If it gets much better than this box, I'd be surprised! CFBB is full-on damned good: technically skilled coaches with a stunning ability to remember names, personal details, and individual abilities all located in a compact, but well appointed, box that is centrally located to everything in Blacksburg. The programming is solid, the equipment is in good shape, the coaches know what they are doing and can/will show you how to do it right, and the membership is all around friendly. If you're an experienced athlete, but new to crossfit, they'll sort you; if you're new to exercise, they'll sort you; if you're an experienced cross-fitter and want to get better, they've got you covered, too.

I fully endorse Jesse Hilmandolar and Cross Fit Blacksburg. Jesse is an encyclopedia of fitness and nutrition knowledge. He is always very generous with his time and willing to offer advice. A few years ago my knees were killing me. I was logging a lot of miles jogging, but was sacrificing speed for distance. Jesse suggested that I run faster! While it seemed counterintuitive it actually worked. I switched to interval running, or just went a shorter distance at a faster speed. The pain went away almost immediately. Jesse e-mailed me some articles on running mechanics that were a little over my head. All I know is it worked and it was great advice. If you need fitness or nutrition advice, you will be in excellent hands at Cross Fit Blacksburg.

I am just about to complete my first boot camp at Cross Fit Blacksburg. It has been rewarding; all the people have been real nice. The team work has been genuine. It is suitable for all levels of capability. There are people who this is there first time off the couch, people like myself who haven’t done any structured workout since high school and those who run or workout often. The coaches make it so that everyone gets a challenging workout. The coaches really encourage you to scale to fit your skill level. I have been impressed with how they continue to find a way to make it challenging at every class. You will want and need to bring a towel and water bottle. I have already signed up for the next boot camp.

I usually do only pilates for exercise so I was nervous when I signed up for one of the boot camps Cross Fit Blacksburg offers. CF is not easy, but after my experience, I think almost anyone is capable of doing it. The best part of CF Blacksburg is the coaching! They don't push the "no pain, no gain" mantra. Instead, they encourage you to put forth your best effort to complete the exercises and keep working your way up. They are knowledgeable and have great scaling options for whatever your fitness level is. The coaches and members of the gym form a great community full of encouragement as you reach reach your fitness goals. I always leave Cross Fit Blacksburg feeling accomplished.

Even if you don't think you can do this - do it anyway. A Boot Camp is an excellent intro. The community is amazing, and you won't believe how it makes you feel. My husband and I did Boot Camp 2.0, and decided to run through Boot Camp 3.0 before stepping up to a normal CrossFit membership. Just a few classes into Boot Camp 2.0, I knew this was something I wanted to keep doing. There's no way around it - I'm a large person. But that's okay. The workouts are scalable, and even if there's a movement I can't do, the coach can always find an alternative that is equally as beneficial to me.