PORT TOWNSEND — CrossFit training isn’t for everyone, and it’s certainly not for fitness dilettantes, say those who teach it.
The intensive exercise program is now available in Port Townsend for those who are looking for an efficient and varied way to get in good physical shape and stay there.
“With CrossFit, you get a completely different workout every day,” said Key City CrossFit owner Ric Brewer, who opened the franchise in the basement of the Port Townsend Athletic Club, 229 Monroe St., in June.
“People don’t know what to expect when they come in here,” Brewer said.
“It’s like real life, where you don’t know what’s going to happen on a particular day.”
Brewer charges a $150 monthly membership, which includes full access to the adjacent athletic club.
He also offers classes on a $20 “drop-in” fee, and people can come in to try a workout for free.
“I never try to sell anyone on this,” he said.
“I tell them what it’s like and let them make their own decisions.
“It’s an investment in yourself and a lot of hard work. You have to be committed in your efforts.”
Each CrossFit location — called a “box” — designs its own Workout of the Day, or WOD, every day.
It begins with a mimicking of the planned exercises, followed by 20-minute bursts of intense physical activity.
Each class lasts an hour and can be challenging for experienced athletes.
“CrossFit works on everything,” said Barby Moegling, who teaches at the health club but still “gets my ass kicked” with a CrossFit workout.
“You feel it everywhere, in every muscle, in your fingers and in your toes.”
Brewer said CrossFit participants feel a significant difference within a month of beginning the program.
“People get addicted to CrossFit because of how you feel afterwards,” he said.
“There is a real camaraderie. You get used to working together.”
Newbies shouldn’t be intimidated by CrossFit since it is tailored to each person.
“The best thing about CrossFit is that it can be tailored for any shape and size,” said Michele Hayman, health and wellness director for the Clallam County YMCA, which offers the intensive program in Port Angeles.
“The other universal aspect about CrossFit is the support you get from one another. It really does change people’s lives,” Hayman said.
Hayman said she had never heard of CrossFit before Kyle Kronk, the chief executive officer for the YMCA who is also a CrossFit instructor, brought the technique to the facility when he was hired in 2010.
CrossFit soon outgrew its space in the YMCA facility and opened a dedicated 5,000-square-foot space at 2026 E. First St.
Hayman said people who commit to CrossFit get fit and stay fit, helping to combat diabetes and other health issues.
Brewer said he had health issues when he began CrossFit five years ago.
He was 50 pounds overweight, could sleep only in a chair and suffered from sleep apnea, among other ailments.
He decided to take control of his health and began working out with CrossFit.
Eventually, he became an instructor. He decided to open his own facility this year.
“It was quite a change — both in lifestyle and financially,” said Brewer, who was the communications director at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle when he began his CrossFit journey.
As a 1982 graduate of Chimacum High School, Brewer, 48, was familiar with Port Townsend and decided to settle in the area.
Although every CrossFit “box” has its own personality that reflects that of the owner, there is a certain trademark of quality with each one where people can stop into a gym and be assured of a varied, challenging workout.
“We are already getting drop-ins from all over the country,” Brewer said.
“A lot of people plan their vacation by picking places where there is a box nearby.”
Classes are offered Mondays through Thursdays at 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., noon and 5:30 p.m. On Fridays, classes are at 6:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m..Saturday classes are at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.
For more information, visit www.keycitycrossfit.com.
Information about the YMCA CrossFit classes, including prices for classes and membership, are available at www.ymcacrossfit.blogspot.com.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
