It was a hot summer day in early September 2019 when I found myself in Newport, Kentucky looking from my hotel across the Ohio River at Cincinnati. Only 3 or 4 blocks away from my hotel was NewCov CrossFit. I had contacted them a few days ahead of time to let them know I was coming. They were very nice on the phone and the location was perfectly located for me. Newport is a growing area with plenty of restaurants, an aquarium, a distillery, a few nearby microbreweries and shops. There’s a great view from the levee. I didn’t have a lot of time to explore but I was impressed with all the options. When I arrived at NewCov, I went to the front desk, paid my drop-in fee and signed the waver. Someone (I believe one of the coaches) took me back to the workout area and introduced me to the coach for the class. Here’s how the rest of my experience went. Ratings are on a scale of 1-5 barbells. ![]() Communication/Information Availability I had no problems getting in touch with someone to address my questions prior to my arrival. They were very cordial and were happy to have me. Their web site is among the better ones I’ve seen. There’s a section for drop-in fees on the home page (you’ll see a group of links and it’s the bottom one) or under ABOUT on the main navigation bar. There’s lots of drop-in options with multiple days and combinations with shirts. Once you’ve settled on an option you like, it will link you to a page to process payment. I haven’t gone past this point but you should be able to reserve a class at that point. You’re also able to view their schedule from the main navigation bar. Their schedule has lots of time options. BTW, Saturday classes are free. A nice bonus I haven’t seen anywhere else. NewCov’s website also offers their workout of the day about a week in advance, which is a huge help if you like to plan ahead. They have bios on all of their coaches. The only thing that appears to be missing is the coach’s CrossFit certification levels. ![]() Cleanliness At the time I visited, I didn’t have my mental check list established yet because this blog hadn’t been contemplated. So, although I didn’t check the bathrooms, the rest of the facility was clean. Not a lot of chalk dust. Nothing glaringly unclean. They encourage wiping down equipment at the end of class. When I was there, they had spray bottles and rags. I saw just about everyone using them. ![]() Facility NewCov CrossFit is big. One of the largest facilities I’ve been to. They have a large, open area with high ceilings. I think you could have 2-3 classes going on there if you wanted to (not that they do). During class, there were several people lifting on their own and they weren’t really near us. There’s also a smaller area where different fitness classes are held. This was not as open but certainly big enough for a class. They have shelves to stow your bag/gear. Everything was well organized. There’s a big plate rack close to the middle of the main workout area. It’s got kind of a mix-and-match of plates but they seemed in good shape and there was enough for everyone. There were at least a dozen people in our class. They had a load of rowers. I didn’t count how many bikes they have but it didn’t strike me as a particularly small or large amount. Their rig was against the wall. There was plenty of space for it. I mentioned it was hot. As luck would have it, I came on a day where their giant ceiling fan was broken. When you get a large open space like that and add heat it becomes a bit like an easy-bake oven. Nevertheless, we persevered. ![]() Workout/Programming The workout was pretty straight-forward. There was a strength portion which was clean and split jerks and an AMRAP of clean and (push) jerks and rowing. There was some time spent on warm up and then we got to work. I personally like a class with a strength portion before the metcon. There was more than enough time to do our lift and get the AMRAP in, with time to clean up before the next class. In looking at the programming on their web site, NewCov seems to change things up and offers plenty of variety. ![]() Coaching Again, I didn’t take all the notes then that I do now but I’m pretty sure that Erin was the coach. She was knowledgeable and confident. However, NewCov was the first place I’ve dropped in to where the coach didn’t introduce me to the class. It could have easily slipped her mind but without the intro I felt a little on my own. On the strength portion, she gave me some suggestions that have stuck with me and my split jerk is better for it. She also kept an eye on everyone throughout the class. During the AMREP, she pushed and encouraged people to try for their best results. Lack of introduction aside, the coaching was quite good. ![]() Culture I always say that one drop-in is a moment in time and doesn’t always give the full picture. The folks in my class on that day pretty much kept to themselves. The hot conditions may have contributed to that. It was more like being a guest rather than part of the group. After the warmup, someone did introduce themselves to me. It turned out to be another coach that was taking the class. That helped me to feel a little more welcomed. When the workout was over, I had a rag and spray bottle and wiped down a couple of people’s rowers. They thanked me and gave me a “good job” on the workout. So, not a bad experience. Just not as social as some other places. But, I’ll end as I began. It was a moment in time. It would not keep me from returning. ![]() Drop-in Cost and Swag Finishing strong. The drop-in costs at NewCov CrossFit are very reasonable. One class is $15 and $25 if you include a shirt. They also have two and three-day and week-long packages with options with and without a shirt. The week-long package without a shirt is $55. I haven’t seen many options better than that. I opted for a shirt. You really can’t beat the price. It’s a tri-blend so, it’s nice and soft and they had plenty of inventory. I’m a big fan of the drop-in/shirt combo. In Summary
NewCov CrossFit has some really good things going for it. It’s a big, well-equipped facility (I’m sure the fan is working now). The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and the coaching was hands-on. I wouldn’t let anything about the culture put you off. It was a hot day and not a single person was unfriendly. I would certainly return. Their web site has just about everything you’ll want to know ahead of time and the drop-in costs are excellent. If you’re in the Cincinnati area, I’d recommend giving NewCov CrossFit a try. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. Contact Information NewCov CrossFit 15 West 6th Street Newport, KY 41071 859-905-0271 https://www.newcovcrossfit.com/
