Detroit Gets First Inner- City Box or a city held back by Freputations of crime and educational shortcomings some deserved and some undeserved and a dwindling population during the past several decades, Detroit and its residents desperately need a brighter future. Bell said he decided to make the move because he understood how badly it was needed. Most of the local residents do not have easy access to a gym. Aside from a YMCA downtown and a handful of other small gyms scattered throughout the city, Detroiters lack options for working out close to home, especially for advanced training. Along Detroit s Cass Corridor, a formerly desolate neighborhood is turning around. Just up the road is a dog daycare facility. With Wayne State University a few minutes by car to the north and downtown Detroit and its central business district to the south, the location provides a promising opportunity for growth. That s what Jarrod Bell, owner of CrossFit BMW, recognized a few years ago. CrossFit BMW had served suburban Detroit since 2007, and several other boxes exist throughout the metro area. However, when Bell moved his box to the city in December of last year, Bell outside his new facility before moving he created a milestone for in with the famous Masonic Temple of Detroit in the background. himself, the city and CrossFit. Bell s in on the early stage of the upswing; he noted his gym was the first storefront to open there in years. His box was also the first to open within the city of Detroit. In fact, Detroit was the last major city in the United States without a CrossFit box. CrossFit BMW sits on Detroit s historic Cass Corridor, which includes landmarks such as the Detroit Masonic Temple, Cass Technical High School, and the Metropolitan Center for High Technology. My goal is to provide a place where young athletes can grow and transfer the skills they learn to the real world, Bell said. I d also like to start an Olympic lifting team in the city. Many people don t realize there were Olympic lifting competitions in Detroit in the 60s and 70s. It would be great to see them return. Within a few weeks of opening, Bell s fundamentals classes were booked with a wide variety of new members: everyone from federal agents to police officers, students and more. Regina Sharma is a young professional who recently tried CrossFit for the first time at the new location. As a longtime resident of Detroit, she understands the positive impact the gym will have on her community. WODTALK.COM 36
article > Detroit Gets First Inner-City Box by jennifer baum CrossFit BMW made a risky move to the city that paid off for owner Jarrod Bell, CrossFit and the locals. As population density increases in many neighborhoods in Detroit, the demand for quality products and services also increases, Sharma said. CrossFit BMW is a great addition to our community for both existing fitness junkies and individuals looking to begin a new fitness regime. In the short term, Bell s goal is to provide a facility that can accommodate 20-25 athletes per class, at about three classes a day, and grow from there. Outside, Bell has access to an additional 3,000 square feet of space that he hopes to use as a jungle gym or obstacle course. Bell is also formalizing plans to provide athletic training to underserved youth at his facility by way of a new 501(c)3 organization. The first time I did a snatch was in elementary school, Bell said. It was without any formal coaching. Some friends from the 4H club and I were looking at the guys doing it in the Olympics. Bell said he was lucky to attend junior and senior high schools that were serious about sports. He played baseball and football. Coaches and players noticed his athletic talents, and before long, Bell was coaching, too. While still in high school, Bell had an opportunity to train with a coach for professional football players. The work led to the chance to play for the Buffalo Bills, but before he could, a head injury cut the dream short. Bell recovered, but a football career was out of the question. Instead, he got into kickboxing and mixed martial arts, first as a fighter, then as a coach and personal trainer. The building before Bell moved in. In the past, a casino warehoused its goods here, and before that, the building served as a food co-op. Superhero Inspiration His interest in fitness began at a young age, and one of his earliest role models was Jack LaLanne, sometimes known as the first fitness superhero. My goal is to provide a place where young athletes can grow and transfer the skills they learn to the real world. CrossFit BMW owner Jarrod Bell WODTALK.COM 37
article > Detroit Gets First Inner-City Box Bell liked the idea of starting I found out about CrossFit in 2004 and started investigating small in a garage gym, it. Greg Glassman was doing so much so that he the same kind of training I was interested in, and I quit his insurance realized there was no need to reinvent the wheel, he said. job and drove to California, visiting every box possible along the way. Bell liked the idea of starting Bell surveys his new location before the move. The 5,000-square-foot facility sat empty for three years. small in a garage gym, so much so that he quit his insurance job and drove to California, visiting every box possible along the way. Upon his return to Michigan, Bell stopped at a box in Ann Arbor run by Doug Chapman. Doug was just as friendly and open and inviting as every other CrossFit affiliate I had met. From there, I went home and was doing CrossFit like everyone else, at globo gyms, at the park, garage, or wherever I could. Soon after, Bell earned his CrossFit Level 1 certification in 2007. Throughout the years, CrossFit BMW One of the first improvements Bell made to the building was to install windows. Through this window, you can see Detroit s historic Masonic Temple. has grown into larger locations throughout suburban Detroit to accommodate its members.
Big R isk but G reater R eward As for the move to Detroit, the risk was great. He left an existing membership base, many of whom transferred to other nearby boxes (the new box in Detroit is approximately 15 miles away from his previous location). But the opportunity for payoff, in membership growth and emotional reward, is immense. As one of the first CrossFit affiliates in Michigan, Bell witnessed the invigorating, community-building effects the fitness brand has had on the region, and he looks forward to seeing the same results in the city. Bell said the response from local people has been very good so far. What we brought to the community was something new, to have that connection with the people you train and work out with, Bell said. That was something Greg Glassman said he never expected it just organically came with it. Lots of ex-athletes say they miss that community and team environment and atmosphere, and the fact that CrossFit replicates those was something that struck me. The location of the new box is somewhat serendipitous, as it s close to Detroit s former Chinatown neighborhood, where Bell took White Crane Kung Fu lessons as a child. I m from these streets; I went to school here and was raised here. I started my athletic career as a child in Detroit, and now I hope to be a role model and create a platform for other people to do something in Detroit, he said. About C rossfit BMW Website: www.crossfitbmw.com Address: 3124 Cass Ave., Detroit, MI 48201 Contact: (313) 576-7701, info@crossfitbmw.com Opened: December 2012 Square Feet: 5,000 What might this mean for Detroit? Bell noted the city needs new businesses as well as health and wellness opportunities. Locals can now access quality coaching and personal training, as well as a place to interact with like-minded CrossFitters, set goals and achieve them. WODTALK.COM 39