Madeleine Watkins and Rob Koebke met four years ago training clients in different Bethesda gyms.
On January 12 in the basement of 1722 Eye Street NW, the two will officially launch their own affiliate of the CrossFit brand, a 5,000 square-foot boutique gym they have dubbed
202strong.
The business partners seek to bring approachability and friendliness to the CrossFit concept, whose typical gym is filled with strapping young men grunting as they lift small cars overhead, and which may deter some would-be exercisers. “We want to create an environment that’s not as intimidating,” says Watkins.
The onsite masseuse she and Koebke are hiring will surely help in this regard.
Located near Farragut West, 202strong should draw heavy foot traffic from the office buildings by which it’s flanked. “We’re assuming a lot of people will come before work, shower here, and then head to the office,” says Watkins. She also says they expect a lunchtime surge and another one after 5pm.
Each 45-minute class at 202strong will max out at 12 people so the trainers can provide plenty of individualized attention to each client, Watkins says. “People tend to like the feeling of community and camaraderie working out in a group,” she says, adding that one-to-one training will also be available to those who prefer it. New clients take part in foundational classes that teach the basics before they move on to other classes or make use of the equipment during the studio’s open gym periods.
CrossFit workouts feature weightlifting, conditioning, gymnastic and stretching components, Koebke says. “All the movements are functional,” he says, meaning that they mimic practical, real-life movements. “We are very technique-focused here, [in that] we’re always making sure people are doing these movements in a safe way” before weights or barbells are added.
Watkins and Koebke expect the majority of their clients will be 35 and up, not the typical “gym gang,” as Koebke puts it.
Membership options will range from $99 to $319 per month, based on the number of classes or open-gym times a client wants to purchase. A founding member’s special is available right now for up to 50 people: $219 per month for life, with access to all facilities and classes.
When they began scouting locations a year ago, “we didn’t know where exactly we wanted to be,” says Watkins, “but we knew we wanted it to be in the city.”