Sequoia Automatic, Crystal Lake

The CrossFit moniker has become a household name, leading some to believe it’s another cookie-cutter franchise. But at each CrossFit gym, the trainers have the freedom to make the fitness phenomena their own. They develop their own workouts and classes while upholding the core principle of the program—challenging patrons with a constantly changing, high-intensity workout based on functional movements. The CrossFit Crystal Lake team brings an array of backgrounds to its brand of CrossFit, which range from mixed martial arts to law enforcement to figure skating.

Instructors commence each of their classes by teaching the correct form for the workout of the day, which varies from day-to-day to stave off burn out. The workouts generally include a blend of gymnastic moves, Olympic weightlifting, and metabolic conditioning. One day, patrons might do lunges across the floor and drop for pushups and sit-ups, and the next they might heave kettlebells, boost barbells over their heads, or challenge a cheetah to a footrace. For an added boost of motivation and accountability. In addition to their daily classes, the Crystal Lake crew also hosts CrossFit challenges and workouts on the beach, which make a great addition to underdog-training montages.