CrossFit Sandpoint brings worldwide program to community
<p>CrossFit trainers Britain Whitley and Kenny Markwardt show off the state-of-the-art 3,000-square-foot facility, which recently opened at 219 S. Olive Ave. (Photo by CAMERON RASMUSSON)</p>
SANDPOINT — At the new CrossFit Sandpoint, you aren’t just connected to a local community — there’s a whole world of participants out there.
At the new gym, which opened for business recently at 219 S. Olive Ave., CrossFit trainers teach a fitness program founded in 2000 and designed to enhance endurance, strength and flexibility through a varied workout tailored to individual levels. As a certified CrossFit trainer, Kenny Murkwardt is used to helping clients set their own goals and aspire to new challenges.
“Everything we do here can be scaled depending on your past injuries, your age and your capabilities,” he said.
That flexibility is thanks to the CrossFit system, which incentivizes consistent workouts and achieving new goals with a point system. Every element of the CrossFit workout has been converted into points, which participants than record as a benchmark to beat next time. Individuals can also compare their progress to other members of the class if they wish and even engage in some good-natured competition.
It’s also an element that goes well beyond the local scene. Since CrossFit is a fitness program with adherents all over the world, class members can access Internet forums and social network groups to compare their rankings. CrossFit even holds an annual competition each year in California using the same point system, and members can match their points against the best-of-the-best to see exactly where they stand in the international community.
One thing you won’t find much of at the CrossFit Gym are fitness machines. Aside from some rowers and stationary bikes, the stocked equipment tends to be simple with proven results. The individual workouts are short but intense, emphasizing several different combined movements and exercises using everything from free weights to climbing ropes to gymnastics rings.
While the workout intensity may be high, it’s designed to get the most out of every individual no matter where they stand in the fitness world. The current CrossFit Sandpoint membership features a close mix of male and female members who range in age from teenagers all the way to late-50s.
CrossFit currently offers classes 45 minutes to an hour in length at 6 a.m., 8 a.m., and 5:30 p.m., with more to be added as the gym grows. Residents have a chance to get acquainted with the business at a grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 16, starting at 11 a.m.
Info: kenny@crossfitsandpoint.com