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You've dropped in. Your workout is over and you want to share your thoughts on your experience. So, what next? Most people use Google reviews to leave their feedback. And those reviews are important. It’s the means by which I research places to work out and I believe it’s important to share those experiences so others can learn from what you found. But is it always good to publish a review? Here’s the part that you may disagree with, and please feel free to do so. It is my belief that if you don’t have something nice to say, Google is not the place to air your grievances. It’s definitely important to share your feedback, even if it’s negative. However, if it’s negative, a well-worded, detailed and constructive email to the owner with your concerns will be much more helpful for all involved. Why do I say this? A number of reasons, really. First, I believe not all comments need to be public. A flat-out negative review may get something off your chest but may accomplish only that. Second, most CrossFit owners put their heart and soul into their business on which they support their families and are trying to do good for the community. They have a passion for helping people find a healthier path and helping us achieve our goals and that’s a pretty darn good thing. Lastly, and you’ll hear me say this many times; A drop-in is a moment in time and one experience does not necessarily represent what it’s always like at a particular place. Everyone has off days. It could be argued that a negative review warns others to stay away. But wouldn't it be better to help an owner improve the experience for everyone? If a place is consistently poorly rated, you'll see fewer ratings or more negative ratings before you get there and that's a place you probably won't visit to begin with. Are there places I won’t return to? Yes. Not because it’s a horrible place but it may not have been as suited to me as others and I might want to explore other options. Although I haven’t had a “bad” experience yet (doing the homework helps, including reading reviews), if I did I would either move on or write the owner with the details of my experience. I would provide the facts of the experience and leave the emotion out of it. The approach would be something along the lines of “I thought you would want be aware of my experience at your CrossFit…” Most owners look for feedback. It allows them to make adjustments and improvements because they want people to have a great experience. If I were in their shoes, I would certainly appreciate it. Constructive feedback (provided it’s constructive) is a good thing. That said, leaving good feedback is important too. A Google review is a little different than my write-ups because they don’t go into every detail. My suggestion is to give enough details to give a sense of the place. Be sure you say that you were dropping in. How nice/helpful were the coaches? Was there anything that stands out about the facility? How friendly were the members? How did the workout challenge you? Perhaps a few sentences and a 4- or a 5-star rating. If you don’t think the experience is worth the 4- or 5-star rating, I would recommend the approach outlined above. This is what I base my decisions on. As a result, I’ve had many great drop-in experiences. I think it’s good to share that positive experience because it not only helps a hard-working owner but people like ourselves who are looking for an excellent place to work out.
If you do write the owner, they may not respond. At that point, I personally would count it as a learning experience and move on. However, don’t be surprised if you receive a response thanking you for your feedback. Owners can’t always know everything that goes on and your feedback may be a big help in pointing out something they can address and improve. And that’s a place that just might be worth a return visit. If you have any questions about leaving a review or any other drop-in related items, please comment below or contact me directly at [email protected]. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. Not too long ago, I posted a review on the LifePro Sonic X massage gun. (You can see that review at https://www.dropindiary.com/blog/gear-review-lifepros-sonic-x-massage-gun.) When I was doing my research to make my decision on the massage gun, I noticed some of LifePro’s other products, including a vibrating foam roller and a few different massage balls. They particularly caught my attention because of their portability. I love great products that travel well. So, I kind of filed it in the back of my mind at the time. ![]() To my surprise, when I received my massage gun, I got a card with it that offered me one of these massage balls for free in exchange for my product review on the gun. How could I resist? The price was certainly right. So, I followed the instructions and received a confirmation. It was at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic so, it said it may be a little while before it shipped. No problem. I wasn’t going anywhere. And, I already had a really good massage gun from them. A couple of months later, I received the massage ball in the mail. Honestly, I had kind of forgotten about it, so I was excited when it arrived. Here’s how it stacks up. ![]() What It Comes With It came with the ball, a charging cord and a similar card I got with the gun that said to give them a call or send them an email if anything goes wrong with the product. It’s one of the reasons I decided on LifePro’s massage gun. A company that stands behind their products scores big points in my view. On the web site, it also says it comes with a user guide. However, I didn’t get one with mine. I don’t see this as a big deal, as the guide is on their web site and it’s not terribly extensive. It really doesn’t need to be. ![]() Effectiveness and Functionality The LifePro Agility vibrating massage ball is a little more than twice the size of a lacrosse ball (a staple of my travel arsenal), which means it will hit a greater surface area than a lacrosse ball but it may not work as well if you want to hit a very concentrated area. The massage ball is also textured, which helps to dig into an affected area. It’s not going to have as much power as a massage gun, so it may not hit your muscles as deeply as a gun. However, I found it to be effective at the highest speed. It’s also a little less versatile than a massage gun (but it comes at a far lower cost). I find it works well on hip flexors, calves, hamstrings, glutes, upper shoulders and neck area. Although I would always go to the gun first on many of these things, when travelling, it will do nicely. I haven’t brought this to a hotel yet. One thing I’m a little concerned about is the vibration against the floor. It’s not loud at all but if you put pressure on it, that vibration radiates across the floor. I wouldn’t want my downstairs neighbor to think I was drilling through their ceiling. I’ll post an update once I put it to that test. Warranty Like all of their other products