News

Maybe you have noticed; certainly you have if you regularily attend the 5:30am or 5:00pm, some of our classes have gotten pretty big.  Almost unwieldly.  Now, the energy and intesity and excitement contained in a class of 20+ excercisers is really fun.  Almost intoxicating, but classes of this size all the time are not our ideal.  

It's not our ideal because we believe classes of this size begin to lack in 2 key areas; 1. coaching - we desire our coaching to be excellent all the time.  To say it is difficult to offer individualized coaching to class of 20 people is an understatement.  2. Safety -  a significant aspect of the coaches job during a class is to ensure the safety of all atheletes.  This is a great challenge when box jumps and burpees and cleans and double unders are all happening simulataneously.  We want you to know that you are not the only one that has maybe noticed these things.  We have been monitering and discussing these issues for the last 4 months as a staff.  We have come to the realization, that for this season, we are in a bit of pickle.  We have grown faster then we thought and therefore we have outgrown our space.  Anyone with business acumen will say, "this is a great problem to have", but its not always that easy.  The Dūrātus mission is to offer and extend a higher quality of life to our members through exceptional fitness coaching, nutritional expertise, and personal development - so anything that hinders this mission is a problem for us.  That being said, we can't simply get more space for bigger classes.  Although moving to a different location may be something we entertain in the future, for right now we have/are addressing these issues in the following ways:

1. Adding additonal classes throughout the day.  We have almost doubled our class offerings since we opened 18 months ago, and are discussing adding additional class hours in the spring. 

2. Nuance the programming to accommodate larger classes.  We have and are willing to change and tweak certain aspects of our programming to create the most effective and conducive training environment.

3. Beginning a "foundations class".  This has been a long time coming.  Starting March we will launch a pilot program for all beginning CrossFit atheletes.  We hope this will give our new athletes more attention, while allowing the coaches of our regular classes to more fully focus their coaching on our more seasoned and rooted members.  

4. Staffing classes with more than one coach.  We are not to this point yet, but we will not hesitate to move this direction if classes continue to grow.

Here are a few things that we are not willing to do:

1.  Just accept that our coaching may suffer and safety may take a back seat during larger classes.

2.  "Water down" our programming so more people can fit in the space during a workout.   

3.  Use a class scheduling or RSVP system.  This works for many CrossFit gyms, but what we love about Dūrātus is the organic nature of how everything works together.  We are convinced capping class numbers and forcing people to sign up for certian classes beforehand would be counter to the culture we have worked hard to establish and maintain.  We are not taking this off table for the future, but for right now, we have many other ways we would like to address the issue.  

Here are a few things that you (the member) can do to help this issue:

1. Be patient and graceful with us as we navigate these issues.  Especially during large classes when the coach might have to change the workout on the fly to accommodate the needs of everyone.  

2. Try a different class time.  If you regularly attend a very busy class and have the flexibility to come to another time throughout the day, you might find that a smaller class contains some elements beyond conveinence that will help you progress as an athlete.

Please know that we, the Dūrātus staff, are actively working to make sure every class offered is excellent.  This does not mean that we are perfect, but it does mean that we seeking perfection.  We meet regularly and talk often about the gym; its programming, methodology, events, and community.  We recognize the unique nature of our gym and its classes and are constantly seeking to improve.

Thank you for being a member of CrossFit Dūrātus and trusting us with your fitness goals.