SOMA MVMT — Attraction in Maplewood

The vibe at SOMA MVMT is acceptance, discipline and motivation all mixed into one aura with gratitude as the foundation. I know that sounds like a lot for a small group fitness program, but I kid you not. The workouts are incredibly challenging, but you have the liberty to modify and choose your weight capacity. The team approach to the training allows for you to feel the collective effort of pushing past the limited mindset influenced by the state of the world and everyday responsibilities of being an adult. The flow of the class is different every time, but generally, we warm up and stretch out, we try out a series of stations and specific exercises and rotate through several times, go through the proper form for practice and then get to work. Some classes have two sets of this section, both with 3-4 movement stations. There are cardio machines to warm up and use, bikes, ski, rowing machines too. We end with some breath work to shift back into our nervous system’s parasympathetic state. We circle up briefly and reflect on what we’re grateful for as a group and set an intent for the day. It’s more than a gym, but it doesn’t have to be that deep. The weather is a go-to for many that share. The point is to not only target your muscle building training and increase the heart rate, it’s to actually connect with your heart and with others we may have otherwise walk past. The team of trainers themselves are walking examples of integrity and practicing what you preach, going over the movements, giving great individualized feedback and suggestions to those who could use it (like me). It’s been about 3 weeks now and I already am feeling stronger. I wish I had the courage to start sooner, but I’m grateful to show up and be shown the ropes, literally and figuratively, by such a welcoming and authentic group of...

I joined Maplewood Crossfit in mid June of 2017 and the experience has been amazing. I was welcomed and encouraged immediately by the entire group, despite my feelings of complete inadequacy in my level of fitness and knowledge of almost every exercise (I’ve almost never used weights or “lifted” in my entire life). I was also enabled to go at my own pace to properly learn the movements (still learning) as well as not over extend myself leading to an injury and extinguishing any chance of staying on track.

After my first 5 weeks I was down 10lbs and 3% body fat. Then my work travel had begun to pickup again and this time I was finding it easier to mimic the cleaner and leaner meals as well as working out daily. After my 2 month program had expired I continued (and still do to this day) to attend CrossFit classes to 3-4 days a week as well as ordering lunch and dinner 5 days a week (I shortly thereafter switched to medium as it was more than enough). After that, I stopped weighing myself as it became less of a focus. I began feeling healthier, stronger and most importantly, fitting into my clothes again. Its been 4 months now since I began my CrossFit and KettleBell program. I ran my first 5k in over a year and was only 90 seconds off my previous years time. I’m seeing continued improvement in my strength and form in my workouts (unassisted pull ups, heavier lifting, faster WOD times and I’m so close in T2B I can taste it). I’m back to fitting in most of my old clothes. The bloating, stomachaches, chest pains and feeling winded after running for 30 feet are gone. I’m down 40lbs (180bs). That’s still heavier than where I was a year ago however I feel the strongest I’ve felt in a long time and know as I continue with my approach I can...

I can’t say enough good things about Crossfit Maplewood and the fantastic coaches there. If you’re a seasoned vet or completely new to Crossfit, as I was, this is an ideal community. The coaches are knowledgeable, patient, and really help you feel comfortable in a new environment and the members are supportive and fun. From your first day at Crossfit Maplewood, you can tell that people love to be there.

The workouts are also some of the best you’ll ever have. You’ll see results and conquer challenges that may have seemed impossible. With the awesome people, great coaching, and killer workouts, fitness is a given. It’s also a perfect environment to build confidence and challenge yourself. I can’t recommend this...