I’ve looked it, the LifePro Agility massage ball comes with a 100% lifetime guarantee. You really can’t beat that. Ergonomics and Build It’s light weight; less than 11 ounces. It’s less dense than it looks but solidly built. Like their Sonic X massage gun, it doesn’t feel cheap or “toy-ish”. It’s quiet, but as I mention just above, you will hear more vibration when pressing it against a floor. It’s not a hard plastic so, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable. It’s got a silicone surface so it’s forgiving while having the proper amount of firmness. This massage ball has four speeds; low, medium, high and alternating speed. Changing the speed is just a matter of hitting the only button it has, much like the massage gun. So, it’s simple to use. There’s an LED indicator for each speed as well as a 3-LED battery life indicator on the ball. I have found that sometimes the button can accidently be hit when rolling across it. Although the button is slightly recessed, I’ve unintentionally changed the speed a couple of times. Battery Life LifePro claims a 2-4 hour battery life on their Agility massage ball and all of the evidence supports that. I’ve not had to charge it yet and there’s probably about half the battery left. I’m sure I’ve used it for more than an hour in total. Unless you’re going on a long trip and plan to use it a lot, you can probably charge it up and leave the cord at home. Travel-ability The LifePro Agility massage ball was made for portability. It’s lightweight and small. It’s less than 4” in diameter. This is an easy choice for taking with you if you don’t want to spend the money or bag space on a massage gun. In Summary
The LifePro Agility 4-speed massage ball is a very nice complement to my travel arsenal. It’s not as effective or versatile as a massage gun. However, its portability factor is hard to argue with. It retails for $49.99. I’ve seen many of LifePro’s products on sale on Amazon. I’ve also seen them offering discount codes on their site so I don’t think it’s too difficult to get a deal if you keep an eye out. It’s a pretty good buy at their retail price but I think it would be a little more attractive at a slightly lower price. If you do happen to buy one of their massage guns and get that nice little promo card, by all means take advantage of it. LifePro also has several other interesting products at https://lifeprofitness.com/ if you want to check them out. I’m always happy to share more details on my experience with this or any product. Please feel free to ask me any questions by commenting on this post, on social media or email me at [email protected]. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. The title is reminiscent of one of those reports you had to do in grade school; “what I did with my summer”. But, as with so many things in life, the decisions we make can send us down many new paths. My first ever drop-in was definitely one of those decisions. I mention in my bio that I’ve always traveled a lot and early on in my CrossFit experience I felt like I would get back to the gym after being on the road and it was like I was starting from scratch. Pushups, sit ups and air squats in my hotel room was helping but not enough. I was looking for a more complete workout. Doing a lot of CrossFit-type workouts in hotel fitness centers wasn’t always easy due to lack of space and equipment. And, not that it was a big deal to me, but people looked at me as though I was nuts. If you ask my immediate family or close friends, you’d know I’m a researcher. I like to know exactly what to expect in order to have a level of comfort. It’s one of the principles that Drop-In Diary is based on. So, research I did. Many of my travels bring me to upstate New York. I asked a couple of my coworkers, researched online and made calls. I settled on CrossFit Beyond in Albany. I called and spoke with owner, Joy Smolinski. She spent a few minutes on the phone with me and gave me her background and shared the upcoming workouts with me, which made me feel more comfortable coming in. I was definitely nervous when I arrived. This was new territory. I knew no one. However, everyone was friendly and I was quickly greeted by Joy. I signed the waver and paid my drop-in fee. The rest is below in the usual format. All ratings are on a scale of 1-5 barbells. Keep in mind, it’s been a while since my last visit there. So, some of this is to my best recollection. Also note that some things may have changed since my last visit. I’ve been there a few times so, this based on my collective experiences. ![]() Communication/Information Availability Joy is very good about responding to voice mail. I haven’t contacted them by email to date. I would more likely email ahead these days and give more notice than I did back then. But the number is on the site so it’s whatever you’re comfortable with. Their web site is fairly basic in design but gives you all the essentials; class time, contact information, drop-in costs. It also has information on all their coaches, including their training credentials and a little background. You can sign into classes online but it’s not super easy to find. You’d have to go to Join CrossFit Beyond in the top navigation bar, click on the link provided and it takes you to another page, click on SIGNUP/VISIT and select DROPIN. ![]() Cleanliness When you walk in, you might think that it’s not a super shiny facility and it’s definitely an older building (more on that in the next section). However, there’s a difference between the age/condition of the facility and cleanliness. I’ve never really noticed any issues here. ![]() Facility I thought about this one for a little bit. Again, your first impression is this place is old or not the prettiest. However, it’s a CrossFit gym, not luxury a car showroom. It looks like it may have served as an auto shop in a previous life. Honestly, at the time I had only been to a couple of other facilities and it’s kind of what I’d expect a CrossFit facility to look like; a place to lift heavy stuff and work hard. Subsequently, I’ve learned in my travels there’s so many different looks and feels to places and there’s not one proper setting. It’s a medium-size facility (not too big but not tiny at all). There’s plenty of room for everyone. There’s a main area in the rear and an area in the front that has a couple of pullup bars and bikes/rowers. The front is a little bit disconnected from the rest of the facility but it’s useful. The main area has a wall lined with pullup bars. There’s a small free-standing rig outside. The floor is open and roomy. The equipment is a bit of a mix when you look at the dumbbells and plates. Some pieces are older and more weathered than others. There’s metal and rubber plates. However, there’s plenty of equipment. Also, keep in mind it’s been over a year since I’ve been there and they may have upgraded some of