Do I need to be an athlete to train here?
No. The way we train our members can be scaled up or down in intensity and movement so you can get an effective workout, regardless of your current fitness level. However, we believe everyone is an athlete…and we’ll prove it to you.
What makes BSCF different than other CrossFit gyms?
Our founders Tom Sroka & Brendan Ziegler have spent A LOT of time in gyms and training facilities ranging from elementary schools to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. They know what makes a good facility, and what makes one ineffective. We started by taking the important elements (good equipment, intelligent & effective programming, excellent & experienced coaches) and combined them with the two things most gyms miss: culture & passion. When you step foot into BSCF, you feel it differently. You know that every other person in that gym is at the same commitment level as you: we push each other, we feed off each other’s passion, and together, we come together to be a little better every day. This isn’t a business to us, this is life. We care about your goals just as much as our own, and we’ll walk with you every step of the way.
What do I need to get started?
A good attitude and a pair of gym shoes. Everything else is optional. (Except shorts. Those are kind of important, too.)
Where does your name come from?
It’s a nod to both Carl Sandburg’s poetic nickname for Chicago (The City of Big Shoulders), as well as to the quote “We stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us.” We respect the history of the sport and the athletes & coaches who have come before us. We build off of their knowledge to bring our athletes the most cutting edge coaching possible. We might be meatheads, but we’re into poetry and stuff, too. (Oh, and talking about Big Shoulders, have you seen our coaches??)
Is CrossFit for me?
CrossFit is for everybody. Don’t believe us? Read this.
Can you help me get bigger/smaller/faster/stronger?
Yes. You name it, we’ll help you work towards it.
Do I need any fancy clothes or shoes?
No. While we recommend investing in a decent pair of training shoes (and for weightlifters, a good pair of lifting shoes), nothing fancy is required.
Why is it so expensive?
Your membership with BSCF is a cross between personal training and small group classes. You get the personalized coaching without the high price tag of a trainer, which easily costs $70/hour. For LESS than the cost of three training sessions, you get an unlimited membership with us with access to premium services including yoga, nutrition consulting, movement screening, and goal setting.
Why don’t you offer packages for just weightlifting or CrossFit?
Part of what makes our athletes so great is that they don’t focus in just one area. We don’t want to limit you to just weightlifting or CrossFit or yoga: we want you to take all the classes you want and gain from the intrinsically complimentary benefits of all these areas.
Why Elmhurst?
The city of Elmhurst is special to our owners. Tom & Beth were married in Wilder Park, and Tom taught P.E. and coached football at Immaculate Conception Grade School before he left to study weightlifting professionally. We want to give knowledge and health back to a community that gave so much to us.
I heard it isn’t safe. Is that true?
Nope, not true. While there are bad coaches and gyms out there, when taught and applied by experienced coaches like ours, you’ll learn to move safely in order to prevent injuries, not cause them. When you’re learning something new, or looking to PR on a big lift, safety is our first concern, mastery is second. If a movement is too advanced, our trainers will scale it down so you get just as effective of a workout without risking an injury.
How do I get started?
I’m glad you asked. Start here and try a class on us for free!