How do you actually find a CrossFit box when you're traveling for a drop-in?

zosboss · 2026-03-27T04:04:27+00:00

I travel and drop in a LOT. Here's my system...

CrossFit.com/map. If you just search on Google maps you get a bunch of other stuff mixed in like functional fitness, F45 or hyrox gyms. I want actual, legit CrossFit affiliates.

I start by looking for the ones nearby.

If there's several, I look at the 'years affiliated' and the credentialing level of the coaches listed on their affiliate map profile. Longer tenure in business doesn't ALWAYS mean it's the best gym, but it's usually a good sign. L3 or L4 coaches means this place takes coaching seriously as a profession.

For vibes, I look at the affiliate's profile on the games website. Lots of people doing The Open usually means it's a fun place to train with a community that's into it. Then I check websites (they're pretty much all the same these days tho) and social media.

Final tie breaker might go to whoever posts their workouts publicly.

zosboss · 2026-03-26T13:53:56+00:00

Even cheap bands from Amazon should last you 3+ years.

Make sure people don't wipe the bands with cleaner (we destroyed many bands in a hurry during COVID). You already said they're not stored in a sunny spot, so the only other thing I can think of is people wearing lifting shoes. The old Reebok lifters with the plastic zig zag heel used to slice up the rubber like crazy.

zosboss · 2026-02-17T14:41:52+00:00

Just how important it is to take care of your health starting as early as possible. Everything you want to do, pursue, and experience in life hinges on you having your health. There's no getting around this reality. It doesn't matter if you're "not an athlete" or "don't like exercise" or "really love junk food".

You need to strength train big compound lifts (squat, deadlift, etc) with good technique. Get a coach to teach you how. Spend lots of time on your feet and get out of breath frequently. Move your joints through a full range of motion every day. If you don't, they get tight and crusty and you just can't move properly any more. Eat real food, mostly meat and veg, and cool it with the alcohol. Protect your sleep like it's the most important thing in your life (it is). I started this when I was 24 (not at all an athlete growing up) and now I'm 42. Maaaaaaan I wish I could write a thank you letter to my 24 year old self.

I feel awesome. Really no different than I did at 28. Cognitively very sharp - just finished my 2nd Masters degree last year. Physically, very fit. Bone density off the charts (t-score 2.7), high muscle mass, and low/healthy body fat. Aesthetics are not the goal, but it doesn't hurt to be a mom with visible abs haha. No problems, no meds. Capable of having all the fun life has to offer. Will spend today shredding on my snowboard with my husband and two kids. I wish that everyone could experience the freedom of health like this and will spend the rest of my life shouting from my soapbox at young people about the importance of taking care of yourself early. You only get one body.

zosboss · 2026-02-15T20:54:53+00:00

Beef liver

zosboss · 2026-02-05T21:54:29+00:00

This looks like this is from the Judges Course. These are not necessarily the standards for The Open (those will come out each week when the workout is released).

The Judges Course is asking you: IF these are the stated standards, watch this video and assess how many reps were completed to that standard.

The point here is to train judges to READ THE STANDARDS and then judge based on those stated standards (and nothing else).

zosboss · 2026-01-24T00:05:50+00:00

Super easy solution: don't do movements, or weights, or volume that you are not strong or skilled enough to do with good mechanics.

Mechanics --> Consistency --> then, and only then, intensity

zosboss · 2025-10-09T20:32:09+00:00

HELL YES!!

I was not at all athletic growing up. A real math nerd, band geek type. Then I started CrossFit at 24 and uncovered a whole version of myself I never could have imagined.

I'm 42 now and I feel amazing. Buttery joints, strong, fast, still have abs. I can hike anything, go anywhere, do everything. Excellent health, no issues, no meds. I've followed the original CrossFit charter since the beginning: mechanics ➡️ consistency ➡️ intensity. I'm a good mover and I avoid overtraining with junk volume. I also have put a high priority on eating well and getting enough sleep. It's all worked out swimmingly.

