CrossFit Bloomington — Local services in Bloomington

I've been to 7 different CrossFit gyms and this is the only one I can confidently say that I will not return. At my very first CF gym, in Atlanta where "southern hospitality" is standard, I remember a girl crying on the floor and all the coaches and athletes worked so hard to help her figure out that her nutrition was affecting her performance, mood, etc, and then they worked together to help her find better alternatives. There have been times where I've been away from CFB for a few weeks and on my return, was attacked for being 3 minutes late to a class that hadn't started yet, and I think about that girl at my first gym. Is there a reason I hadn't been to the gym in a while? Is there a reason I was late? Could I be experiencing some frustrations related to or outside of the gym? Nobody sought to understand or help me, paid "coaches" and members alike, and that is how I've felt for the duration of my 9 months at this gym. I cleaned the gym weekly in exchange for membership (even when I couldn't make it to the workouts for weeks on end sometimes) so I still got automated texts as if I was a wavering prospect; I replied to one invitation to share my concerns back in December and got no response. Then, more recently, I responded to another automated text and was told to keep my opinion to myself as it is not my gym (in this case, my opinion was to reach out to people who attended Bring A Friend Day and invite them back in, like my introverted friend who did want to come back but didn't know what next steps to take). The final straw was when a coach called me out from across the room for not participating in a warmup movement and I told her I'd rather discuss my rationale in private. Long story short, she kept pushing until I blew up on her in front of the whole class and told her I was trying to keep things professional and not voice my concerns in front of everyone. Unheard, I finally left, where the head coach happened to be walking in. I told him I wouldn't be returning and he said, "good, nobody wants you here anyway," to which I responded, "thanks for taking the time to understand my point of view." Before I started here, I was warned about the owner telling people if they don't like something about the gym, they can go somewhere else. They don't receive feedback well, despite verbalizing open door policy and safety-conscious attitudes. They don't salt their iced parking lots in the winter or wear face masks properly. They have limited equipment and next to no open gym time outside of morning and evening classes. Instead of advertising student specials and attracting newcomers to the gym at the start of the semester, they started charging their coaches for membership in order to afford to pay them. Other gyms I've been to have photographers that regularly post pictures of members (with consent) to various social media and make them feel special, nutritionists/dietitians, physical therapists, etc and the "holistic approach to fitness" that CrossFit prides itself on really shines through at other gyms compared to this one. All this coming from a strong extrovert who invites lone diners to their group dinner table, a physical therapy assistant with a strong orthopedic background, my L1 and over 10 years training for and competing in triathlon up to Ironman distance as well as coaching other triathletes, swimmers, wrestlers, etc. There are a handful of empathetic individuals at this gym but overall, I have felt very unheard and undervalued at this gym and if you're looking for a sense of belonging, I'm sorry to say that I would not...

If you are looking for a gym that’s professional, inclusive, and supportive then Crossfit Bloomington is the place you want to check out.

I had never worked out my entire life and I hated the idea of going to the gym because I didn’t know what to do! (What is heavy lifting.. what?!!!) But since I attended the CFB, working out in the morning everyday has been the best hour of my day. Now I look forward to going to the gym in the morning!! (You would think it’s a miracle if you knew me in person).

Since the COVID-19 break out, I started getting nervous by the fact that I would loose my routine and go back to the old myself. But the CFB handled it so professionally that the concerns didn’t last long. During the lock down the gym offered online classes, coffee chats, and nutrition advice classes that helped me to feel engaged and connected. Not to mention the hardcore and awesome workout programs. Now the gym is back open, they installed the system that we all feel safe to work out in a group; designated squares that’s 6 feet away from each other, cleaning the equipment before and after, and coaches wearing masks on all the time.

It’s been three years since I joined the gym and it was the best decision ever! You will love it there....

6-month update: After making 3x per week a regular habit, I increased to 5x per week. I’m feeling better all around, health is improving, etc. The coaching is great, the community is awesome, and new ownership is bringing new energy and moving things forward. I scale down pretty much every exercise with guidance, support, and no negative judgment from anyone. I’d recommend CFB to anyone, especially if doing it on your own is hard. Everybody here is supportive of beginners.

Original review: This is a great place to get started on a fitness journey. I've been coming for only a couple months, and am still working to build workouts into my regular routine. Nevertheless, I have to say my experience has been very positive. The atmosphere and community (coaches and gym members) is supportive and nonjudgmental. There is a strong focus on form and doing movements correctly before increasing weight/difficulty, which is incredibly important in my opinion. Also, it's the only way I can do many of the movements! It's an approach that meets you where you're at and then helps you build up. I get plenty of helpful and desired feedback and tips from...