Emily W.
Yelp
5stars from an intermediate level crossfitter.
i came to CREF on the same day I got off the plane from LA to NYC, stayed there for 3mos, and came away feeling stronger and sadder than I've been in a while.
the programming is thoughtful. the coaches, Melissa and Eric, assessed the box's needs as a whole for 2-4 mo, and then programmed accordingly to get their members where they needed to be.
the coaches were sweet. altho I probably wasn't the favorite, i still always felt welcomed and was greeted with a smile. the fact that they ordered lacrosse balls for every member to work thru those tough knotted muscles during the week at home was pure love!
the coaching was great. the workouts start with a nice warmup, mobility (highly underrated but oh-so-important), skill, and then the main WOD, and sometimes a cash-out. Melissa really helped my back squat by watching my form like a hawk and pointing out when it crumbled. Eric forced me to do double-unders on every wod (or DU attempts) when I never would have on my own. you are never pressured to do more than you can, but are encouraged and pushed to do your best. that sentence may only make sense once you've crossfitted :p
the community is solid. I've crossfitted all around the world, and CFER has one of the most welcoming atmospheres I've seen! the guys and girls there are everyday people, and you can grab a beer, get brunch or coffee, or even get a late night comedy show with them! some are beginners, some are super crazy natural athletes. but all of the people there are the salt of the earth, and i miss them.
having moved back to LA, I'm sad. CFER is a great community and a great box. i know i can't go back to my former box and am trying to find something resembling CFER. trust, you WILL get stronger and fitter there, and you will have fun doing it.
ps: if you're down for a cash out--just ask Eric what you should work on, and he'll program it!! stick to it!