CrossFit MPH

I always make a point to drop in at CF boxes when I travel, and this is the 2^nd box I’ve visited in DC. I happened to be dropping in during an informal in-​house competition, and the coaches were nice enough to invite me to participate. It was a very unique experience for a drop-​in, and I had a blast. The space is a little small, but there were about 20 people participating in the competition and things ran very smoothly. The athletes were extremely welcoming, and the coaches were encouraging, courteous, and knowledgeable, with a constant eye on safety.
I would offer these two pieces of advice to anyone considering MPH. Note that these are NOT negatives — just things that are helpful to know.
–The health and safety waiver was pretty lengthy, so I’d recommend saving yourself some time and doing it online, if you can. In my opinion, a more in-​depth waiver is a good thing, because it shows me that the coaches are both stringent and thorough in their approach to athlete safety. That said, I can assure you that you’ll be happy you did it beforehand. You can also pre-​pay, which is another time saver.
–Driving in downtown DC can be a bit confusing. Make sure you have good directions, or take a cab or the metro to get there. MPH isn’t hard to find, but DC is a mess of one-​way streets, 5– and 6-​way intersections, and roundabouts. Give yourself some extra time just in case you take a wrong turn (I took several!) or can’t find parking (there were plenty of meters open nearby at 8am on Saturday, but it’s probably a bit more crowded during the week).
Overall, I would absolutely recommend CF MPH to anyone looking for a good box in the downtown DC area.

YAS CROSSFIT. Was a drop in for the class and they were extremely helpful and hospitable. Had a shoulder problem and they worked with me for a different workout. Great hour long class with a easy flow and transition from warm up to workout. Thanks!

Dropped in to MPH while in DC for work. After trying a few other boxes I cam to MPH and wish I found it sooner. The coach, Rebekka, and the rest of the class immediately welcomed me. Rebekka paid extra attention to me to make sure I understood everything and had a successful WOD. Great experience and will drop in next time I’m in DC!

I have been going to CrossFit MPH for a year and half now and I can easily say that is the best gym I have ever been to.
You will not find better coaches ANYWHERE. The coaches truly care about every member of the gym and their progress. Each class is almost like a personal training session, where you are given exact exercises and weights specific to you.
In general, CrossFit gets a bad reputation for pushing speed over form, but that is not that case at all at MPH. The coaches emphasize proper form whether you are lifting heavy or doing an AMRAP. There is always a coach watching you to make sure you are performing the exercises properly.
What really makes MPH special is the community. Everyone is extremely friendly, welcoming, and encouraging.
The coaches and community really make you want to go to the gym. I have never been so consistently to the gym before in my life.
I cannot recommend MPH enough.

Best Crossfit in DC. Period.
I was recently in DC for two weeks in between school and my summer fellowship, and Crossfit MPH was kind enough to have me as a member during that time. I couldn’t recommend this box more. Having been to a number of crossfits along the east coast at this point, including some in DC, I can confidently say that this is some of the best programing and coaching I’ve experienced. The coaches — BK and Melody — are super friendly and offer extremely personalized and detailed guidance during the workout. I was surprised how much I grew in two short weeks. Highly recommended.

I’ve been going to MPH for about a year and have no plans to stop any time soon. I’ve been to other boxes before and the training here is top notch. The coaches take extra precaution to make sure that your safety and form are in check rather than just setting you loose with an overloaded bar like other gyms I’ve seen. Triumphant injuries aren’t celebrated here, they’re avoided.

I have been to MANY CrossFit boxes and I can say with full confidence that the coaching here is top notch. In fact, it’s the best I’ve gotten. They get their clients moving well and then and only then will they amp up the workload and intensity. Mobility issues/​weaknesses are tended to individually. They are masters at scaling WODs for their athletes. Based on these things, I can’t recommend them enough.
One drawback is that their space is small, classes are capped and you have to register online ahead of time to attend. A necessary evil in downtown DC, I suppose.
Outstanding coaching and community here. Many thumbs up from me!

This is the best CrossFit coaching you can find, period. Class sizes are capped for space requirements and more importantly, a good trainer to client ratio. You won’t find similar individualized coaching and attention anywhere else in DC. I have traveled to CrossFit boxes all over the country and even worldwide and I can say that there are very few out there that prioritize warm-​up, mobility and moving well as much as CrossFit MPH does. Head coaches, Melody and Rebekka, foster a safe and welcoming training community with an emphasis on fun and performance!

Way too much ego happening at CrossFit MPH. If you like being treated like a child then this is the place for you. The space is extremely tiny. There are plenty of other great options out there.

