"I am on a quest to create super-humans out of mere mortals,” declares Justin Cotler, owner of Crossfit Dynamix. He doesn’t earn a living by simply painting capital s’s on unitards; instead, he helps athletes soar to new fitness plateaus inside a brick-lined gym filled with medicine balls, heavy ropes, and giant tires.

Backed by a staff of certified CrossFit coaches, he motivates clients to run faster during sprinting drills and add spring to their steps during challenging plyometrics. Olympic lifting moves such as rack jerks and push presses to strengthen the upper body more effectively than hoisting one’s boss in the air to celebrate a raise. Bodyweight exercises performed on pull-up bars, gymnastics rings, and floor mats bolster strength, flexibility, and coordination. The workouts can be customized to many ages and fitness levels, including absolute beginners, elite athletes, senior citizens, and school-age children. To help clients melt stress while building long, lean muscles, the gym also offers yoga classes for all skill sets.