My Honest Review of Crunch Fitness

Five Tips to Take on Crunch Fitness

I have to admit, it’s been a while since I belonged to a gym. We’re talking more than five years. I got really into yoga and tried out some other specialty workouts during the past couple years. I’ve been back on the yoga flow and adding cardio to my routine with cycling. With vacations to the Florida Keys and Greek Islands on the books already this year, I’m really glad Crunch Fitness reached out so I could step it up a notch.

I’ve been getting a sweat on at the gym for month now. I have really enjoyed my time and can’t wait to get back to it. Here are a few tips to make the most of your time here or at any of the Crunch Fitness locations around the country.

Photos by Ashley Loth of SoundSnapPhotography.

Call for Back Up

I think I stopped going to the gym because I hit a wall with my knowledge of how to use the equipment in the most effective way. While classes are an effective way to fill this void, I know I could be getting more out of my workouts if I could pick up the weights and use machines in a variety of ways. At Crunch Fitness, it’s really easy to gain this confidence. I started out with the 20-minute fitness assessment, talked with a trainer about a workout and nutritional plan, and learned some new moves. Now I know I’m going the right thing for my personal goals. I never felt judged because I was a newbie to a few things.

Learn to Use the Equipment

They’ve really thought of everything at Crunch. If you are new to working out, there are lots of friendly options including the Power Half Hour circuit training section (the orange machines). This is a no-brainer way to get a full body work-out. It reminds me of my experience at 9 Round, a 30-minute kick boxing circuit training. As for the rest of the gym, you can find plenty of jumping blocks, an indoor turf, kettle balls, Olympic-grade weight training equipment, and even dumbbells that come in increments between 5 so you can work out to your truest potential. I really dig the diversity.

Take the Bite-Size Classes

I’m a busy girl, that’s no secret. While I think we should all allot extended personal time, some days it’s better to get in 30-minutes of workout than no work out at all. Crunch Fitness has a long list of classes offered at 30-minute and 45-minute increments in addition to a few that are an hour long. I almost always do the 30-minute classes like the Barre Bootcamp. If I have time, I warm up on the stair machine or treadmill. If not, I don’t sweat it because the classes are always killer. I can either head back to my desk after I workout or I can linger and finish up working out any other parts of my body I want to focus on. I can also hit the hydro massage or tanning bed…

Enjoy the Cherries on Top

I’ve become sort of a self-care addict. Breaking a sweat at the gym counts. Getting my nails done counts. Sleeping in counts. And so does the HydroMassage at Crunch Fitness. This water-powered bed can work out any kinks in your calves or the crick in your neck. I try to visit for 10 minutes when I can. It’s only available if you have a Peak Plus membership ($25/mo), but if you ask me it’s worth it. I also like to pop into the tanning bed from time to time. It’s good for my eczema and always nice to have an extra glow before a photoshoot or vacation.