CrosSport Performance - the best gym ever!

What if there was such a thing as a grown-up playground... a place you could run free, do the exercises you liked, climb the walls, jump real high, and play with friends however you wanted? What if your work-out was more like recess? What if you were excited to exercise everyday and ran to the gym instead of trudging to it? Those were the questions Mike Toigo asked years ago that started the vision that would eventually lead he and co-owner, Chance Harris, to open CrosSport Performance in Wenatchee. Nearly six years later, what started as a new venture for two friends is now a multi-faceted gym that boasts close to six hundred members, and several weekday group classes that start as early as 5AM.

Chance and Mike took some time to sit down with me earlier this month and school me on the gym I love so much. Unique in the fitness industry because of it's emphasis on functional movement instead of sit-down apparatuses, CrosSport likes to engage members in movements people were doing on the farm before most of our work moved in doors and into chairs. The gym slowly evolved from an unstructured play place to what it is today, a place where anyone and everyone fits in. Members range from elite firefighters and athletes to Mike's own parents who are well into their seventies. Everyone is encouraged to join and start where they're at. The important thing is getting there and sticking with it.

Both Chance and Mike have been involved in the health and fitness arena for years and were well-known in the valley for their training and expertise. It was only natural that the two would join forces and open a gym. With $4,000 and a small space at the Sportsplex the two welcomed the first members five and a half years ago.

Popularity and membership has grown over the years and there is seldom a class from 5 AM to the newest 5:45 PM class that isn't filled with members. A typical class consists of a timed Work out of the Day (WOD). True to the fun and playful vision, WODs are never the same and designed to be as much for variety as strength and fitness. On any given week a member can expect to flip tires, swing sledge hammers, run up the mammoth stairs or pull themselves up on the metal jungle-gym thing. There's also a cargo net, warped wall, fully equipped weight area as well as the more common treadmills, row machines and stair climbers. Each WOD consists of 4-6 different exercises that members perform in 30-50 second intervals. Most classes run a half an hour but hardcore members can stick around and stretch a WOD to an hour or more.

Nothing gives Chance or Mike more pride than having their hard work recognized by the other health and wellness professionals in the valley. It's common now to have referrals come in from all different areas, whether it's to train, rehabilitate or just start where they're at. Their hope is to get people in the gym, keep them coming and with time and consistency make fitness a fun habit. Community members are always welcome to come in and try out the gym for a week, free of charge. I did and I was hooked the first time. I've never found a more fun and invigorating exercise routine, nor a gym group that feels more like a bunch of friends playing at recess together.

Come on down and check them out! http://www.crossportperformance.com/

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