Look around and you might see a fun playhouse with an old-school vibe, maybe you see people supporting people, but to us, we see it as one of the most successful gyms in Long Island. This CrossFit gym takes fitness (and success) to a whole new level. According to Tyler McBride, owner of CrossFit 516, the ultimate goal of working out is well-being:
Comfortable
Tyler imagines two very different coaches – a good coach and a great coach. A good coach lives by the saying, “treat athletes as you would like to be treated.” But a great coach? A great one acknowledges that what might work for you specifically, might not work for members. Great CrossFit coaches, and coaches in general, understand that workouts need to be tailored to each person. They need to acknowledge the different motivators, backgrounds, lifestyles, and goals that make each athlete unique.
He also adds great coaches make athletes comfortable by building a trusting relationship. If coaches first put trust in their athletes, they will soon find their athletes put trust in them. And something Tyler mentions is that when this relationship is apparent, working out becomes more than listening to instructions. And fitness then becomes a proxy. It’s about contagious energy and happiness, “it’s about believing in someone until they believe in themselves!” It’s about understanding someone’s goals and internal motivations to build that comfortable relationship where one can value more than their physical well-being.
Healthy
For most of us, our gym is our second home where we spend a huge amount of our time. Think of it like this: 1 hour/day x 5 times/week x 4 weeks/month x 12 months/year= a lot of hours at the gym! When hundreds of gym-goers put in that much effort to improve their health, they want to see a gym’s reciprocated commitment to keep them healthy too. From each weight they touch to each mat they lay on, you never want to be putting someone at risk to serious diseases and infections.
And because of this, first impressions are everything when it comes to being a gym owner. And so is each interaction after. As a CrossFit Business Mentor, Tyler partners with CrossFits around the country to jumpstart their success. The very first thing he requests from a new gym-a first impression picture of their facility. “If it’s noticeably dirty, I hang up and say call me back!” The biggest first impression failure? Dirty gym floors. For him, he sees a gym like any other business. And the question he tells gyms to keep in mind is, “Does your business looks investable?” If no, you need to reevaluate how you’re cleaning your gym. And if yes it looks investable, you still have every reason to step up your cleaning methods!
Tyler prides himself on being the cleanest gym in Long Island, thanks to his Bulldog floor scrubber. What used to be a long chore of just swishing around dirty water with a mop soon became a transformative process thanks to his Bulldog floor scrubber. He recalls cleaning the floors for the first time with his new gym floor scrubber and seeing the noticeably clean difference in the floors (what many may call the #bulldogclean). It was then that he realized how much that extra cleaning effort improved his CrossFit success. Using his Bulldog scrubber at the end of the day is his time to care for his gym’s appearance, while saving cleaning time, and put the health of his athletes above of anything else. He emphasizes, “a great coach cares about the value you’re bringing to your members, and that includes cleanliness.”
Happy
Being a great, passionate coach is bridging “the gap between physical well-being and emotional happiness.” Tyler adds that physical fitness comes and goes, but the core of an individual is their emotional well-being. “A coach that cares about members’ happiness is telling people they’re worth something, showing them their capabilities before results, and letting people know they’re worth something.”
While it certainly sounds easier said than done, he mentions that it all begins with YOU, the coach. How are you going to help people with their happiness if you haven’t discovered yours? Do you live your life with integrity? Are you just as much a coach outside of your facility? First finding your own happiness will help you bring it to others. And once you established your well-being, you can help others see all three layers of theirs.
Since 2010, CrossFit 516 has been delivering world-class fitness to the Long Island community. No matter how fit you are, your age, your background, your well-being is cared about in the CrossFit 516 community. From competitive weightlifters and weekend warriors to police officers and firefighters to grandmothers and cancer survivors, CrossFit 516 in Long Island is a fitness community unlike any other.