their hardware. I’ve seen this happen more than once on return visits. They also have soft boxes, which not all places have, plenty of squat racks and a good amount of machines. ![]() Workout/Programming I can’t recount the specifics of each workout for you but I do recall a good amount of variety. In my visits, I’ve done barbell workouts, dumbbell workouts, partner WODs, pull ups, sit ups, box jumps and running. There’s been cash-outs on some as well. So, they’re pretty thorough. There also is a warmup at the beginning of each class. I will say I once had to do a workout there exclusively to music of Britney Spears. Funny…but not terribly fun. I appreciate the sense of humor. ![]() Coaching Again, I’m going to best recollection. I’ve worked with a few coaches there. There was maybe 3-4 months of CrossFit under my belt when I first dropped in. Everyone worked with me on scaling and was very patient. I received feedback on my lifts. It always felt like the coaches were attentive, which I was especially tuned in to as early as it was in my CrossFitting days. ![]() Culture The culture here was one of the big factors that kept me coming back. As a first place to drop in, I distinctly remember my sense of comfort was naturally tied to my sense of how welcomed I felt. I was made to feel as I was a part of the class rather than a visitor. The coaches introduced me at the beginning of each class. People introduced themselves to me each time I was there. On the evening of a partner workout, one of the members approached me to be his partner. There was plenty of congrats after each class as well as the occasional post-class chatting. This is a really good group of people. ![]() Drop-in Cost and Swag The cost to drop in on their web site is $15. It specifies you must have CrossFit experience, which is reasonable. My recollection is my cost was $20. It’s possible they’ve changed their price on the web site since I’ve been there or the listed price isn’t accurate. Either way, it’s a fair price. However, you might want to get that clarified. Joy also said I could take a class and just purchase a shirt as a drop-in fee. Unfortunately, they didn’t have anything in my size at the time. Perhaps on my next visit. In Summary
It’s said that first impressions are lasting impressions. This was definitely the case with CrossFit Beyond. I may not have continued with dropping in without the great start that I experienced here. It's very well run. The workouts are thought out and the people here are fantastic. I’ve visited several places in this area but I definitely want to make my way back to CrossFit Beyond. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. Contact Information CrossFit Beyond 952 Broadway Albany, NY 12207 518-810-5794 [email protected] http://crossfitbeyond.com/ On December 26, 2019, I visited CrossFit OTG for a post-Christmas workout. This was my fourth visit to OTG and I was joined by my wife, who has come with me at least a couple of times. The family that works out together stays healthy together. It’s close to where my family lives, so it’s very convenient while I’m there. CrossFit OTG is in Egg Harbor Township, NJ, which is about 15 minutes from Atlantic City and less than an hour east of Philadelphia. I was referred here by sister (yep, more family CrossFitters), who had dropped in several times previously. So, I didn’t do my usual vetting via Google reviews. However, in looking at the reviews, there’s plenty of drop-ins that offer their experiences and they’re quite positive. I spoke with the owner, Nick before my first visit there. He was very personable on the phone and happy to have me join them. CrossFit OTG is the kind of place where you definitely get your money’s worth from your workout. It’s common to get cash-outs and some fun warmups as well. Let’s give you some details. (As always, all ratings are on a scale of 1-5 barbells) ![]() Communication/Information Availability In researching CrossFit OTG as if I weren’t referred there, all the information you’d need is on their web page. There’s a couple of links to get to the drop-in details. Their schedule offers lots of options. They also post the movements (but not the rep scheme) for their WODs for the entire week, which is convenient. You can sign up to drop in online to save you (and them) time when you arrive. Nick (the owner) was happy to answer any questions when I first called. At that time, my sister had recently dropped in for a week and he remembered her. He was very welcoming. Their web site offers details on each of their coaches, including their certification levels as well as background information and insights into their personalities as it relates to CrossFit. I haven’t seen many sites that offer more details on their coaches. ![]() Cleanliness CrossFit OTG maintains a good level of cleanliness. Granted, you’ll see a fair amount of chalk but there’s a difference between well-used and dirty. If you look at an area of the floor that’s not too close to the rigs, you’ll see it’s clean. They encourage people to wipe down their equipment when done. I have noticed a fair amount of chalk on the barbells. However, dumbbells, kettlebells, wall balls and cardio equipment all looked good. The bathrooms appeared to be in pretty good shape as well. ![]() Facility OTG is a large facility. There’s a warm up room and a spacious main area. There’s two rigs; one against the back wall and a free-standing rig on the side – plenty to accommodate a large class. They also have a dozen Echo bikes, more than a dozen rowers and plenty of weights and plates. You should have no trouble getting a set of dumb bells or a kettle bell in the weight you want to use. Most things are in good condition here. I noticed some slam balls that were dead but there were several in good condition. They also have some soft boxes, which is very nice. ![]() Workout/Programming You’ll know you’ve had a workout when you’ve left CrossFit OTG. That’s not meant to scare you. It may just be a timing thing, but I seem to be there for a lot of “chipper” workouts. Guess I’m just lucky. Seriously, I don’t mind long workouts. After all, I’m on a mission to build a better me. It’s also important to remember while the workout may challenge you, there’s plenty of ways to scale for your needs. The coaches will help you. For this workout it was an ascending round of 10-20-30 wall balls and dumbbell snatches and descending 30-20-10 pull ups and no push up burpees. There was a scaled version on the board as well, which plenty of the athletes selected, myself included. The WOD was followed by a nice little cash out of ab work (v-holds, hollow rocks and Russian twists). ![]() Coaching Nick was the coach on this day. I’ve also visited when Rob was the coach. Rob did a great job introducing himself, explaining the WOD and checking on us throughout the workout. On this particular occasion, Nick