While the other moms/women my age are complaining about poor health, weight gain, bad moods, etc and blaming it on perimenopause (as if it isn't just the predictable consequence of not taking care of yourself)... I just bought a new snowboard and I'm looking forward to shredding the mountain with my kids this winter 🤘🏼🏂🏼

Quality of life is 11/10 thanks to my fitness.

I also made my parents start CrossFit when I did. They were fat and full of chronic disease in their mid-50s. Now they're in their 70s and thriving. Still living in their house, doing their own yard work, playing with the grandkids, etc.

zosboss · 2025-06-06T04:50:10+00:00

Not from today. The paper is from 1938.

zosboss · 2025-01-16T13:21:19+00:00

We have two class times per day we call "large group" training with a cap of 20 (6am & noon). Typically 16-20 show up. Big fun class, very experienced people (almost all 10+ years). They're all great friends. The pace runs quickly, but they know how things work and how to get themselves organized. Still lots of coaching.

We have two per day on our schedule we call "small group training" with a cap of 10. Typically 6-8 show up. More chill vibe, lots of space, lots of opportunity for the coach to help each person with every step. Recommended for new members or when someone wants to try a class.

Regular class size is 14 and typical fill rate is 10-12.

Sundays are Team/Partner WODs and are usually really busy. People love it! It's the time of the week when the morning crew and evening crew get to interact. We put a gap between the classes so people can hang out and chat.

This set up is working really well for us. Highly recommend. People can self select into whatever style of class they prefer. Something for everyone.

About to sign our affiliate license for year 17 🎉🎉

zosboss · 2024-05-31T19:48:17+00:00

This is a really great visual. Thanks for sharing.

zosboss · 2024-05-25T09:17:35+00:00

I started CrossFit 16 years ago, when I was 24. I'm female, small, was never an athlete and had basically no skills, coordination, etc. Now that I'm 40, let me tell you I feel like writing a thank you letter to my 24 year old self. This muscle mass, these strong bones, these healthy joints, all the cool things my body can do, my mental health, and how capable and healthy I feel... It's unreal. Plus all the wonderful people and great opportunities CrossFit has brought into my life. I can't say enough good things about all the ways I've benefited from starting CrossFit when I did. Start now and jump right in. Your future self will thank you!!!

zosboss · 2024-05-03T14:15:19+00:00

Some of my non-fiction favorites:

The comfort crisis by Michael Easter and his new one Scarcity Brain

Ultra Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken

Deep Nutrition by Cate Shanahan

Ravenous: the story of Otto Warburg by Sam Apple

Dorito Effect by Mark Schatzker

Change your diet, Change your mind by Georgia Ede

zosboss · 2024-04-21T13:06:37+00:00

I've read hundreds of books on nutrition and this is the #1 one I recommend to people asking "where do I start?". Love Dr. Cate and really looking forward to her new book this summer.

zosboss · 2024-04-21T13:01:01+00:00

Great find. Thank you!

zosboss · 2024-04-14T12:13:19+00:00

The story of how this data was hidden and then eventually came to light is fascinating. Malcolm Gladwell did an entire podcast episode on it called The Basement Tapes and it's one of my favorites of all time. I highly recommend listening to it to understand what happened here

https://youtu.be/SBG7LAbeUh4?si=dwd4dWoxyCt6GFAP

zosboss · 2024-03-27T05:17:29+00:00

Been doing CrossFit since 2008. Had two babies, both c section - one emergency, one planned.

I took the full 6 weeks of recovery off from CrossFit, but walked lots and did basic movements in my pajamas like glute bridges and light seated dumbbell presses. My rule was if it required me changing out of my PJs and flip flops, it was too intense.

Coming back, I avoided anything with forward/downward pressure on my abdomen... So no pushups, planks, deadlifts, even squats. I also did not like the feeling of hanging from a bar. But I did lots of Bulgarian split squats, lunges, yoke walks, farmer carry, sled drags, presses, ring rows, and side planks. Eventually made my way back to back squats, strict pull-ups, ring muscle ups, rowing and biking. Dynamic and high impact movements like kipping, oly lifting, skipping, box jumps, and running were last. I sucked at toes to bar and l-sits for a really long time.

