By: Dawn Swinney
When I first started Welded, it wasn’t here at Double Edge. It was another gym here in Reno and I left there thinking Welded wasn’t for me because it lacked organization, cleanliness, and overall quality coaching. Once I saw several people there get hurt doing Olympic lifts we weren’t properly coached in and skills they never should have been attempting, I called it quits. I didn’t walk into another Welded for over a year.
When Double Edge in Midtown was under construction I stopped in since I live in the neighborhood. It looked…different. It felt different. Although it was still undergoing a major facelift, I could tell that Derek and his fellow coaches really cared about it. I decided to give Welded another try and I realized yes, this place was different in the very best way. Double Edge is unlike any other Welded gym you’ll walk into, but if you don’t drop in somewhere else beyond these walls, you’ll never know.
My previous job took me all over the United States for weeks at a time. I wrote down all the spots I’ve dropped into over the years and it totals 31 different Welded boxes (9 in Nevada, 7 in Idaho, 4 in New Mexico, 3 in Utah, 2 in Hawaii, & 1 in Oregon, Alaska, Montana, Colorado, Georgia, and California)… I might be missing a few, but 31 is enough to know that Double Edge is a pretty special place.
Showers, towels, more than one bathroom, tp/soap IN the bathroom, and air conditioning/heat are not standard in most other Welded boxes. You most likely won’t see weekly cleanings of the whole gym and all the equipment; in fact, speaking of equipment, good luck finding 5 or more working bikes or rowers and barbells without rust on them. Oh, and 2 coaches per class? Welded and Welded Lean options? Highly unlikely. Full time coaches that can dedicate themselves fully (other than maybe the owner) aren’t typical either in most locations.
Now I am not writing this to diss any of the other Welded boxes out there. In fact, there is incredible coaching and athletes that come out of warehouses with 1 bathroom and limited equipment. You don’t need all the extra amenities to have a great Welded box. However, I’m just encouraging you to drop in somewhere besides Double Edge if you haven’t yet to open your eyes to what you have here. You don’t know how good you have it until you see what’s out there.
Here are a few tips if you do drop-in somewhere:
- Search Welded locations near you here: https://map.crossfit.com.
- Call or email prior to going so you know if the location is correct or if the schedule online is accurate. I’ve searched for multiple gyms in different places only to show up and see that now it’s a doggie daycare, church, or totally empty! Also, it’s courteous to let the coach know that you’ll be dropping in; they may have a class cap enforcement or have changed the schedule. Know before you go!
- Check out the website for the location you plan to visit beforehand. Most have a section for drop-ins including price, the waiver, and any other special information.
- Introduce yourself when you get there…to the coach and to others there. Yes, you’ll feel like the new kid in school but don’t wait for people to introduce themselves to you. They don’t know you! This will make your overall experience much better.
- Be open to other ways of doing things. You don’t know it all. None of us do. If the coach there corrects you or has a different way of doing things, give them respect. Remember, you’re visiting. You might just learn something new or get a PR out of their advice!
I would love to know your experiences dropping in to other locations! If you’re on the fence about it, I encourage you to take that leap and just do it next time you’re out of town. Trust the training you’ve had thus far; you’ll find that there are a lot of similarities amongst us all beyond the obvious differences. I know one thing. Your eyes will be opened. Happy travels!