had everyone gather at the display to explain the workout and then started warming us up. He went through the movements with us, breaking down the dumbbell snatches into its fundamentals. We warmed up on all the movements prior to the WOD. It’s clear Nick enjoys what he does. You can tell he takes pride in his business and is passionate for CrossFit. He wants to challenge you and help you succeed. He’s encouraging and energetic throughout the entire workout. ![]() Culture As this location is close to the beach, they appear to get a lot of drop-ins. The coaches have routinely introduced me at the beginning of class. My wife and I both got a welcome back hug from Nick when he saw us. We saw him introduce a drop-in from South Carolina before the next class. Every time I visit, I get to chat with people a little more. People are approachable here. And many have started to recognize us when we come. People encourage each other. There’s plenty of “good job’s” and fist bumps when the workout is over. ![]() Drop-in Cost and Swag The cost to drop in to CrossFit OTG is $20. However, if you are a Wodify athlete and sign in through Wodify it’s $15. They also offer a 7-day pass if you’re going to be in town for a week for $50. If you want to get a lot of workouts in during the week, it’s a great value. More details can be found at http://www.crossfitotg.com/drop-in-visitors. As with many places, swag is a bit hit-and-miss here. It often depends on how picked over it is. They didn’t have anything in my size but I liked the design. Nick said new shirts were due to arrive soon. So, I’m sure I’ll pick something up next time I return. Shirts were $25 each or 2 for $40. In Summary
I enjoy visiting CrossFit OTG. Nick has a clear passion for CrossFit and I always get a heck of a workout there. The people are friendly. I feel more comfortable there with each visit. They cater to drop-ins and treat you like you’re a member. I will definitely visit them a fifth time and beyond. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. Contact Information CrossFit OTG 3330 Bargaintown Rd Suite 1 Egg Harbor Twp, NJ 08234 (609) 513-9164 http://www.crossfitotg.com/ In July, 2019 I was doing some work in Portland, ME and had the opportunity to get in an early morning workout at Beacon Community Fitness, formerly CrossFit Beacon. I think it’s worth mentioning that Portland is a great town. It’s right on the water. Plenty of great food and shops. There’s also lots of places to visit both north and south of the city and costal Maine is absolutely gorgeous. There’s lots of CrossFit/workout options in the Portland area. I was staying by the airport and had 3-4 within a 10-minute drive. I settled on Beacon due to their volume of high online ratings, their responsiveness to my call and their scheduled workout for that day. When I called ahead they gave me all the details I needed and the person I spoke with was quite upbeat. They said they’d be happy to have me workout with them. It’s easy to get to, just of I-295. I arrived a few minutes before it opened and there were a couple of people waiting in the parking lot already. When they opened up, I introduced myself, paid my drop-in fee and signed the waiver and went to warm up. Here are the details. (As always, all ratings are on a scale of 1-5 barbells) ![]() Communication/Information Availability I initially called and left a message and was responded to promptly. I reviewed the workout with them and let them know which class I’d be at. Everything was smooth there. They’ve got a clean web site that’s easy to navigate. There’s some info on all of their coaches, lots of testimonials and a class schedule. There’s a section for drop-ins right on their main navigation bar. It’s got all the details and contact information. There’s a section on the main navigation bar for the WOD as well. It indicates the workout for the current day and past days. It’s also worth noting that the communication I’ve had with them since my visit for additional Q & A has been exceptional. ![]() Cleanliness Beacon is quite clean. Granted, I was there for the first class of the day but you can tell they take care of the facility. No residual chalk or dirt buildup that I could see. I’d say more here but there’s not much else to say. Less is more in this case. ![]() Facility Beacon Community Fitness is a somewhat different facility. It looks like a business front when you arrive with windows up front. It’s a stand-alone building. When I walked in, there’s a room with a handful of rowers and assault bikes and a small open floor. At first, I was wondering what else there was. Then the coach showed me through a doorway with a few steps up to the back room. This room was much larger. It’s not massive but it was a pretty decent sized class and we weren’t on top of each other. They don’t have a traditional rig. They have a line of free-standing racks that are anchored to the floor, each with a pullup bar. There’s also stations along the wall with wallball targets. Everything is pretty well organized. The equipment appeared to be in good shape. No signs of abuse or neglect. The building is situated right in front of a running/biking trail, which is great for running workouts. ![]() Workout/Programming We warmed up with stretches and a run. From there, the strength portion was a sled push. We had a little extra time so we did some tire flips as well (always fun). The metcon was more aerobic capacity. It was several rounds (I believe 5) of 10 burpees, 100m run, 10 air squats, 100m run, 10 push ups, 100m run, 10 box jumps, 100m run. So, we used the running trail. The interesting part was when we retuned from the run, we came in through the front section and ran across it, and up a ramp to the back. This kept people from running into each other when they were entering and leaving for the run. It all worked out. As a separate note, Beacon is one of the places that has religiously posted workouts daily during the pandemic. I did a couple of them. Extra credit for reliability! ![]() Coaching I was greeted by coach Tyson. His official title is a coach/lightkeeper. I’m told he’s one of the founders and “continues to be that steadfast person who continues to keep the light on for us all!” How can you not like that? Tyson is the type of person who makes you feel comfortable. He was quite hospitable and introduced me to the class before we got started. He said their drop-ins pick the music genre for the class. I went with rock. Wanted to go with something with as much universal appeal as possible. Tyson was quite attentive to everyone throughout the workout. He was good about answering any questions I had. ![]() Culture Beacon has a friendly culture. You can see there’s a sense of community here. They’re quite outgoing and I had the opportunity to interact with several members. The coaches help facilitate this culture. I was made to feel welcome and a part of the group. There was plenty of encouragement among members during the workout and post-workout congratulations. ![]() Drop-in Cost and Swag Drop-in costs are slightly higher than I usually see at $25 but not unheard of at all. They do offer a couple’s drop-in rate of $40 and weekly individual classes for individuals and couples at $60 and $100 respectively, which is pretty good. I don’t have clear notes on the swag cost but I recall it was a good rate. I believe around $15 with your drop in. In Summary
