The Downtown Sweat: CrossFit Icehouse - Downtown Community Partnership

The Downtown Sweat: CrossFit Icehouse

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With the winter hanging on a little longer and stronger than we would like, the DCP team decided to shake the winter blues by trying something new.  To challenge ourselves and do something active we decided to try out a class at Crossfit Icehouse, a gym in Downtown Fargo that specializes in CrossFit style workouts. When we first drove up the first thing I noticed was that there was plenty of easily accessible parking right outside of the door and wrapping around the building. This means no lag time getting in and getting set up for your workout. My coworker and I signed up for a free trial Flux class online and just needed to pick a time and electronically sign the waiver. When we went inside we were warmly greeted by the owner Courtney Shoemaker who showed us how to sign in with the electronic check-in and then showed us the common areas at the facility. The gym has a laid back lounge area where you can hang up your coat, put your stuff in a cubby, get changed, and cool down. I loved that the gym had 3 private changing rooms and 2 private shower rooms. This makes getting ready for a workout or getting ready to go back to work easy and comfortable.

Once our stuff was stowed away it was time to head into the gym and get set up for our workout. Waiting for class to start I was able to explore the 2 gyms and found the atmosphere to be the right balance of masculine and feminine. The way the gym was set up and decorated made me feel like the gym was made for everyone and not just hardcore weightlifting macho men. The gym has 2 large but distinct sections and both have large garage-style doors that in the summer I imagine being opened up to enjoy the weather.

Second Gym Area

The Flux class we chose to take combines 2 different disciplines in one 50 minute class. The instructor told us what equipment we needed and we got started with class. The class started with a yoga flow that was low impact and got you warmed up for the HIIT(High-Intensity Interval Workout) section. The HIIT circuit was written on a chalkboard at the front of the class and consisted of 5 different exercises done with a different number of repetitions. This was the most challenging part of the class as we were to do as many reps as we could in 10 minutes. These exercises can easily be modified for all ability levels. This time went by surprisingly fast and after the HIIT section we cooled down with more yoga this time focusing on postures meant to stretch you out.

I loved that this class had 3 distinct sections and you had a good warmup and a long enough cooldown to properly stretch you out and keep you from injuring yourself or being too sore. I found that this class would easily be accessible to those both new to working out or seasoned veterans since you challenged yourself as much as you see fit. My coworker and I left Crossfit Icehouse tired but surprisingly energized, ready to take on the rest of the day!
Flux is a great place to start your fitness journey. For more information on CrossFit Icehouse or their classes visit https://crossfiticehouse.com/

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