Get Started - CrossFit Hale

It’s easy to get started at CrossFit Hale, here’s how.

1 Fill out an application

Fill out our simple application (3 mins) to share your goals so we can determine the right program for you. The next step is to meet with a coach who will give you a tour of the facility, show you how we work, and help figure out which program at Hale is right for you. We offer personal coaching and small group classes in CrossFit, our less-intense MissFit, Nutrition, and Hale Kids.

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2 Or, ask us a question!

Have a burning question about our gym or program? Want to know if Hale is right for you? Send us an email or give us a call at 510-225-9196 and we will answer your question ASAP.

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Does your workout work?

You know you need to stay in shape, but you dread going to the gym. It’s crowded, you don’t know anyone, you have to wait for the machines, and you never know if you’re using the equipment correctly or if you have the right technique.

If I can find parking, I head into a super-crowded gym where I have to wait for equipment and feel super self-conscious around a bunch of strangers who seem to be eyeballing me in the mirror. It’s hard enough to make myself go, why can’t I just work out?
— Crystal W. on her “globo-gym” experience
Or maybe you have a hard time sticking to a training program or fitness routine. A typical scenario is you start a new program with tons of excitement, and maybe even see a little progress, but life gets in the way after a few weeks and things fall apart.

My biggest struggle was staying motivated. I would go to the gym for two to three weeks tops and then fall off–same with any type of diet or eating plan
— David T. on losing motivation for a program
Maybe you’ve joined a gym, tried some fitness classes, did some running and are enjoying it but you just aren’t getting results. You look the same! You weigh the same!

I joined the Y(MCA), did Zumba, etc. It was fun, but I noticed I was not seeing any changes. I needed something different other than just cardio
— Candice P. on cardio classes and lacking real results
Maybe you’ve even tried a few similar programs in the past, but just never caught on to the vibe of the place or found one that was right for you.

I've tried other gyms...they were hands off, small, and not welcoming. They had "instructors" who read through a workout and showed a movement, but didn't take the time to actually coach you through technique, support you, answer your questions, and correct bad form.

It was fine for getting in a workout, but in the end was better to just save the money and do my own thing.
— Priti H

There are a ton of other reasons, but the bottom line is: You aren’t getting the results you want!

How do you get the performance you want, and the body you want without it being such a chore? All it takes is a change of focus and the right structure to help you succeed.

Change of focus.

Stop thinking of your workout as WORK, and focus on SKILL and PERFORMANCE.

Running on a treadmill is WORK…learning how to climb a rope, do a proper squat, or swing a kettle bell is learning a new SKILL. Losing 10 lbs feels like WORK, and is not nearly as fun as getting your first pull up (or 20th), or improving your time on a tough workout. Focusing on physical PERFORMANCE will not only give you new athletic ability, but it will make losing 10 lbs a breeze.

A focus on developing skills and improving your performance will bring out your inner athlete. The more you train like an athlete, the more you will look like an athlete.

Structure

Ok, so you have a goal and a reason WHY you are doing what you’re doing, and have a new focus on making yourself the best athlete you can be…now what?

You need to know exactly WHAT to do, you need to be shown HOW to do it, you need SUPPORT to help you, and it has to be in the right ENVIRONMENT.

This is where our program comes in. We give you tools and structure, and environment you need in order to be successful.

Our main focus on helping you live better through fitness, and we produce results for you with expert coaching in a community of motivated and supportive training partners.

You see, willpower doesn’t work, and as much as we believe we are in control…it’s tough to stay motivated at the end of a long day when you know you have to fight traffic and find parking to go work out at a crowded gym AND come up with your own workout routine.

When you become a Hale athlete, this is how your experience will look.

You’ll find our gym easily right off of highway 80 at Central and park effortlessly (and for free) in our lot. When you walk in, you’ll be greeted with a smile by our staff and other athletes.

You’ll notice how clean and well-maintained the gym is as you sign in and get ready to join the session in our member lounge. Over the next 60 mins, you will be warmed up, stretched, and coached through the movements of the day.

This is followed by a workout and a wrap up. Your coach will be there to ensure proper form, range of motion, and intensity, helping you scale to fit your needs and ability level. Because you hit a personal best that day, you ring the PB bell and everyone lets out a big cheer.

You’ll wrap up with some mobility and say goodbye to your friends and training partners feeling exhausted but accomplished for finishing another tough workout.

You’ll go home having done something you never thought you could, and feeling better than when you come in.

What We Do

We help motivated people like you lose weight, get strong, and feel amazing. We do this through exercise and nutrition coaching in a friendly, supportive community in a world class facility in the Albany/El Cerrito/Richmond area.

Our workouts are based on the idea of constantly varied, functional movement at high intensity.

Constantly Varied

This means you’ll be doing a different workout every day using the best stuff from gymnastics, running, rowing, kettle bells, weightlifting and bodyweight training.
Functional Movement

We focus on the movements you do in your every day life. A squat is like getting out of a chair, a deadlift is like lifting something from the ground, etc. We teach you to move the way humans are meant to move (watch kids play if you want an example of functional movement in action).
High Intensity

Our workouts are meant to push you. If you don’t push yourself, you won’t see results. However, intensity is different for everyone, so we make sure we properly scale everything to your ability. We train people from 19 years old to 75 at all levels of fitness

We also focus on nutrition, flexibility, sleep, and many other lifestyle factors that affect your health and fitness. Results take more than just workouts, so we address all the important topics with you.

