Let’s be honest, the pandemic hasn’t allowed many of us to be our most healthy. There have been many reasons for us to be more sedentary than we would like. Now comes the hard part, finding the motivation to get back on the horse and stick with it. It’s not easy, but fun workouts and a supportive community can offer the inspiration you need to reach your goals. Luckily everything you need to get back in the game can be found here in Phinneywood at CrossFit Phinney Ridge.
CrossFit Phinney Ridge (CFPR) is now in its seventh year at 7601 Greenwood Avenue. You’ll have no problem locating it if you follow the groups of people running up and down the sidewalk together or carrying kettlebells. Until recently it was owned by Emily Shubin, but then one morning coaches Bobo Davenport and Katelyn Nies found an email in their Inboxes asking if they were interested in owning the gym as Emily would be re-locating. It wasn’t something that either of them had planned on, but together they felt their backgrounds complemented each other in a way that could make it work.
Bobo grew up near Woodland Park Zoo and has a background in Academic Science and was admittedly naïve to the business side of things. He enjoys building the community side of CFPR and promoting the values that it offers. On the other hand, Katelyn moved to the area and owns her own business as a Mental Health Therapist. She never enjoyed fitness until joining CFPR herself. They both started as members, became coaches, and now aim to extend their experiences to others as the owners.
After taking over the business in December, Katelyn and Bobo re-opened in January. Navigating through COVID has forced many businesses to get creative, and CrossFit Phinney Ridge has been no different. While some gyms have closed, many of CFPRs members have stuck with their memberships allowing for them to provide classes in some format. Be it Zoom classes for folks at home, workouts in the park, or smaller classes at the gym, the community has continued to live their common goal, “to live better and support each other while doing it.” Even though capacity is currently limited, CFPR is making sure they accommodate their loyal members, but they are also working on growing the community.
While many are often introduced to CrossFit by some of its most intense and competitive aspects, the new owners look to avoid many of the stigmas associated with it. “Our priority is to have members lead healthier lives in responsible ways,” according to Davenport. Much of Phinneywood is composed of young families and people of various ages and abilities, and CFPR’s objective is to be an accessible space for any of its neighbors. “What are your goals; to play with your kids, do yardwork, carry the groceries? Our classes are endlessly modifiable to let you do what you want to do to,” says Davenport.
Most of CFPRs members joined after passing by on Greenwood Avenue and deciding to learn more. It’s easy to understand why, as the gym itself is not full of the machines that fill the floors of other facilities. It’s a modest size and resembles more of a weight room. Most notable is the diverse individuals taking part. The range of ages, backgrounds, and sizes help reinforce that these activities can be for anybody and that you too can achieve your goals.
CrossFit Phinney Ridge has many classes, but the best way to get started is with their Fundamentals Intro Series. It is the prerequisite class for anyone new to CrossFit before taking part in the larger group classes. It is available in both group and private formats. From their you can enroll in a membership and start registering for classes via the website. Classes are available from several different coaches in hour increments on weekday mornings and evenings and with more options available on weekends. There are also select times for Open Gym and 60+ classes. Note that all classes do have limited capacity, so signing up early is suggested.
Still not sure, you can always check out the Member Blog, Instagram, or simply take Katelyn’s word for it. “Come try it, see what you think. It’s a lot of fun!”
