CrossFit Arsenal

Got recommended to go to this gym by a friend and I love it! Awesome coaches and awesome community. If you’re looking for a crossfit gym to check out, this is definitely the one! You won’t be disappointed!

Jason is a great coach! I’m a beginner-​intermediate Crossfitter and have a tradition of doing a drop in class at a local box wherever I am traveling. I found CrossFit Arsenal on Unilocal and decided to give it a try. I’m very happy I did! The wod was a hero wod… the day after the last open workout (scaling allowed, of course). Coach Jason did a great job of going over the movements during the warmup and giving personal advice when/​where needed. That’s something I appreciate in a crossfit coach. Not all coaches/​boxes take the time to help you with your technique. That said, great wod and I will drop in when I am in Boston again! If you are thinking of joining, I recommend checking this place out!

For experienced athletes or Crossfit rookies (like myself when I joined) — I can’t recommend Arsenal highly enough! For this quick review — three things stand out (and I’ll speak more from the point of view of someone joining without much Crossfit experience):
— Fitness gains.
Crossfit is intense, a great full-​body workout that builds strength, mobility/​flexibility, and stamina. Jason’s programming is varied and always scalable to «your level». If you come regularly, you *will* experience results.
— Attentive coaches.
To anyone not so experienced with Crossfit — if you have nerves about the program, Arsenal’s coaches will help you conquer them. Classes are on the smaller side, and coaches all take an extra minute to a) get to know your strengths and weaknesses; and b) offer constructive advice on complicated moves and/​or areas for improvement. I had a lot to learn when I joined, but the coaches went above and beyond in teaching me proper and safe technique, carefully monitoring my progress, and helping me work through any bad habits. This is a great place to see what Crossfit is about, and whether it is the right program for you. Think of Arsenal as a classroom as much as a gym.
And experienced athletes — Jason and the coaches’ competence will help push you to the next level. If you do have your technique down, they will find new ways to push your limits and build your fitness. There are some very strong athletes here.
— Great community.
The Arsenal crew is incredibly friendly and supportive — which goes a long way towards providing motivation and encouragement to improve, and making time in the gym fun. Jason does a great job getting to know everyone, welcoming them into the fold, and pushing them to improve every single day. After a WoD, people will often hang around the gym to joke around or chat — great way to unwind after the workout.
I myself recently moved out of Boston, but seeing new Crossfit gyms in New York has helped me appreciate all that Arsenal brings to the table. Anyone considering CF or Arsenal — if nothing else, definitely get in touch with Jason and stop by to try it out! You’ll be happy you did.

Great gym, awesome culture, and inspiring coaching staff. I have been to a number of crossfit gyms, and this one wins on a number of levels:
1) Jason, the owner and coach of a lot of classes. Hands down the best coach, and best guy that I have worked out under. Check out the wall in the back, it has a leaderboard for all the lifts. Jason dominates the top spot for pretty much everything. I for one want to learn from that guy… not someone who just took the Level1 certification class and is getting started.
2) Convenience. None of that «miss a class and pay», or «take 6 onboarding classes» or «sign up for classes a week in advance»
3) Simple pricing. Unlimited access for one price which is far more reasonable than other places.
4) Fantastic programming. Other gyms I’ve been to are all about one movement, like the thruster… this gym changes it up, keeps your body guessing, and makes it possible to show up day after day.
5) Great culture. Culture of consistency, cheering you on, and challenging each other.
Highly recommended.

For starters, I would consider myself an athletic person, but maybe a semi-​dormant athlete. In adulthood, I’ve never really found a type of workout that I loved; you know, that type that makes you WANT to go exercise. I never gained much from the conventional gyms, plus everyone goes in with blinders on, therefore, there’s absolutely no sense of community.
Then I heard about this Crossfit thing. I was completely intimidated by the intensity and all of the heavy weight-​lifting. But I LOVED the idea of being a part of a community and being motivated and «pushed» to get through these intense «WODs.» I had gone to other Crossfit gyms for the «first time» many times only to not go back for months… then I’d decide I would try it again, only to not go back for months… vicious cycle. I believe it was a little bit mindset, but also the comfort of the gym and coach. I would also have an incredibly tough time getting to sleep the nights after those «first» intense WODs. It was as if my blood and adrenaline were just pumping through my body and I could feel it so intensely that I could not relax. I know for a fact that it was not a mental thing. My whole body was so restless, and there’s nothing worse than laying in bed for 4 or 5 hours waiting to fall asleep. So this vicious cycle became another intimidating factor for my Crossfit trials.
I finally discussed this with Coach Jason at Crossfit Arsenal. He gave me some remedies to try at home for those post-​workout sleepless nights: rolling-​out, stretching, hot bath/​shower and aspirin. Well, it worked! I finally found my groove! I started going to his noon classes because they were less attended than the morning or evening classes. I just wanted to have more one-​on-​one time with Coach Jason while learning all of the proper techniques. I found myself WANTING to go to the gym. I started pushing myself more. I started feeling great! It was such an amazing feeling!
Then after about a month and a half of going in fairly regularly, my husband and I found out we were pregnant! That didn’t stop me at all for the first few weeks of us knowing we were pregnant. But then I started having minor complications and had to take some time away from the gym unfortunately… doctor’s orders. I plan on going to the gym as much as I can during the remainder of my pregnancy as I feel up to it.
One of the most amazing and comforting things about Coach Jason is his knowledge of the human anatomy and kinetics! Not only does this obviously apply to the general Crossfit movements, but I’ve been amazed at his understanding of my pregnancy. He knows how, when and, more importantly, WHY to modify movements. I feel completely safe and taken care of under Coach Jason’s tutelage!
Crossfit Arsenal and all of its coaches are very highly recommended!

