New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
We are all aware of the importance of exercise when it comes to health and longevity. The information has been circulating for so long that knowledge of exercise’s benefits aren’t an issue or barrier to hopping on a path to a better, fitter, healthier you.
In fact, the sheer volume of information is the barrier. How does one navigate this massive ocean of data and choose an exercise regimen or program that is just right for them? Websites, blogs, social media accounts, adverts on television and radio – it’s just a blitz of promises, trends, even misinformation or contradictory information.
CrossFit has been around for 20 years. You’ve likely seen friends or family on their social media accounts discussing confusing words like “WOD” or showing images of them flipping tires, dragging a sled, or some other puzzling activity. Or like me, you noticed the physical transformation of a friend and asked what they’ve been doing. After the 4th, 5th, 10th person says “CrossFit” your interest is certainly piqued.
One “box” that has been around since 2012 has been churning out results and happy clients: Whaling City CrossFit at 475 Church Street in New Bedford. Co-Owners and husband and wife team, Erik and Tess Hedblom have united their wonder powers to forge a world class facility right in our neck of the woods. Erik is the Head Coach: a Certified CrossFit Trainer (Level 3), and has a Bachelor’s of Business and Economics – brains and brawn. Not a meathead.
Tess is the Youth Program Director, a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, CrossFit Kids Trainer Certificate Holder and also works full-time as a Special Education Teacher at Rochester Memorial School. She holds a Masters Degree in Elementary and Special Education. More brains and brawn. All of their Staff are CrossFit Level 1 Trainers.
What is the inspiration that led to opening a CrossFit box? Erik explained: “We fell in love with CrossFit, and with the idea of helping people discover their physical potential. We thought we were fairly fit people, until we tried CrossFit. There is something inspiring that happens when you exceed your own expectations. And for us, it’s even more rewarding helping and watching the members of our community experience those moments. It makes you feel unstoppable.”
Their facility has managed to combine knowledge, experience, and effectiveness for an affordable rate and in a non-intimidating atmosphere — you will work out with regular Joes and Janes. Whaling City CrossFit has attracted not just the professional athlete, but people from all walks of life: the registered nurse, the plumber, the lawyer, housewives, and even children. People who don’t ever plan on competing, but just want to live a longer, better quality of life. To lose a few pounds, to get back to what they looked and felt like when they were younger (probably better actually), to live long enough to see their kids grow up, and a host of other reasons.
Whaling City CrossFit excels where many facilities fail: hands-on coaching. One does not simply walk into Whaling CityCrossfit and do your own thing. The coaches are present and focused on every aspect of functional fitness – they lead ALL classes from start to finish with at least one coach.
Never exercise or rarely do it? Try, get a few weeks, then falter? Really out of shape? Put on a lot of weight? Don’t be fooled by the misconception that CrossFit is for these obscenely fit, elite people you see in the pictures – those people didn’t start out that way. Talk to a few of the members on your first visit and you will be in disbelief at some of their stories and how they were when they first came.
With this in mind the staff at Whaling City CrossFit offer a special beginner’s program called the “On-Ramp Program.” It’s two weeks spent to assess your readiness for training and introducing the fundamentals of all the exercises that you will encounter in the gym. No, you aren’t thrown to the wolves in intimidating fashion whereby within 15 minutes you’re racing to the toilet to vomit your brains out.
There is also a 6-week version called the “Get Fit Challenge” geared towards those who really feel they are incapable of an athletic program. This program builds slower over the six weeks, and importance of being fit for life is stressed.
The staff offer intelligent and effective progressions. They want you to be challenged, but not overwhelmed in incremental fashion. This formula is responsible for the number of members who have received stunning results and staying on board years later. Tess elaborated on this “At the end of the day, it’s not how much you lift in the gym that matters, it’s having the energy and strength to play with your kids or grandkids. Or being self-sufficient until you are 90 years old.”
Speaking of family, Whaling City CrossFit offers kid’s program – as far as I know, the largest in the area. This makes it convenient for those parents whose only real barrier to heading to the gym to workout is needing someone to watch over the kids: take them with you! You can train in the adult class, wile the kids are working out. All of the coaches who teach Kids Classes are full-time instructors in the public school system. The program is geared towards getting sedentary kids moving and having fun with exercise but it’s also geared towards student athletes.
Too often these days athletes are specializing in sports too young and this leads to muscle imbalances and overuse injuries. The staff preach and teach a well-rounded physical preparedness that will make students better in any sport they play.
With the New Year right around the corner and resolutions sure to follow, there’s no better time to take the big leap to a new you. If you need any more incentive, Whaling City CrossFit is offering a “New Year’s Get Fit Challenge” which starts on January 9th: 10% off from now until Christmas Eve. $134, regularly $149.
You don’t have to take my word for it, simply check out the testimonials and visitor’s posts on their Facebook page. Peruse their photographs. These speak volumes about the efficacy of the program, the professionalism of the staff, and the results. At the end of the day, we want something that doesn’t involve volumes of literature to grasp, a program that is efficient in that it has high returns compared to the input, and that is enjoyable to do. How many of us have hopped onto a trend, taken up a dull routine because we should “suck it up,” or paid an arm and a leg to suffer physically and mentally?
There is clearly something special going on at 475 Church Street.
475 Church Street
New Bedford, Massachusetts
Hours:
Mon, Wed, Fri: 5:00am-10:00am,and 3:00pm-7:45pm
Tue, Thu: 6:00am-10:00am and 3:00pm-7:45pm
Saturday: 9:00am-11:30am
Sunday: 10:00am-11:00am
Phone: (508) 995-1231, (508)207-3965
EMail: erik@whalingcitycrossfit.com
Website: whalingcitycrossfit.com/
Facebook: facebook.com/WhalingCityCrossFit/
