York Street Crossfit

York Street is an amazing, community-​centered gym that has owners and staff who truly care about their members, and they it in numerous ways. It’s common to have weekend outings and events with other members of the gym; they support a local greenhouse just down the road and encourage their members to give it a try; they offer a free Saturday WOD to anyone – yes, every week!
How do I know these things? I have dropped in here for years. Originally, I found my way here when my own gym was closed for construction and expansion. I got a punch card here and was welcomed by all the coaches with open arms. Fast forward a few years and my husband is now a member (conveniently located on his way to work) and I drop in on the weekends with friends. If I lived or worked closer, I’d be a member here.
This is the best gym in the area at making you feel welcome. No matter who is coaching, they introduce themselves to you and work with you on form and/​or modifications throughout the workout.
York Street, you’re doing it right.

I was always very intimidated by the thought of crossfit but I decided to try out their free community class on a Saturday. That was over two years ago, and I am never looking back. I’ve been a member now for over a year and love it. The community is great, everyone is so encouraging and the coaches are fantastic. They make sure you do proper form and have no problem correcting you. They will also help you modify the workout if there’s any movements you can’t do. I would 100% recommend this gym. Come by for a Saturday 10am class and try it for yourself!

I was a member of YSCF for almost a year. After I moved to Denver from San Francisco I took some time off my routine to (1) acclimate to the elevation (it felt like 3 months before I could climb stairs without getting winded. oy vey) and (2) find a new box and CF community that would be a good fit. At the time I was living in City Park West, so checked out several gyms in my area. Some of which were, quite frankly, too full of themselves. When you can barely walk after the warm-​up, you know the programing is bad.
Anyway, I emailed the owners of YSCF though their site explaining my experience and asking if I could do a drop in. Brad emailed me back and said absolutely! Come on in! I dropped in on a Monday and didn’t look back. First of all, I was greeted by everyone upon entering. This does not always happen. Co-​owner/​coach Brad immediately walked over, shook my hand and gave me a mini tour of the facilities and the run down of how they operate. After signing the necessary waivers, I completed the WOD and knew I had found my new gym.
I typically worked out in the AMs with Crawford and Kirsten, though other coaches would occasionally rotate through, and they are all superb. As a physical therapist, a lot of my concern is focused on proper form and prevention of injuries. I liked that the coaches really paid attention to everyone; they had no issues telling people to drop weight if their form got lousy and always helped you find a way to modify any WOD as needed. I also liked that no one had an ego here. Everyone was at different levels and very encouraging of one another. When I was a member, there were spinning classes that I wish I had taken more advantage of — I’m not sure they are still being offered. I also participated in yoga when it was offered on Saturday mornings, which was a great way to stretch out the sore muscles.
Perks of YSCF: they have enough equipment for everyone, and it’s in good condition. They also have showers! And off street parking. The only reason I ended up leaving was that I moved to a different neighborhood across town, and it was no longer convenient. I would not hesitate to rejoin if I found myself back on the east side.

I’m coming up on a year as a member of York Street so I felt it was time to update my review.
Maybe you can relate – Just over a year ago, having just entered my golden 40’s, I came to realize I had lost a little of my mojo. I had never been an elite athlete, but had always been active. Basketball was my first passion, then endurance cycling, running marathons and then bike racing. But over the years creaky knees, an ornery back and a busy work schedule prevented me from putting in the time and miles necessary to stay fit. I realized I was a bit… well… soft, and was the heaviest I’ve ever been. And just as importantly I missed the challenge, the excitement, and the sense of accomplishment that sports always provided me. That’s when I decided to try Crossfit.
Maybe you can also relate – At first Crossfit was really intimidating to me. I had seen the competitions on ESPN where some incredibly ripped superman or woman blazed through sets of what felt like a hundred pull-​ups, or lifted some super-​human amount of weigh over their head like 50 times in succession. «I could never do that», I thought; and I certainly don’t look like any of those elite athletes. The only six-​pack I had was back in the man-​fridge at home. The whole thing honestly seemed unapproachable, even a little cultish to me. But another part of me thought it was pretty badass. «What if I could do that?» I asked myself. And I knew I needed to make a change.
I found myself walking in the door of York Street Crossfit one Saturday for one of their free community classes. Instantly I noticed that while there were some extremely fit people there, there were also a lot of regular folks just like me. After a group stretch and warmup we launched into the workout – Only 10 or 12 minutes or something, but it absolutely kicked my ass. Lying on the floor after the workout, I realized I was hooked. One of the coaches suggested I come back the next week to watch a couple of the regular workouts to further check things out, but I had seen enough, and went right home and enrolled. I had already registered for a similar intro class at two other local Crossfit Gyms, but never stepped foot in their doors – York Street just felt like home.
So what has the year since been like? Honestly, one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my life. At first I was self-​conscious about having to scale or modify many of the movements, since I couldn’t do a single pull-​up, rope climb, handstand, etc.; but then I realized I wasn’t alone. It took me a while to come to understand that Crossfit isn’t something you learn overnight – It’s a process built on repetition, and slowly building strength and skill in the movements. That realization turned my initial frustration into a commitment to the process, to be «Better than Yesterday», as is scribbled on a whiteboard at York Street.
And why do I love York Street? Because of the staff, and the culture. The coaches are incredibly solid, enthusiastic, and care equally about you no matter your skill or fitness level. Even the strongest athletes at YS have no ego, and instead are encouraging and supportive of everyone else. For me at least, it’s the perfect balance – Not about being the best, or being better than the person next to you, but about being the best possible athlete you can be. And having fun, and supporting others along the way.
So now do I feel Crossfit is Cultish? Perhaps, but not in a negative way like I used to think. I have an addictive personality, and am glad I’ve found something so healthy, rewarding, and with so many positive, supportive people to fuel it. As the character Lester Burnham once said in the movie American Beauty, «It’s a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself».