Does it look more like a warehouse/​garage than a gym? Well, in the world of CrossFit street cred, that puts you at the top of the heap. I know, I don’t get it either, but that’s the way it seems to be.
If you’re not into crossfit, this review won’t change your mind. that’s not my point. if you’re not into it, nothing I can magically say will get you to show up at CFA and take a class. And that’s ok. For that group of people, there’s a plethora of Crossfit-​themed jokes you can memorize and use at parties to embarrass your iron-​crushing, borderline-​cult-​y, bro’d-out husband.
No no, this review is for the people who have a Crossfit home (or don’t and want to) and are looking for a better fit.
In the fullest disclosure, this is the gym my husband used to volunteer at. therefore, we not only have a lot of sweat equity in this place, but all kinds of emotional equity as well.
Now that disclaimers are out of the way, let me tell you why this place is great:
1. parking. may not be a huge deal to many of you, but those of us who live downtown are always struggling with our cars.
2. rates. Much more affordable than comparable Crossfit offerings inside the city limits. MUCH MORE. Like, i-​can-​now-​buy-​that-​new-​car-​more.
3. flexibility. Open gym and class flexibility are apparently not something other gyms offer. The popular ones downtown even make you pre-​sign-​up for a class and charge you if you miss it. Jason is much kinder.
4. space. Jason doesn’t run his operation like a long game of cattle-​herd, moving people in and out like a minting machine, just clearing money left and right, in order to maximize every last second of usable (and charge-​able) space and time. He doesn’t make the class-​schedule the be-​all/​end-​all of being able to work out here, and he doesn’t pretend that the same workout/​class is suitable for everyone. He provides a space with a bit of theoretical wiggle-​room, and that is very abnormal compared with some of his fellow CF boxes.
Go on by, check it out, and tell Jason his favorite Unilocaler sent you. If you don’t love him and his beautiful space, I will personally outfit you with an arsenal (see what I did there?) of crossfit-​hater jokes to use at dinner parties.

I’ve been using CFA as my new «drop-​in» gym whenever I’m back on the east coast visiting family. I was a member of a previous gym that the owner of CFA used to coach at so I have had experience with his teaching style for awhile.
Pros:
1. Attentive trainers with smart coaching.
2. convenient location if you work over in the Allston/​Brighton/​Watertown area, with both on and off-​street parking.
3. a welcoming community
4. excellent programming with a little more strength based/​Olympic lifting based workouts.
Unfortunately I was spoiled by here and my previous box in Boston when it came to great programming and I’ve been looking ever since for a similar experience out on the west coast.
Cons: The only reason I’m taking a star away, it’s on the wrong coast for me to go more often!
Bottom line: If you’re looking to dip your feet into crossfit, or you’re well versed in crossfittin’ this place is great.

I’m fairly new to Crossfit and came to CFA looking for a more challenging gym experience. The classes are designed to accommodate any and all levels of training and the coaching is excellent! I’ve made more gains in strength and overall fitness than I’ve made in years of old gym routines thanks to great coaching, programming, and a fun environment. I highly recommend checking this gym out if you’re looking for a more motivating type of fitness training and an awesome group of people to work out with everyday!

I started with fitness like most people… the casual gym goer, curling some dumbbells, doing some treadmill cardio. It worked at first. I grew some muscles, but then it stopped. After that, it seemed like improvements to my physique and performance had reached a plateau. And they really had. My routine was invariant enough that my body had completely adapted to it. Progress had stopped.
I started CrossFit at CrossFit Arsenal because I wanted to change the way my body functioned. I was sick of simply casually and almost statically going through the typical gym routine. Additionally, I wanted to add performance and strength to my fitness resume. Jason’s reputation in the Boston-​area CrossFit community was very strong, so I though I’d give it a try. 8 months later I can run faster, jump higher, and lift more weight than I’ve ever been able to. And those old-​school cardio workouts on the treadmill are now so easy they are irrelevant.
At CFA, you can make goals that are quantitative, not qualitative, and observe your weekly progress toward your goals. You’ll stay motivated by observing your progress.
If you really have a desire to change the way your body works and interacts with the world, and to just get really really strong, then you absolutely must give CFA a try.

CrossFit Arsenal has changed my life! I’ve been a member here for a few months now and for the first time in 20 years I haven’t had knee pain from all the years of playing competitive sports. Not only have I been pain free, but I’m doing things strength wise I never thought I would be able to do. In just a few short months I’ve seen immediate results! In Particular Jason is an amazing coach and he is always there pushing me to do more. The coaches at CrossFit Arsenal are very professional and experienced. One of the best parts of CrossFit Arsenal is the community, from day 1 I have always felt welcomed and have been given positive words of encouragement. If you are looking to start CrossFit, please try the free workout at CrossFit Arsenal. It will change your life!