Austin Gym Builds More than Muscles

By Leslie Slaughter
For Reporting Texas

Before 6 a.m., the doors of a converted storage shed behind the For the City Center on East St. John’s Avenue slide open, and people begin their morning workout.

When it’s over, many will be too exhausted to do more than lie on their backs. But CrossFit Renew director Chris Allman says he is hoping for something more than pushing people to their physical limits.

“Fitness is not our ultimate goal,” Allman said. “We want what happens in there to be the start of something, for it to foster something.”

Allman and his “box,” a CrossFit term for the gym and its members, intend to use exercise as a way to promote overall wellness in the St. Johns neighborhood, which has few options. It has been difficult to drum up interest, but that hasn’t tamed their passion.

St. Johns is mostly east of I-35, between U.S. 290 and U,S, 183. The median household income there is $29,727, well below Austin’s median of $49,987, and families are busy trying to get by. Fitness and community aren’t often high priorities. CrossFit Renew coaches hope to address both problems at once.

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program used by many police academies, military special operations units and elite athletes. The workouts consist of weight training and body weight exercises, such as squats, and last from 10 to 30 minutes. They are relatively short but intense.

The workouts can be adapted to any fitness level, which gives Allman hope that his St. Johns neighbors can benefit from them too.

After opening in April 2012, CrossFit Renew became an official CrossFit affiliate that August as a part of the nonprofit For the City Network, a community development program associated with The Austin Stone Community Church.

One initiative, Total City Sports, was created as a way to engage children and teenagers in St. Johns through sports. CrossFit Renew originally was envisioned as a venue for TCS teams and local public school teams to train during the off-season.

But Allman began to realize that CrossFit Renew had the potential for community outreach on a larger scale.

“I never thought of athletics being an outreach, so I think it’s just given us one more avenue to be able to say, ‘Hey, work out with me,’” said Lauren Bazan, an employee of the church and a member of CrossFit Renew.

St. Johns has a median household income of $29,727, well below the citywide median of $49,987.  Disposable income is scarce, so the box attracts members in two ways: discounted prices and free monthly community workouts.

Residents in the 78752 ZIP code pay a discounted rate of $45 a month for three classes a week. The usual rate at other CrossFit programs is about $200 a month.

The free community workouts take place the second Saturday of each month. Allman said that the community workouts range from as many as 42 people to as low as 12, and two-thirds of the smaller group was not from the neighborhood.

“I never thought of athletics being an outreach, so I think it’s just given us one more avenue to be able to say, ‘Hey work out with me,’” said Lauren Bazan, an employee of Austin Stone and member of CrossFit Renew.

The community workouts have not drawn as many people as Allman and his coaches have hoped.

“I think we put out 500 fliers,” advertising a workout last summer, Allman said. “I think maybe four people came” from the immediate neighborhood.

Allman said retention is even more difficult. He said he tries not to be discouraged, but wants to make an impact as quickly as possible. He said he reminds himself that change takes time.

One committed member is U.S. Army Master Sgt. Maria Weatherspoon, who has lived in the St. Johns neighborhood since 1998. She lives close enough to walk to the CrossFit sessions. She enjoys the price and convenience,  but her favorite part is the community aspect.

“I get to meet more people and interact with more people here at CrossFit,” Weatherspoon said. “It’s just something different. It makes you challenge yourself.  Whether I come or not, the money is going to a good purpose.”

“I get to meet more people and interact with more people here at CrossFit,” Weatherspoon said. “It’s just something different. It makes you challenge yourself.  Whether I come or not, the money is going to a good purpose.”

Weatherspoon said many of her neighbors are simply too busy to participate. “They all work practically seven days a week,” she said, or juggle college and jobs.

For now, CrossFit Renew’s membership consists of Austin Stone staff  and newer residents of the neighborhood. Some of them say the program is already having an effect.

“I honestly think it has given us a lot more confidence in all of our friendships,” Bazan said. “What church or even workplace do you know of people who work out together on a regular basis?”

Allman said he plans to expand his outreach efforts.

“In the next 12 months we want to dramatically improve how we engage people and get people involved,” Allman said. “ It might be going from one person like Maria to having five.”

“It’s really hard, but you know you’re called to something when you don’t think about quitting when it’s hard,” Allman said.