After moving to Denver recently, my man and I tried York Street Crossfit and it felt like home! Everyone was so nice, welcoming and down to earth. Their WOD’s are well designed, challenging and fun. It is a great atmosphere us as a couple or individually to work out in because the owners and trainers are unpretentious and positive.

There was a chance that I was going to move to Denver from California this past year. One of the reasons why I was excited about it was York Street CrossFit.
I dropped in to York Street over New Year’s and have never felt so welcome in another CrossFit gym that wasn’t my home gym. The coaches were personable, warned me to pace myself because of the elevation, and every member there supported each other. Gyms like this are what make people love CrossFit.
The facility is huge, unique, with ample space for everything. I wish I could move York Street CrossFit to Los Angeles. I’d join in a second.

Dropped-​in for a WOD when visiting Denver for the Great American Beer Festival. Welcomed with open arms by the 5:30pm crew and Crawford. Tough but fun workout with a super nice fun group of people.
Oh yeah, first class there is free! Bought a shirt, would definitely come back if in town.

York Street Crossfit has become my home away from home over the last year. The longer intro program is probably the best piece in making sure you get the best start possible. The coaches are awesome! Enthusiastic, knowledgeable, motivating and I could go on and on! You just gotta try it for yourself. York Street Crossfit is the best! Sign up today.

York Street Crossfit now offers two spin classes that will push you to discover what true cardio-​fit feels like! Revolve is an hour long class class that has you climbing, sprinting, and sweating for 45 mins followed by a quick 15 min WOD (you knew that was coming, it is a spin class inside a crossfit box)!
Revolve to Evolve is the second class offered that really focuses on body awareness and position while riding. Evolve is an hour long class that has 30 minutes of intense climbing and muscle isolation Immediately followed by a 30 min yoga flow that will stretch and strengthen you.
Being an avid bike rider and commuting about 110 miles a week, I am very impressed with the way these classes have been incorporated into the crossfit style. If you want to gain some speed, and flexibility in your future WODs get into these classes and experience it for yourself!

Best workout hands down. Coaches are super friendly and know how to get you into shape!

I went last Saturday for the free class and I was definitely feeling it the next day. Great workout and nice space!

I came to York Street CrossFit in February 2013, because I wanted to kick my training up a notch. Needless to say, CrossFit has kicked my ass, BUT I LOVE IT! I chose York Street because I read all of their fantastic reviews from all you fine Unilocalers, and I couldn’t be happier with my choice. From the moment I walked through those doors to start the Elements course, the staff members at York Street CF have always been welcoming and patient. I completed the Elements course and now I am participating in the regular CrossFit classes with everyone else. Grayson, Brad, Bill & Sarah really know their stuff and are all around good people. What I love most about York Street CF is the camaraderie and the small classes. You get plenty of guidance and everybody is always cheering you on. It feels great to bust my ass with a group of amazing people who are just trying to be better than they were yesterday. The WODs are always challenging, they change everyday, and I am always sore. That’s great because I leave there feeling amazing, and I know that what I did is working. The staff at York Street really support the Paleo lifestyle. They have several Paleo classes you can attend, and give you an overview at the Elements course. They also have several foodshares available to you. I really love the experience I’m having at York Street CrossFit and I will continue to keep coming back to challenge myself again and again. And I could not imagine doing it anywhere else.

This is the third Crossfit gym I’ve consistently worked out at; I moved to York Street Crossfit from Crossfit Lodo in November 2011 when the gym first opened. It’s a terrific gym and unique for a few reasons I think: the majority of the members are non-​competitive and most have families, kids. That being said the programming here is top notch. I left CF Lodo after a year because I was sick of 15 – 20 minute metcons 4 days a week — I wasn’t progressing. Here at York Street though have been getting stronger while also decreasing my times doing nothing but following the daily WODS. As someone who has been crossfitting for over two years this is great!