I have been coming to this box for nearly two years now. I wish I had discovered it (and CrossFit) earlier. Melody and Rebekka are great coaches, and their primary focus is safety and form. The box is small, but they squeeze in barbells, dumbbells, rings, kettle bells, jump ropes, rowing machines, pull-​up stations and bands. A typical session involves 10 – 15 minutes of warming up and stretching, followed by coaching tips and exercise-​specific practice, followed by the Workout of the Day (WOD). Th workouts combine weightlifting and cardio in dozens of different ways; the variety not only challenges you but keeps the workouts fresh and interesting. Everyone works at his or her own level. Melody and Rebekka scale the WOD as needed to address any strength or flexibility issue. And it works. I am stronger and fitter than I have ever been in my life, and I couldn’t have done it without CrossFit MPH.

I am writing this review as a healthcare practitioner who frequently deals with sports medicine type injuries.
I have seen throngs of Crossfit athletes from all over the metropolitan DC area, and I must say that Melody and BK (the trainers) are the best in terms of instructing and guiding their athletes.
All of the athletes whom I have interacted with enjoy the dynamic of the gym and the attention that is paid to them. Melody is a stickler for form: if you can’t do the movement correctly, you are immediately modified. If either of the trainers suspect that you have a looming injury, they are proactive about dealing with it.
If you are in to Crossfit, this is the place to try.

Having been at Crossfit MPH for over two years and it continues to be important part of my well being and health. Great coaches and teammates to work with everyday. Start 2012 out right and come to free Sat Clinic and get yourself feeling better with Crossfitmph!
XOXO

I am writing as a member of CrossfitMPH for over 1.5 years. It is the best gym I have ever attended. The gym’s ethos is designed to facilitate and maximize fitness, health, and wellness for all clients in an addictive atmosphere. The members are nice and supportive of each other, and get together outside of the regular gym events for a variety of seasonal social events. The gym itself provides dramatic performance improvements, attentive staff focused on doing movements the right way, and regular focus on skill work and mobility to improve client physical capabilities — all at an outstanding value.
From a performance perspective, their techniques are proven to work with top athletes in the world. A perennial, well-​known top-​10 Crossfit games competitor has used CrossfitMPH as her gym for training and coaching, showing that MPH’s methods, diet, and rest patterns can enable continued elite physical success in one of the toughest physical competitions. But different people have different goals and come with different abilities. For me, in a year and a half, I’ve gone from zero pullups to stringing over 30 together, from limitations in flexibility preventing weightlifting movements such as the clean and jerk and the snatch to performing these movements with good form while approaching men’s prescribed weights in workouts. I’ve moved from a mid-​seven minute mile to a 6:00 mile, and a 12:58 two mile run with limited attention to running. I have become a much more complete athlete than I have ever been, and I’ve done so without injury — something that has until recently nagged me.
The coaches are some of the most attentive people I have met. Clients pay for a specific service, and the staff is obsessed with delivering. They do so by focusing not only on performance but precision in movement. This is done by careful monitoring and alterations of weight-​load and repetitions in workouts, all designed to maximize benefit while minimizing risk of injury. If risk increases due to poor movement or weight overload, coaches stop the athlete from the movement pattern and seek to correct the pattern.
This process can be frustrating during a workout to clients, but is of immense value to them. Better form facilitates better performance and safety, and as a result, MPH’s standards are notoriously high — higher than many Crossfit gyms. Initially, coming to a gym obsessed with form can be jarring and confusing to an athlete used to having control over their own workouts — I was one of those athletes and at times resisted. I have since come to learn the rules and standards of movement are specifically, and only, client-​oriented. This unwavering attention to detail provides a level of integrity to MPH that distinguishes it from the crowd of other gyms.
While specific attention to movement can improve existing patterns, CrossfitMPH seeks to regularly build new movement capabilities using an aggressive crawl, walk, run model. Their model is adjustable to past injuries and safety, while continuing to promote greater mobility and increased movement. This has resulted in a series of firsts for me — muscle-​ups, single leg squats, and handstand pushups. These movements naturally progressed through the various skill work and progressions conducted prior, during, and after regular attendance to workouts.
The aformentioned benefits highlight the value-​proposition of CrossfitMPH. A fair and clear pricing scheme at the gym provides value better than any single personal trainer, while at a cost that doesn’t come close.
For all of these reasons, I’d highly encourage you, whether if you are an elite athlete or simply someone trying to become more fit and healthy to try CrossfitMPH. You will not regret it.

I travel a lot and hit a box when I can. To date I’ve been to nearly two dozen different box gyms across the country and the experience at Crossfit MPH ranks at the very bottom. I must also premise that I’m not one to diss boxes in general but the experience at MPH left me with a bad impression that I felt compelled to share (or vent) about it.
Typically when you drop-​in as an out-​of-​town visitor, there isn’t much to it. You fill out a form or two and pay your drop in fee. At MPH, an assistant had to sit there with me for 10 minutes to read through a liability waiver form (I’m not in kindergarten). I’m sure in their mind they thought this was good customer service — that first hand out to say hello. But for someone who was busy and little time, it was aggravating. The other immediate gripe is two of three owners/​coaches introduced themselves but the third just kept rambling about his coolness, typing away on his Mac (the box gym was very, very small so it wasn’t like he was way across the gym on the other side).
My biggest criticism is the place has a lot of do’s and don’ts. Our WOD for the day was outdoors — 200 m sprints x 10 rounds on the sidewalk. I went to take a swig of my water after my first sprint (it was an extremely hot, humid summer noon in D.C.) and the assistant came and told me that I couldn’t (at the end of the WOD, I lightly joked asking if that was «initiation» for newbies to which they replied it was just the rules at the box). Ok, that bugged the crap out of me. It got worse later in the WOD when I decided go across the street to be in the shade to for my next round of sprints when I told to come back to the other side — it’s a freakin public sidewalk and I’m being told where I can or cannot stand — that’s crazy!!!
All in all, I’m surprised that the gym, which has been open since 2009, haven’t realized some of these missteps. I definitely won’t be going back again anytime soon.