When I reflect on a drop-in, I find that a big measure of a drop-in is how comfortable I felt. Beacon Community Fitness is an easy place to feel comfortable. I really like the coaching and the people here. Those are two of the top criteria for me. I hope to get back to Portland soon and I’d love to visit Beacon Community Fitness again. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. Contact Information Beacon Community Fitness 341 Marginal Way Portland, ME 04101 207-619-2322 https://www.beaconcommunityfitness.com [email protected] I know I may have said this a few times before but really like returning to places I’ve dropped in to previously. My return visit to Hunter’s Creek CrossFit in Orlando was especially important to me because Hunter’s Creek was the first CrossFit I had ever written about. The first time I had dropped in there I was only contemplating blogging about my experiences. So, I was sure there were observations I hadn’t made the first time around. And, after several visits to other places since my first visit there, I knew I would come with a different perspective and would be able to make more educated observations. This write up will compare and contrast some of my previous observations to my first visit. A lot of the ratings for Hunter’s Creek have gone up in this review, so please reference this write up when making your drop-in decisions for the Orlando area. Ready to see what happened? Me too. ![]() Communication/Information Availability The communication was good the first time. This time I contacted them via email and received a direct response from their owner, Daniel. I had a particular concern due to an injury and Daniel assured me he’d be able to help me modify and still get an “amazing workout”. Frankly, his reassurance was the difference between me going vs. sitting it out. I signed in to class and paid my drop-in fee online so I was ready to go when I arrived. I had previously wrote that this option was not available. So, either something changed or I missed it, which is more likely the case. ![]() Cleanliness I wanted to get a closer look this time to my last visit. I poked my head in the bathroom, as that can be telling. No real issues there. This is a busy, active facility. However, they manage to stay on top of things. The floor was clean as well as the equipment. ![]() Facility Again, not the largest place I’ve been to but it doesn’t have to be. I did observe on my first visit that some of the rubber plates were loose on their steel hubs. Some of those plates are still there but it appears they’re “thinning the herd” and there seemed to be a greater proportion of newer plates. There’s not a great abundance of machines (rowers/bikes) but they have a few. I may have missed some but I did look around. I also mentioned in my last write up that the rig “appears to be solid”. I got to use it this time and I want to amend that statement. This rig would most likely require a shifting of tectonic plates to move. It’s the most solid rig I’ve ever experienced. It’s got supports on top of it that I haven’t seen anywhere else. It’s not going anywhere. There’s a good layout here. The rig is in the center with plenty of space around it. So, if you have a workout that involves pull ups and a lift, everyone can be stationed around the rig and they don’t have to navigate around other people to get back and forth to their stations. ![]() Workout/Programming Hunter’s Creek seems to have a good formula. It started with a thorough warmup followed by a review of all the movements for the workout. This workout included a lift progression of push press, push jerk and split jerk. The metcon included push press, push jerk, burpees and jump rope, which I modified to the ski erg to accommodate my leg injury. It felt like a complete workout. ![]() Coaching My first time at Hunter's Creek I had a really good experience with their coach. This time the owner, Daniel, coached the class and the experience was very similar. I had mentioned that I had a mobility issue this time around. (It seems I often do - Things get more interesting when your age starts with a 5.) Daniel gave me a means of modifying while, as he promised, still getting an amazing workout. When class first started, Daniel introduced me and another drop-in to the group. He gathered everyone around the board to review the workout. He warmed us up and went through all the movements we'd need for the class. We matched up with similar height partners for the lift. Daniel did an excellent job of making the rounds with everyone to observe and encourage them both during the lift and the workout. It’s a very hands-on coaching environment at Hunters Creek which I particularly appreciate. Special thanks to Daniel for helping me get some pics after class, as my arms were too shaky after all that shoulder-to-overhead. ![]() Culture I really like the people at Hunter’s Creek. They’re friendly and they’ve got great energy. You can tell they’re proud to be members there, as you’ll find in more close-knit CrossFit communities. One of the guys I was partnered with for the lift gave me a helpful tip. In between rounds in the metcon I looked up and received a couple looks of encouragement from nearby members. There was plenty of congrats after the workout was done. ![]() Drop-In Cost and Swag No real change here from my previous visit. $20 to drop in and $25 for a shirt. However, they did have a shirt in my size this time so I was happy because I really like their logo design. In Summary I get to the Orlando area a lot in my travels and I’m honestly torn between making Hunter’s Creek my go-to place and checking out other places to experience, as that’s now what I do. It’s nice to have a place that I know will be consistently good and I’ll feel comfortable with. I’m sure I’ll return. If you’re looking for a place to try in the Orlando area, I think you’d be very happy with Hunter’s Creek CrossFit. Contact Information Hunter’s Creek CrossFit 2120 Orinoco Dr #200 Orlando, FL 32837 (407) 745-4801 https://www.hunterscreekcrossfit.com/ If you’ve read some of my other posts, you’ll notice a running theme of communicating with the places where I might want to drop in. This will help both you and the CrossFit you are looking to visit. And there is definitely a give-and-take to the transaction. So, here’s some thoughts on communication.
