First City Fitness — Local services in Monterey

First City Crossfit is an amazing place. When I first moved here, I was worried because I knew we were only going to be here for about 9 months. I wasn't sure about making friends, I didn't know where I was going to workout and deal with childcare. My neighbors introduced me to the gym (which I was nervous about because I had never done crossfit before, and I've heard intimidating things about it!), but WOW. The coaches really take the time to introduce themselves and introduce you to the group. Frank, the owner introduced himself to me personally and made sure I felt comfortable, walked me around, and introduced me to people. Seriously, they go out of their way to make you feel welcome as a person and as an athlete. There was one day I showed up to class, realized I wasn't going to be able to finish the workout because of time constraints, so I left. Later that afternoon I received a phone call from Frank making sure that I was ok, that nothing happened at the gym that made me want to leave, and asking if I needed anything at all. I was floored. I have never been a part of something that, "took care of their own" so quickly. There are always multiple coaches in the gym during classes, so you feel as if you are getting personal training most of the time. Every class, regardless of who is in there, all of the moves are taught and demonstrated, as well as 2-3 different modifications in order to cover all skill levels. All of the coaches are insanely knowledgeable, professional, approachable and just fun to be around. Despite your capabilities (and every class has a huge range-trust me), everybody is SO supportive. In addition to amazing classes, classmates and coaching, there is an amazing staff in the childcare room. I have a three year old and a very clingy one year old: I have walked in countless times (more often than not) to somebody snuggling my 1 year old and giving her great attention. I can't tell you enough how much I love being a part of the First City Crossfit community; it truly feels like a family. I have made some of my best friends in Monterey in this gym, and my children have made some of their best friends in there as well. I implore you to try it out! (you get a free week test...

I've been to quite a few regular gyms and a fair amount of "boxes" and can easily, easily say this is my favorite. There are a ton of reasons to love it, but I'll just list the best.

Atmosphere: It's a well stocked crossfit gym, so you should be able to find darn near anything you need to get in that great workout if you go on your own. But I'd recommend going to the classes. It's always clean, always bright, and usually has a flurry of openly warm and friendly people working out, chatting, or both. Seriously, they all seem to welcome you like family. I haven't felt such a sense of belonging to a gym in many, many years.

Coaches: Each coach not only knows what they are talking about, but knows how to break down an unfamiliar exercise in a way anyone can understand. And the best part? They are all safety first coaches. They don't really care what your time is or if you're trying out for the games (unless you tell them you do), they just want you to be safe and injury free. So they'll watch your form, gently stop you if necessary, and retrain on the spot. It's very refreshing to be somewhere that you're not pushed to the point of injury just for a better time. And because I've been injury free for quite a while now, I'm in better shape than ever.

Equipment: Very clean, well organized, and plentiful amounts of everything you'll need. The max class size is 16 and there is enough room and equipment for pretty much everyone!

Owner: Frank legitimately loves this place. You can tell in his smile and the way he talks about it, the fact that he will regularly and happily take classes himself, assist in coaching, Coach himself, and stay after class helping people with a new skill. Frank is amazing and a selling point all on his own.

Get in here, learn a new skill, get fitter than...

As an experienced Crossfitter (4 years this past Fall) who moves frequently with my husband's career, FCCF is my 4th box. One of the most impressive things about FCCF is Frank and Erica's dedication to both community and family. This is hands-down the most welcoming box I have ever belonged to and they go above and beyond to create a family-friendly atmosphere, specifically with child care. As a mother with two young children the fact that their child care does not just consist of an area with a tv and a handful of toys, but (during certain hours of the morning) has a PERSON who is overseeing the children is a huge relief. Additionally, Frank and Erica have community events outside of the box that has cemented my relationships with many of my box mates. The owners have also shown a great dedication to adding new equipment as the box has grown exponentially over the past year; it is one of the best-equiped boxes I have ever experienced. Finally, the coaches are knowledgeable, friendly, and dedicated. I joined FCCF 3 months post-partum and the coaches were able to help me re-establish my fitness in a safe and effective way. They also believe in environmentally sound practices and are a drop-off point for fresh-locally caught seafood, and use eco-friendly products in their gym. Frank and Erica have a generous free week-long trial for potential new members, so if you haven't tried Crossfit yet or you're looking for a new box drop in and see...