York Street Crossfit is where it’s at! This is not your fancy box with leather couches, this is a super quality gym that has all the right tools, equipment and coaching to get you into top shape.
Grayson and his team are fantastic and will address any concerns you have and help build you up. This box has great hours, small classes (lots of personal attention) and since they ideally want you to be eating paleo, Yorkstreet offers local food shares with farmers in the area, and they also have a food share for grass fed beef. I really like this because it’s so convenient and cheaper to get grass fed meat when you do it in bulk. Plus picking it up at the place I already have to go to workout is phenomenal.
Some boxes are huge and ridiculously expensive, this is the right size, with great trainers and great pricing. If you want to just try them out, they have a free class on Saturdays, or just give them a call they are awesome about letting people check out their classes and they really do want to help you here. Also, if you are just getting into crossfit, Yorkstreet offers a 4 week/​12 class foundations class to get you started and teach you all of the basics. Yes, there are other gyms that give you the basics in three classes, but you can’t possibly learn everything you need to know in such a short time, so breaking it up into 12 classes is perfect.
Give them a shout, you won’t be disappointed!

Well I’ve been doing crossfit now for about 2.5 months and have been to at least 4 different places trying to find the best fit along with the most knowledgable coaches. I’ve been to places that are too small, some that allow too many people in a class vs. the # of coaches actually overseeing and some that just charge way too much for someone who doesn’t plan on ever doing crossfit competitively. Once I stepped foot into York Street Crossfit, I felt like Goldilocks and the 3 Bears as it felt just right. The place is the perfect size, the coaches are beyond amazing and everyone is there to cheer you on whether you’re a newbie like myself or a longtime regular. Grayson, Brad, Jason and Sarah are all there to make sure you push yourself to the limit without injury. They have no problem asking you to drop the weight if they feel you need to focus on your form first. Hands down, if you’re looking at getting into crossfit then this is the place for you. Although I didn’t do my Elements here, I wish I had as I truly believe they have one of the best ones in town. So what are you waiting for, get your WOD on!

They are awesome and what they do! This place is is not intimidating and they actually spend time helping you!

The people who work at this gym love what they do and it shows.
All the trainers/​coaches/​badasses (whatever you want to call them– they can pull off some amazing feats of strength & agility) are incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and always enthusiastic. The vibe is completely unintimidating whether you’re new to Crossfit or you’ve been doing it for years– everyone seems to be there to do their best while encouraging others to do the same.
It’s completely kid and dog friendly, there are bathrooms, showers, bright cheery colors. I don’t know what else I could ask for in a gym. Oh, did I mention that York Street Crossfit also has local grass feed beef and produce from a CSA delivered directly to the gym? As well as additional nutritional support? You could almost stop going to the grocery store! They even have yoga for your new, strong, and sore muscles. I could go on. It’s so amazing and well-​rounded. I think it deserves 10 stars.

I am just finishing up the four-​week Elements course at York Street Crossfit. Grayson and Brad are fantastic trainers — they are very encouraging, and do a great job of identifying your strengths and helping you with your weak spots. Their dedication to Crossfit is very inspiring (not to mention their killer bodies!).
The environment at York Street is not intimidating at all — I never thought I’d find myself throwing around weightlifting terms like «clean» and «snatch» with a bunch of hardcore bad-​asses, but the trainers and other students are all super nice people, so I’ve never felt out of place.
Although one part of my body or another has been sore for the past four weeks straight, I’ve actually had a lot of fun and am looking forward to joining the regular classes at York Street. Crossfit is one of the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but at least it’s not boring! Try it!

This is a new gym and first off, the building is outstanding. The gym has bright interior colors with a massive amount of industrial steel framework around the walls to play with while you work or chill out — very cool. York Street CrossFit’s building also has dual retractable garage doors in the front and rear that gives you a nice natural breeze while you work out. There is also a little place for the kids to play right next to where you work out.
The atmosphere the coaches build during a set is better than any classic ‘gym’ experience I’ve ever had. Better than personal training cause your with other people and much more fun. This is hard work and about 2 – 3 days at their gym a week and you’ll become a brick shit house (or at least lose weight). Not an intimidating atmosphere and the coaches are easy to talk to and not typical Meaty McMeatersons you see flexing in the mirror at your local gym. Hi 5’s and A+‘s all around. Well Done!

This is my first crossfit experience and at first I thought it was crazy that we had to do a month of learning before starting the program. But that was probably the most valuable lesson I’ve had when it comes to learning proper technique whilst lifting. I always thought I new everything there was to know about lifting. I used to love being able to watch myself in all the mirrors, but I’ve since learned to quell my narcissm as there are no mirrors in this clean well kept Crossfit gym.
The trainers are great — taking their time teaching you proper technique and ensuring you don’t hurt yourself trying to pump up your ego.