it is extremely appropriate that this place is on church street as i am a religious convert.
i thought it would only be fair to write my review after my first full month of crossfit. i went to twelve sessions, with six being the fundamental «elements» training.
i’ve squatted, i’ve pulled, i’ve pressed. and i’ve sweated and grunted and gritted my teeth more than i care to admit. at crossfit, they really break you down to build you up, but in the safest manner around. and i can’t stress how important that is to me, someone who has two herniated discs in my lower back.
there have been so many instances where i’ve wanted to quit, because i feel like a weakling who’s holding back the flow of the group, but i’ve come to realize that even the best crossfitter in the class — hell, even our coaches — always have room for improvement. whether it’s more pull-​ups or more lunges, there’s always a new goal to be reached. for me right now, it’s about rehabbing my back and maximizing my workout. through crossfit, i’ve been able to do both.
melody is a godsend (see my keeping up with the theme here?) and takes the time to listen to your ailments, your surgeries, your routine. and works with you to rev it up and reach your potential without overworking you. though i haven’t worked that much with john as i’m still a newb, he’s very supportive and motivating to the group as well. melody and john have a strong dynamic and it really shines through when the sense of community emerges during the workouts of the day. sometimes i dread going due to my back aching from the office (but a late cancel results in a $ 25 charge), but at the end of the night, after a crazy session, i ALWAYS feel awesome. true story.
hallelujah.

Bottom line: the coaching here is the best you’ll find.

I decided to join MPH after trying one of their free Saturday sessions. I actually have two local crossfit gyms each 5 minutes from my house while MPH is a good 20 minute drive but MPH is worth the effort to drive into the city as it is a much better gym based on the instruction and guidance offered. MPH was selected because they stress the importance of correct movement and technique. While performing certain exercises I am sometimes stiff and the coaches John and Melody work to refine my movement to make sure that they are being done correctly, so that I do not hurt myself on heavier weights. If I do not get the movement correct they will decrease the load to tweak the technique. I certainly did not experience this level of analysis and work at the other crossfit gym. I also like that the daily list of wod results are posted each day so that it is easy to find your times and weights at a future date. This is a service that most crossift gyms do not offer but it is quite helpful to track your progress. MPH is small enough so that people do not get lost in the shuffle and its size also binds us in a community that is supportive of one’s efforts. This place is highly recommended.

Okay so i’ve been thinking about my experience at MPH for about a week and it has really been bothering me. First off I’ll start off that I’m from the west coast and was in D.C. for the better part of a week on vacation and since starting Crossfit a good three months ago I didn’t want to miss a stride. So I was looking for a Crossfit release and found MPH. So I don’t know what the staff had against me. Maybe it was when I told the trainers I have never broken a bone, for which they did not believe me or that I’m from California. I just didn’t get a welcome mat during my workout there. From being told I wasn’t doing it right constantly and the F**k the west coast there was a point that I just wanted to leave. I clearly saw another member putting themselves in danger by doing squats but all eyes were on me. Now I have been to a couple of Crossfit affiliates other than my home gym and have experienced nothing but positive inspiration and brutal workouts, all good times. Lets just say I didn’t show up for the rest of my trip but did visit another Crossfit and had a great workout and a great time along with a great staff and gym members. So West Coasters beware! And bring your medical history!

Crossfit MPH is a wonderful place to work out. Here, the coaches will push you to the limit, regardless of your current fitness level, and you’ll thank them for it. Workouts of the day (WODs) are done in small groups throughout the day, and the coaches track scores on a website accessible to all. The coaches also track each athlete’s personal records, and scale the daily workouts to each athlete’s ability. They put in an astounding amount of work to ensure each person in the room gets the maximum benefit from the WOD.
The coaches also guide you in making better nutrition choices, adapt workouts around injuries, and check in on you when you go MIA for a while. They care about what they do, and they care about their athletes. It’s a tough, demanding environment, but it’s also an immensely rewarding environment. I’ve done things I never would have imagined doing before, and it feels great.
The community of athletes adds to the value of MPH. This is a great group of people who never judge, always encourage, and truly want to help you reach your physical potential. So much more rewarding than a jazzercize class.