CrossFit Memphis

Frequently Asked Questions

Everyone who has questions that are not covered here on the Frequently Asked Questions page please put there questions at the bottom of the page in the comments section. Thank you.

What is CrossFit?

CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity.  What’s that mean?  We prepare you to be fit enough to do just about anything by making you an extremely well rounded athlete.  An additional benefit is that our performance coaches are here to take the responsibility off of your shoulders.

We design your workout and show you how to do each exercise so you can participate in a new and fun workout everyday in the safest possible environment and with people just like you!  Here’s a brief explanation that sums up CrossFit pretty well!  Click here!

Do I need to be in good shape before I start CrossFit?

Psssh… NO!  That’s why we are here!  We are here to help you get as fit as possible, as fast as possible!  When you walk through our door you will receive elite fitness coaching.  It’s possible that you may need the workouts to be scaled to your current level of fitness.

We estimate that 80% of the time we have to modify the workouts for our members.  Since everyone does it, it’s no big deal.  I promise you won’t be judged for it!

What if I can’t do push-ups, pull-ups and other difficult exercises?

Want to know a secret?  When you train at CrossFit Memphis you will be doing pull-ups!  We have many ways to scale the exercise so that you can do perform the movement safely and easily regardless of your current level of upper body strength.

We have a long list of men and women who had never performed a real pull-up before training here that now can do quite a few without an ounce of assistance!

Lisa McAdoo is a great example!  See below!

Lisa’s CrossFit Memphis Experience from Doug Larson on Vimeo.

Unlimited CrossFit training for $144, isn’t that expensive?

It’s certainly more than a regular gym membership and is bound to stop some people in their tracks and run the other way.  However, for what you get it’s a pretty standard price (some CrossFit gyms charge twice that much!).  You aren’t simply paying for a gym membership, you are paying for unlimited coaching and for a great environment of friendly people who genuinely enjoy exercise and living a fit lifestyle.

It’s been quoted before that “you are the average of the 5 people you hang out with most.”  Hang out with the CrossFit crew and it’s pretty hard not to automatically eat right, train hard and look great!

Click here for a complete price list.

Also, if you’re a student, in the military, are a firefighter, police officer, etc. you maybe in for a discount.  Just let us know!

What’s the difference between goal specific training and CrossFit?

The CrossFit philosophy is to be good at everything!  If you wish to be in fantastic shape and ready for anything and everything that life can throw at you then CrossFit is definitely for you.  However, if you’ve suffered a major injury and can’t perform many of the movements/workouts that CrossFit provides or have a very specific goal that you would like to work toward (aggressively gain muscle, play pro baseball etc.) then following a more traditional training model centered on one precise goal or desired achievement may be more appropriate.

For more information check out our goal specific training page or contact Doug Larson at mmaperformancecoach@gmail.com.

What is included in goal specific training?

You get a personalized and periodized (type of variation that promotes progress) fitness program based on your personal fitness goals and physical abilities.  We start by doing an extensive review of your health and injury history as well as discuss your past training programs and exercise experience.

Then, we perform a movement screen to accurately identify any potential limitations you may have so we can help correct them throughout the program.  Additionally, we track your weight daily and graph it so you know exactly what is happening with your body as well as measure your bodyfat percentage every 6 weeks.

After all testing is complete and a program has been designed, you will receive semi-personalized training in which you perform your workout while we serve as advisors/mentors to help you where you need it without breathing down you neck the whole time.

It’s basically personal training except you don’t pay $100 for each hour session because we are “personal training” more than one person at a time.  Again, for more information check out our goal specific training page or contact Doug Larson at mmaperformancecoach@gmail.com.

How qualified are the performance coaches?

All of our coaches are college educated in the science of exercise and have a stack of “look how smart I am” certifications (yawn) you’ve never heard of… While these things are great, in all reality they don’t make a gym great.  Most people that train here probably don’t even know that we all have our bachelor’s degree let alone our master’s, they come here because it’s fun, they like the community and they get results!

Current member, Mike McGoldrick, said it best, “CrossFit’s made me a better person.  I feel funny saying it, but it’s true.”

Click here to read individual bios for each of our performance coaches!

I recently suffered an injury, can I still train?

Absolutely!  The worst thing you can do when you get hurt is neglect the rest of your body.  Shoulder injury?  You still have a good arm, your core/torso, 2 legs and a heart that would love stay strong why you rehab your bum limb.

Always ask your doctor to explain the exercises/activities that you CAN do, and not simply the things that you can’t!  We can always find a way to help you make progress and look great without causing pain to your injury, and more importantly do our best to make it better in the process.

We don’t claim to be physical therapists, but we do know some great ones to which we can refer you if necessary.  Always good to have a network!

Do I have to sign a long term agreement?

No, we offer month to month packages in addition to 6, 12 or 18 month agreements.  The longer you sign for the cheaper your monthly rate will be.

Do I need to schedule an appointment to come in?

Scheduling an appointment isn’t necessary, but it is recommended.  If we know you are coming in for the first time we can make sure to set aside a few minutes to show you around and introduce you to a few members of the community. But hey, if you happen to be driving by and want to drop in and check it out it won’t hurt our feelings! 

How long is the typical CrossFit class?

Total class time usually lasts about 45-60min.  10-15 min to go through the warm-up and another 20-30 min for the workout with a few breaks in between to correct technique and discuss how to do the workout etc.  Most people are here a bit longer because it’s a very social environment and usually people have friends here to visit with after the workout.

This is great for the staff as well because we are pretty friendly with most of the members and it makes our day “at work” pretty awesome (no one loves their job more than us…we see 20 of my closest friends every day!).  Also, some members will do a little extra work on the side as they get in better shape which is encouraged.

Do women do CrossFit?

You bet they do!  Approximately 33% of CrossFit Memphis members are female.  Here is a quote from Cathy Draper, mother of 4, CrossFit Memphis member since May ‘08.

• “With CrossFit you never know what you’re going to do each day.  You try things you would have never thought of!  You do things with your body you never thought you could do.  Everyone is working out in a similar way so we all feel each others pain (ie., working our tails off) and everyone is so supportive.  I like that the coaches are always there to help.  It’s nice to not have to rely on machines; your body IS the machine!  It’s the most efficient way to exercise.  I’m hooked!”