What You'll Get
Exercise would be a doubly efficient venture if people could split into two halves and have both body sections burn calories simultaneously by riding a tandem bike. Today's Groupon makes the most of feasible workouts: for $29, you get 29 drop-in classes and a one-on-one introductory session at Alamo CrossFit (a $725 value). This “training for life” system translates real-life activities into work on exercise mats.
At a buck per class, this Groupon offers an introduction to the game-changing fitness method that is CrossFit. CrossFit sessions draw on everyday movements such as running after your kids, climbing a flight of stairs, loading a suitcase into the van, or assembling a yurt out of Lincoln Logs. A typical CrossFit workout might involve several 200-yard runs, then lifting kettle balls, then repeating the whole thing without stopping. These intense sessions, never the same twice, prime the body for genuine day-to-day lifting, galloping, and whirling that can leave an out-of-shape person feeling exhausted.
The combination of real-world utility and motivating intensity has made CrossFit popular with military personnel and police officers—folks who take fitness seriously. Though there's an atmosphere of combat readiness, CrossFit instructors vary the weight loads and number of reps so that everyone—from students to MMA fighters to grandmothers—participates. In addition to your 29 drop-in CrossFit sessions at Alamo, you'll get a one-on-one, introductory fitness session and evaluation to help Alamo trainers plan the optimal CrossFit sessions for you. Alamo makes it easy to find time for your sessions, with classes beginning at 5 a.m. and running until 6:15 p.m. Check the schedule for details.
Alamo was founded by an Army nurse, and its coaches have all earned CrossFit certification. They're friendly fitness pros who live to educate and motivate their clients. Each CrossFit class is composed of like-minded, supportive individuals who will help keep you focused, motivated, and totally in control of your hot-air balloon even when a wild and turbulent storm knocks it off course and throws you into an ocean made of day-old gumbo. Call or e-mail ahead to schedule your first one-on-one session; you must redeem your Groupon within three months of feature and use all workouts within two months of redemption.
Reviews
The San Antonio Express-News has featured Alamo CrossFit, and a Yelper gives it five stars. CrossFit also has some testimonials posted on its website:
- Thanks for your gentle yet persistent pressure to excel and constant encouragement without empty praise. – Bill Murphy, M.D.
- I feel stronger physically, mentally… – Sheila “Teach” Dorsey
- Crossfit has really helped me get back to a physical level that I had not ever achieved on my own. – Frank “Frank Vegas” Camillo, S.A.P.D.
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires May 25, 2010. Amount paid never expires. Must attend first class by exp. date, must attend all classes within 2 months of first class. Must schedule first session in advance. Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About Fitness Porvida
Rick Martinez began his career as a registered nurse, working in emergency rooms across the country to help patients overcome intense physical traumas. However, it was during an 18-month tour of service at Walter Reed Army Medical Center that Rick encountered the mother of a wounded soldier who changed his aspirations in life. Her indomitable spirit and the bravery with which she supported her son through his pain and recovery inspired Rick. Fully intent on helping people develop the unflinching resolve needed to better their own lives and well-being, he founded Fitness Porvida—Fitness for Life.
The center’s health gurus lead CrossFit and fitness sessions for students of virtually any fitness level, using functional exercises to create challenging, full-body workouts that build the strength and endurance necessary for students to bench-press their bathtubs. Yet physical exercise isn’t the only tool that the trainers employ—they also use nutritional guidance and camaraderie to empower their clients. Rick summarized this approach to the San Antonio Business Journal in 2010, saying, “when we treat the body as a whole the results are fantastic.”