own home, perfect if you’re not confident to go to your local box. Using the website means you’re also not potentially tied into any long term contracts if you decide that this isn’t for you, or you want to do the exercises at home.
Other online classes
If you want to keep costs down, head online! There are lots of different versions of CrossFit online, including on platforms like YouTube. You may need to get some additional equipment like heavy bars, steps, medicine balls and a weight vest. It’s a great way of getting unlimited classes and doing them at a time that suits you.
Gym (Box) rates
For someone who has a busy schedule, CrossFit gyms are great as they are often open early and close late to accommodate those who have busy lives. A regular gym will probably be open between 8am and 8pm but CrossFit gyms are often open 6am until 10pm so you will probably find a class schedule to suit you. Depending on where you live, what sort of service the gym offers and the facilities available, your CrossFit membership may be more expensive than a regular gym. Most monthly memberships are around £90 per month, however, if you’re in London, it can go up to as much as £184 for an unlimited membership option. In Manchester and Leeds, the cost of a CrossFit membership can be as much as £130 for unlimited membership rates.
If you are not in a larger town, or in a more rural area, you’re in luck – there are still some great CrossFit Boxes available but you will probably pay around £65 to £80 per month.
If you want the children to get into CrossFit, there are often family discounts and if the children are too young, some CrossFit gyms have child care available so you can still get to your class or personal training sessions. Most of the boxes will have CrossFit group classes, which are normally around 10-20 people in size with a coach who can come round to each person and make sure you’re doing the moves correctly and that you are hitting those specific goals that you created when you signed up.
If you want to have one-on-one sessions with a trained CrossFit coach, expect your monthly average price to shoot up an additional couple of hundred pounds a month. However, this will give you the tools to become a better athlete, with special classes to help you reach your fitness goals.
When you sign up, make sure you ask for a quick gym tour so you know the equipment, where any changing rooms, toilets and water machines are, and if this is the right option for your experience level. Some boxes will also give you a free lesson so you can get the basic movements down.
General fitness gyms
Some general gyms may have a CrossFit affiliate there, which means you may get cheaper membership options and you’ll still be able to use the usual equipment in between your sessions. It’s a good idea to do this if you’ve done a few online classes and want to try it in a gym setting but with small classes and the potential to do other exercises when you want to.
When looking for a CrossFit gym, we recommend going to a few if you have the option in your area to get a feel of the different facilities, what equipment they have and how comfortable you feel. We have a few more articles on CrossFit including some on the type of equipment you may want to purchase, some of the best CrossFit exercises to do at home and the differences between different types of weights you may use. Check out our other strength and conditioning and general fitness blogs for more information.