Let's start with the obvious – As of this posting, places are just starting to open back up now. Different states have different rules and different CrossFits are moving at different paces. Most places won't be ready for drop-ins for some time but as things improve, you'll definitely want to find out what an individual CrossFit's stance is on dropping in. They will almost certainly have limited class sizes for a while. Let them know you’re coming – While you can drop in unannounced, it’s definitely good etiquette to let your host to know that they’ll have a drop-in and give a reasonable amount of nitice whenever possible. In a recent interview with CrossFit owners (more from that in an upcoming post), I was told the ideal notice before dropping in is to contact them the week before. This gives them time to respond. There may be something special going on that’s not mentioned on the schedule. For instance, they could be preparing for a special event which may affect their ability to accept drop-ins at that time. It's also a good opportunity to let them know if you have circumstances they should be aware of like a mobility issue. You’ll know what to expect – There’s many places that don’t list their WOD on their web site. It may be on an app that you don’t have access to it. Also, per the above special circumstance scenario, you have the opportunity to learn if there’s anything you need to expect. Calling ahead is a very good opportunity to ask any other questions that may not be addressed by their web site. For instance, some sites don’t list their drop-in fees. Getting a hint of the culture – It may sound odd that you can get a sense of the culture from a phone call or an email but if you pay close attention, you can learn a lot from how the person responding to you communicates. Do they sound welcoming? Do they say things like “we’d love to have you”? Do they have a few minutes to answer your questions and give you details? Are they willing to help you if you need to scale a workout? If so, these are good signs. If they sound like it’s an inconvenience, you may have caught them at a bad time or it also might be a sign that you want to keep looking. Bringing the right gear – As many of us are flying to our destinations, it can be helpful if you can pack lighter. If you know there’s not going to be double unders or heavy lifting and you can leave the jump rope and weight belt at home, that’s always a plus. If there’s going to be a run as a part of the workout, you can decide if you’d prefer to bring running shoes. Finding the right workout – I recently called a place and they had a WOD scheduled that was very similar to what I had done the night before at my home CrossFit. Two days in a row wouldn’t have been a great idea. So, while the CrossFit checked off all the boxes for the type of place I wanted to visit, the workout wasn’t right on that day and I kept looking. (Don't worry, I'll be back.) You may have certain things that you want to work on or want to avoid because it might exacerbate an injury. That communication will be important for you. If the workout isn’t right for you on that day, maybe you go on a different day or at least you'll know to have a scaling option or, if there’s other drop-in options in the area, perhaps you want to look further. Communication is an important tool in finding the right places to help you stay fit in your travels. There’s a lot you can learn from an email or a 5-minute conversation that will not only help you make the best choice for you but to better assure that the place you select will get you a result you'll be happy with. Please contact me if you have any questions on this or other drop-in/travel topics at [email protected]. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. Travelling or not, a good massage gun is a great weapon to have in your arsenal. (Pun somewhat intended.) When I decided I wanted a massage gun I must admit it was difficult knowing where to start. If you look on Amazon, there’s literally hundreds of them. How would I find one that would do the job as advertised, was well built, from a reputable company, had a decent warranty, preferably travelled well and wasn’t too expensive? The first mission was to narrow down to my criteria. Customer reviews are important, so I looked for 4 stars and up. Then I wanted to narrow it down to something that was around $200 or less. There are plenty of pretty well-rated guns for even less than that but I wanted to stick with a company that had some credibility and there are so many I’ve never heard of. I researched quite a bit and tried several at stores. The TheraGun is very nice but a lot more than I wanted to pay. My chiropractor uses the Hypervolt and it works really well but that was a little out of my desired price range as well at around $300. There’s also many products that maybe aren’t as well rated but cost closer to $100. However, I wanted something that I was confident would hold up. I decided on the Sonic X from LifePro Fitness. It lists for $299 but I always see it marked down to $215 on their site. It’s regularly $215 on Amazon as well and I’ve always seen it with a $15 coupon. When I purchased it (in March, 2020) I happened to catch it on sale for just under $180. This seemed like the good value I was looking for. It was rated well on Amazon. Over 700 reviews, 98% of which was 4 stars or better. 90% was 5 stars. LifePro has a large selection of products so, it’s not an overnight company. There’s lots of models and options beyond massage guns. They’ve got a vibrating foam roller, a vibrating massage ball and several other products. What It Comes With: The Sonic X comes with a case, the gun itself, a charging chord and 4 heads; flat, ball, bullet and spinal. I see other guns come with several more but, to date, I haven’t had a need for anything this doesn’t have. Effectiveness and Functionality: Does it do the job? It certainly does. I’ve been able to use it on my quads, traps, lower back, arms and hamstrings. It’s definitely helped. One of the other reasons I selected this particular gun is because of it’s RPM range. It has 5 speeds and goes up to 3200 RPM. At first, I was a little concerned that this particular gun didn’t have a digital display. It’s got little LEDs to indicate power level and battery life. It’s a one-button unit so, it’s very simple. After some use I found a display isn’t really necessary. I don’t miss it. Warranty One of the big selling points is the lifetime warranty. The language on their web site and in their videos is pretty clear that if you have a problem with one of their products, they’ll stand behind it. Ergonomics and Build The Sonic X feels well-constructed. It doesn’t have a cheap plastic or toy-ish feel. Another positive of this gun is the shape. It’s got a long handle, which allows me to reach my back on my own. I can also move my hand higher up on the unit for easier to reach areas. It’s easy for my wife to grip with her smaller hands. It’s also pretty quiet. At 2.2 lbs, it does have a little heft but not enough to really tire your hand. Battery Life It’s been more than 2 months since I’ve received it and we only charged it when it originally arrived. My wife and I use it on average about every other day. I’m sure I can take it on the road on a full charge without the charging chord and not have to worry about the battery running out. Travel-ability Although it has a nice little case, it’s shape will allow you to wrap it in some clothes without the case and not be too obtrusive. However, that 2.2 lbs will add a little weight to your travel bag. Overall, the LifePro Sonic X was a good choice for me. It’s well constructed and very easy to operate. It works great on sore muscles and the lifetime warranty is excellent piece of mind. I would love it if it were maybe just a little smaller and lighter but I would rather have quality over size and weight in this equation. There’s several other options from LifePro if you like the warranty but want something a little different. I’m quite happy with my purchase and hope this helps you with your decision-making process.