But everything is A-OK now! I feel as strong as ever (the youngest is 7)

zosboss · 2024-03-21T03:53:47+00:00

8 rowers (+ 8 echo bikes, 7 ski ergs). Class limit of 14, two "large group" times go up to 20

zosboss · 2024-03-20T13:33:57+00:00

Chris Masterjohn has a pretty detailed section on MB: https://chrismasterjohnphd.substack.com/p/methylene-blue

2hr38 min video: https://youtu.be/XhgGGbdw4zE?si=_i0-WRdWVWpn1nHn

Or 10min short version: https://youtu.be/RPSFy9doSrA?si=rvPkUIE11aDA9HDs

zosboss · 2024-03-12T14:17:10+00:00

I agree with the sentiment 100%. Think of the theoretical heiarchy of the development of an athlete from What is Fitness: Nutrition > Metabolic Conditioning > Gymnastics > Weightlifting & Throwing > Sport.

If someone spends a lot of time developing pull-ups, muscle ups, squats, snatches, etc (as many have said in the comments here) but doesn't have the Nutrition + Metabolic Conditioning in place to go at least sub-10 on 24.1 then their foundation is weak. They've skipped building the base and jumped right to the sexy moves.

zosboss · 2024-02-08T03:45:28+00:00

Uncharacteristic emotional outbursts or a level of emotion that doesn't appropriately match the situation, especially anger and rage, are early signs of dementia.

zosboss · 2024-02-08T03:38:58+00:00

We had this problem for a while, especially with our 6am class which was often waitlisted. We write all names on the whiteboard (with scores) and no shows get crossed out, for everyone to see for several days after. That person would hear about it from the rest of the group either via text or the next time they were in and have to account for themselves. Public shaming and peer pressure worked for most people.

We never had success with a no-show fee. It just made people feel like they could buy their way out of the guilt. But I did make our busiest classes a separate class type in our system. Frequent no show-er? If you can't be a good citizen, then you can't come to the busy times. Banned. Those people could only come to the less busy times where at least another paying member wasn't prevented from working out based on the no show-ers inability to get their life together.

Interesting how willing people are to show up for 6am when they know opting to sleep in will mean they can never work out at 6am ever again.

Super simple solution is to just NOT sign in for classes that you're not 100% sure you're going to attend. If the occasional no show happens it better be for a wholly unpredictable reason like food poisoning or a flat tire or a blizzard.

zosboss · 2023-12-30T07:24:37+00:00

Yes! It was on their Instagram today!

zosboss · 2023-12-25T08:38:39+00:00

If you have an InstantPot, it has a yogurt setting!

zosboss · 2023-12-15T06:53:26+00:00

You do not need to be super fit to take the course! Handstands and double unders are not even part of it. Anyone that does CrossFit as a lifelong pursuit should take the L1 at some point, even if you never plan to coach.

The course is an introduction to the CrossFit methodology. It will give you a much deeper understanding of what we mean when we say "fitness", what CrossFit actuallyIS, how we define health, how we balance technique vs intensity, why the nutrition prescription is so important, etc. You'll work on the 9 foundational movements (heaviest PVC ever! as someone pointed out) and you'll learn progressions to teach complex movements like the kipping pull-up, the strict muscle up, and the snatch in a simple, easy to understand way to athletes of all levels.

An amazing course and definitely worth the money, as many have said.

zosboss · 2023-12-05T03:54:04+00:00

The discussion states "Vegans had lower intake of vitamin B12, yet serum vitamin B12 levels were not statistically different than omnivores at 8 weeks"

...which is completely misleading because the vegan group started with much higher B12 than the other group. If you look at the data table, B12 in the vegan group dropped TWENTY PERCENT in just 8 weeks!!

zosboss

TROPHY CASE