How we do it

Classes

The heart of our program is found in the classes and personal coaching sessions. In 60 mins, you will be warmed up, stretched, and coached through the movements of the day. This is followed by a workout and a wrap up. Your coach will be there to ensure proper form, range of motion, and intensity, helping you scale to fit your needs and ability level.

Lectures and Seminars

We hold lectures and seminars on specific topics related to nutrition, mobility, gymnastics, and lifting to give you new skills and help you integrate the program into your life.

Assessments

Every few months, we test your fitness with a series of physical assessments. These are designed to give you a baseline of your fitness and progress, and allow you to celebrate your success with the community.

Events and Challenges

We play new sports, try outdoor workouts, do nutrition and fitness challenges, and enter competitions to give you a chance to use your newfound abilities in real world situations. Sometimes we just like to party as well

Fundamentals

Your starting point, designed to give you a solid foundation of movement, nutrition, and fitness…We make sure you are safe, move well, and are focused on your goals.

Support

Coaching

Your coach will make sure you know what the movements are, how to do them properly, and why they are important. It’s a process that starts from the basics you learn in fundamentals to refining the more advanced movements as you develop your skills. We will also ensure you have the most up to date and useful information on nutrition, staying flexible, managing stress, getting a good night’s sleep, etc.

Community

Our gym is full of motivated, hard working athletes who will help push you past what you thought possible. By training alongside like-minded people, you are more likely to stick to your program and see results.

You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with‐ Jim Rohn (author)

What results can you expect?

Our athletes lose weight, get stronger, look better on the beach, heal injuries, learn skills they never thought they’d try, and completely change their lives through fitness. Here is what some of them have to say.

Mike L

I’ve put on 8 lbs of muscle and dropped my body fat by 2-3%, while keeping my speed and cardio and improving my lifts. It’s one of the most efficient workouts out there.
Kim W

When I started I couldn’t even do ‘girl’ push ups on my knees, now I can do multiple push ups on my toes, and several pull ups! I’ve noticed a lot of improvements in every aspect (of fitness) from measurement, strength, weight, and mood.
Nancy W

You don’t have to go full out, you do what you’re able to do, then you realize you’re able to do more. The benefit here is that I get the weight training with proper coaching so I’m getting the form right and don’t injure myself.

Get Started today!

Click below to fill out an application or contact us.
We’d love to meet you!

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frequently asked questions

Common questions people have before starting at CrossFit Hale.

I've never touched a weight before, Are you sure I can do this?

You will start slowly, 1 on 1 with a coach. We will keep the weights low and the movements simple. As you get stronger, the coaches will help you progress in weight and skills. Our members range in age from 16 to 74, and the workouts are always adjusted to YOUR level of fitness.

We do have options for you if you want to avoid doing weights altogether. Book your intro session and we will go through them with you.
But seriously, I'm really out of shape...I'm going to be the slowest person at the gym. Are you sure?

Your fitness level does not determine your success at CrossFit Hale.

Our most successful members started with no skills at all, and worked every day to get better. Over time, they are doing things they never dreamed possible...seriously.

Coach Jay lost 100 lbs doing CrossFit, his mom (at 64 years old), never did ANYTHING for fitness until a few years ago and just learned how to climb a rope.

Your attitude is so much more important than your waistline.

You will finish last sometimes, but the sooner you realise that nobody cares and everyone is here to make you better, the faster you will get fit.

The "No Sweat" intro is a great way to find out if this is right for you...book one and find out!
What about injuries? I have a (knee/ankle/shoulder) injury that prevents me from doing xyz, will it work?

First, check with your doctor if you have injuries or medical conditions. We are not doctors and don't pretend to be.

That said, we always work around injuries. We have lots of people with past injuries (or current injuries) that we work around, from recent knee surgeries to broken collar bones to amputations.

Movement is almost ALWAYS preferable to sitting around doing nothing...come try an intro and see if we can work around yours.
I've heard CrossFit is dangerous, is that true?

With poor coaching, careless programming of workouts, and careless technique, it can be dangerous, for sure!

This is why we start you with the basics, teach you proper technique, and bring you along slowly. It's also why we focus on improving your flexibility and strength over time. If you take the time to learn it the RIGHT WAY it's safer than going to the regular gym and lifting with no coaching and a LOT safer than what most people do for fitness (running injuries anyone?).
How much does it cost?

Our regular membership rates (as of Jan 31 2016) are below. All of our memberships offer unlimited classes and unlimited access to open gym, and are paid monthly. There are no sign up fees or down payments.

- $259/mo. – Unlimited Classes
- $229/mo. – 12 month contract
- $2299 - 1 year prepaid (25% off, $192/mo avg)

We also offer personal coaching packages starting at $459/mo, as well as kids programs and nutrition coaching. Contact us for more details.
I've done CrossFit before, can I jump into classes?

Every CrossFit gym is different, with a wide variety of coaching styles and movement standards.

Most people with at least 3 months experience will be fine in our regular classes, but please contact us to give us a bit of background before planning to jump right in to your first class.

As our coaching standards are high, we may recommend fundamentals if we feel it will improve your overall movement quality and prepare you better for the classes.
Where are you located?

We are located in Richmond (adjacent to El Cerrito and Albany borders) just west of the Central Ave/I-80 exit. Our address is at 5371 Jacuzzi St. Suite 3L-1, Richmond, CA 94804.

Check out our location page and take a virtual tour.

Even More Questions?

If you have more questions, call us at (510) 225-9196, or Email us and we’ll get back to you right away!