As a bonus, a card came with this gun offering a free vibrating massage ball (lists for $49) for filling out an online form. A staple of my travel is a lacrosse ball. If this is a good cross between a lacrosse ball and a massage gun, it will be a fantastic addition. It has the advantage of being light and portable. I just received it so look for my feedback soon. BTW - I can’t guarantee this isn’t a temporary offer so look at it as a nice-to-have if you receive the offer when you order this massage gun. I’m always happy to share more details on my experience with this or any product. Please feel free to ask me any questions by commenting on this post, on social media or email me at [email protected]. Please stay safe, stay healthy and stay strong in mind, body and spirit. My family went on a cruise in August, 2019. When we came into port at St. Thomas, did we want to go snorkeling? No. Did we swim with dolphins? Nope. Did we go sight-seeing? Well, yes. But that came later. That morning, my wife and I were the second and third people off the ship (of about 4,000). We hopped in a cab and it was off to Reebok CrossFit St. Thomas (RCFSTT) for the 8:00am class. Our ship was docked in the Havensight port in the capitol of Charlotte Amalie. It was less than a 10-minute ride to the Antilles School, where Reebok CrossFit St. Thomas was located. If you’ve read my other write-ups, you know I like to do my homework and for me, as this was a little different than dropping in somewhere in the contiguous 48. So, I wanted to be especially sure things were lined up. We were only in port for part of the day so timing was particularly important. I reached out to them via email a few weeks before we left for our trip. I got a response from the owner, Gilly. It took several days and she apologized for the delay. Not a big deal. People do get busy and I left plenty of time in advance, which I recommend for a trip like this. Gilly said she’d love to have us. We just brought the basics – wrist wraps and grips. Turns out we needed both. Here's how our experience went. (As always, all ratings are on a scale of 1-5 barbells) Getting There As this is a little different to get to, I thought an extra section would be helpful. No rating. Just some logistical details for you. I noticed two ports in Charlotte Amalie. One was in Havensight, where we were docked (and it appears most cruise lines dock here). It’s about a 10 minute ride to Reebok CrossFit St. Thomas from there. The other was in Crown Bay, which is a little to the west. Figure an additional 10 minute ride (total of about 20 mins). There’s loads of cabs on St. Thomas. You shouldn’t have a problem getting one. And, what’s really important and really helpful is if you’re from the US, St. Thomas is a US territory so, your cell phones should work just as they do at home. You’ll want to double check with your cell carrier before you go. I use Verizon and have never had an issue. So, when you’re done your workout, it’s easy enough to call a cab. Our cab driver on the way over gave us his card. We felt pretty comfortable with cab travel there, which was nice. One less thing to worry about. ![]() Communication/Information Availability It’s worth emphasizing again, because the chances are St. Thomas is not where you reside, do your homework well ahead of time. That will help give you a level of comfort. Look up their address and check out where they are on a map so you can see how far it is from where you’re staying. As it’s a tourist destination, Gilly and her team is used to drop-ins and do have some details for you in the Visitors section of their web site. There’s also an online form for questions. I encourage you to let them know when you’re interested in joining them and ask any questions you have. This will likely be a little different for you and I’m sure they get lots of questions so, don’t be shy. Once I made initial contact, communication flow was thorough and responsive. Their home page talks about community and if you look and they have lots of great pics to illustrate it. They also have a lot of details on their coaches. The only thing that’s missing that I would have love to have seen is the coaches’ CrossFit certification level. Overall, with the homework and advanced contact, I felt comfortable going to a place that’s far away from home as well as getting there and back to the ship. They do use the Triib app where they post their workouts if you want to see it ahead of time. ![]() Cleanliness Reebok CrossFit St. Thomas is clean but well-used. The beauty of a CrossFit is it doesn’t have to be gleaming to be clean. There’s no over abundances of chalk anywhere or chalk buildup on the rig. The floor was clean as well. ![]() Facility RCFSTT isn’t a huge facility but they have three big bay doors that lead out to an area with a couple of rigs, rubber flooring and artificial grass, where we warmed up. Geographically, this is a good area to take advantage of the outdoors so why not? The equipment was in pretty good shape. None of the plates or barbells appeared to be too weathered. There was plenty of equipment for everyone. ![]() Workout/Programming 4 There was a warmup in the outside area that was appropriate in length and movements to get us prepared for the workout. When on vacation, I’d prefer not to bring my Nanos so, I had running shoes and it was a good thing because running was part of the workout. I realize other workouts will be different. On this day they had a lift of cleans for 1, followed by a Metcon that included cleans, running and pullups. It was a good mix and helped me to feel I was working off the cruise food, which was much needed. Was it humid? Of course. It was August in the tropics. I would have been surprised if it wasn’t. No regrets. I will say, however, it was so humid that when I chalked my hands for pullups it quickly got pretty pasty. ![]() Coaching Crystal was our coach. She’s strong and has a strong presence. This doesn’t mean she wasn’t friendly. She definitely was. But you can tell she knows her stuff and was completely comfortable. She introduced us to the class and was clear in her communication. She helped us get set up, answered questions and offered suggestions for those needing to scale a movement. During the workout, she was attentive and encouraging. Although she was making the rounds to all of the members, I think she wanted to be sure my wife and I were ok. My guess is because they get their fair share of visitors, she wanted to be sure humidity wasn’t an issue. As it turns out, my wife and I aren’t strangers to humidity. ![]() Culture The folks here were quite nice. You could see there was a good amount of camaraderie. Someone had their dog with them, who appeared to be a regular. There was a lot of support and encouragement. When the workout was over, one of the members offered to give us a lift back to the port, which was super nice. We had a chance to chat with him about living on the island. It was great. That said, I would never ask for a favor like this, nor would I expect it again. It was a very nice one-off. ![]() Drop-in Cost and Swag Their web site has most of the information I’m looking for in a drop in. It gives drop in rates ($20) under About > Membership Rates. It doesn’t mention it, but you can get a t-shirt with it for an additional $15. My wife and I took advantage of that. You can never have enough CrossFit swag and how often do we get to St Thomas? As I often post, the inventory was a little picked over. I think they had one shirt in my wife’s size and one in the size and style I preferred. That was all we needed so we were happy. In Summary
Vacation is great and I think any coach will support recovery time but I think they’d be more encouraging of a workout to maintain consistency. It made us feel like we were back in touch with our health so our visit to Reebok CrossFit St Thomas was just what we needed. It’s a solid place in all aspects and not only would I go back there but I absolutely plan to when I return. I can go snorkeling some other time. Wishing you safe, healthy and successful travels. Contact Information: Reebok CrossFit St Thomas 7280 Frenchman’s Bay #16-1 St Thomas, VI 00802 (Located at Antilles School) (340) 201 – 2782 https://www.crossfitstthomas.com/ [email protected] |
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