The first "Box Jump"

  In the wake of the recent CrossFit open I have heard the term "CrossFit Community" tossed around more times than I can count.  While I have been participating in CF for over 8 years and have had ownership in three different gyms I'm not sure if I actually belong to this "Community" that everyone keeps talking about.  In fact, up until this year I had never done a CF workout in an affiliate that I didn't own.  While I may be a slightly extreme case it seems to me that the "Community" is a little cliquish, for lack of a better term.  Some gym owners are apprehensive about having someone who coaches at another gym workout with their classes.  Why?  Do they believe that they will poach clients?  Are they insecure about their own coaching abilities and background knowledge??  Or are they just so damn busy running a gym, coaching, and trying to keep up with their own personal fitness that they haven't been able to look outside in months let alone explore their own community??? 
    Owning and running a gym is not as easy as most people think.  I would say that in my first year I worked between 80-90 hours every week, without a full day off for 5-6 months at a time (Thank you Christmas) with a take home pay that averages out to be around $2 an hour.  I am very fortunate to be in a position that will allow me to see the light of day a few times a week.  How do I intend on spending my hard earned time off from the gym???  By visiting other gyms!!  I know, I know....
     I know that, like many athletes, I have become comfortable in my training environment.  In an effort to break out of my comfort zone and give myself a slight psychological edge, I thought it would be a cool idea to drop in to a different gym each week to better prepare me for this years South West Regional competition.  The first gym that I chose was CrossFit Arvada, who will be the subject of my first official "Box Jump" report.  As I was leaving CFA, I had a mini epiphany!  How cool would it be to do a WOD in every single CrossFit affiliate in the state of Colorado!!
    At present count there are 110.... WOW!!!  110 in the state!!!  At risk of sounding like "that guy" there was only 12 affiliates WORLD WIDE when I started CrossFittng!  110 in the state!!!  That is a pretty large community.  Lucky for me I love doing 2 a day WOD's and I love T-shirts!
  
   Follow me as I jump from box to box and share my thoughts on each gyms atmosphere, experience of coaches, programing, my overall experience and most importantly how cool their T-shirt is!