FXBG Neighbors Podcast
Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast
FXBG Neighbors Podcast
EP #155 How CrossFit Forward Builds Strength And Belonging In Fredericksburg
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CrossFit gets labeled as intimidating fast, but the truth is a lot more practical and a lot more welcoming. We’re joined by Jessica Sullivan, owner of CrossFit Forward in Fredericksburg, VA, to unpack what CrossFit actually is: functional fitness coached in a group setting, scaled to the person in front of you, and built to help you move better in everyday life.
We talk through the structure of a typical class from the warm-up to a strength portion to a shorter conditioning finish, plus how coaches adjust movements and loads so beginners can train safely without feeling singled out. Jessica also shares how CrossFit Forward serves a wide range of athletes, including teens, kids, and masters members over 60, which reinforces the big takeaway: you don’t need to be fit to start, you start where you are and build from there.
The heart of the conversation is community. Jessica explains what it means when people know your name, notice when you’ve been gone, and support you through real life, from meal trains and celebrations to showing up when someone is going through grief. If you’ve been curious about joining a CrossFit gym in Fredericksburg but worried you won’t fit in, this story will give you a clear picture of what day one can feel like.
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Jessica Sullivan
CrossFit Forward
+1 540-993-3472
5933 Plank Rd, Ste J, Fredericksburg, VA, United States, 22407
Welcome To Fredericksburg Neighbors
SpeakerThis is the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Dori Stewart.
Speaker 2Welcome back to another episode of the FXBG Neighbors Podcast, where we share the stories of our favorite local brands. I'm excited to introduce you to my guest today. We've got Jessica Sullivan joining us. She is the owner of CrossFit Forward. Jessica, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 1Hi, thank you so much for having me.
What CrossFit Forward Offers
Speaker 2I'm excited for this and excited to learn more about you and your business. So let's start there. Share with us what is CrossFit Forward?
Speaker 1So CrossFit Forward is a gym, but we're more than a gym. We're also a community. We aim to help people reach their goals and really make a difference in their life.
Speaker 2Amazing. Amazing. So talk to me a little bit about the programs that you offer. Are these group fitness programs? Are they individual? Talk to me a little bit about what someone could expect.
Speaker 1Yeah, so we offer group fitness classes where you have a coach-led workout that guides you through the entire process from the warm-up to the strength portion to a conditioning piece. Even though you're in a group though, the coach is still going to focus on you, make sure that you are doing the movement safely and effectively, and also adjust the workout for where you are in your journey. In addition to adult group fitness classes, we also run this for teens and for kids and for masters or seniors over the age of 60. So we just take those workouts and adjust them based on the age group that we have coming in.
What CrossFit Really Means
Speaker 2Amazing. I'm really glad you said that because I had no idea. I love that. I love that. So CrossFit, uh I think uh some people might have an idea of what that means. So tell me about that. What does CrossFit really mean?
Speaker 1Yeah, so CrossFit is high-intensity functional movements. Um, it gets a wrap for being dangerous or kind of um for the elite athletes, but it's really not. It's for everybody. We train functional fitness that it the whole goal is to help you live longer and to be able to do things in your everyday life. Um, yes, there are elite athletes, even in the Fredericksburg area. There are elite uh um CrossFit athletes, but most of our athletes are regular people who go to work, have kids, even have grandkids, and we really want to help them be able to live longer and do the stuff that they like to do for longer.
Jessica’s Path To Ownership
Speaker 2Amazing. Thank you for clearing that up. I appreciate that. So tell me about your background. I want to learn more about you. How did you get into this?
Speaker 1Yeah, so I started going to group fitness classes. They were HIT classes at the place where I work. Um we had lunch break classes and they were all body weight HIIT movements, probably about 24 to 30 minutes. But I did that three days a week and really saw a lot of results from that. Um, and it was based off of CrossFit movements. Um, so I did that for a couple of years, saw a lot of results, joined some different boot camps and other gyms in the area, spent a good amount of time. And then when COVID happened, my husband joined CrossFit Forward, and he kept telling me, You need to come, you need to come, you need to come, you're gonna love it. And I was like, I don't know, it's kind of scary, haven't touched a barbell before. Um, then one day I was like, okay, I'm gonna do it. So I went in and really just fell in love with the people as well as the results that I found from doing the different movements. Um and it really was a place that I needed at that point in my life. So built a community, made lasting friendships. And then about a year ago, um, the owner asked us if we wanted to purchase the gym, and we were ecstatic and said yes. So that's where we that's how we got there.
Speaker 2I love that. What a cool story. And I imagine during COVID, I I can see that where that was such a weird time. And if you found, you know, a place where you felt like you belonged, I can see why you would fall in love with it.
Community That Shows Up
Speaker 1Yes, and I had uh two kids at home. We were doing virtual schools, so it was so important to find a community that was welcoming and gave me me time in addition to the health and fitness results that came with it.
Speaker 2Um talk to me a little bit more about community because you hear that a lot uh across you know gyms and businesses, and oh, we're a community. So what does what does that mean for CrossFit?
Speaker 1So for me, that and and our gym in particular, that means that everybody knows who you are. And if you are, if you aren't, don't show up for a day or two, they're asking where you're at, they're reaching out, they're trying to check on you. And then they're also there to support you for the different things that may happen in your life. We've had members have babies or have uh get married and they come together to either do a meal train um for them or throw a baby shower or bridal shower. We've also had members who lose loved ones and you know, sometimes just having that group of people send you flowers or offer support.
Your First Class Step By Step
Speaker 2Amazing. I love that. I love that. That's so important to have that outside of work and family. It really is. It really is. Yeah. So for someone who has never been to your gym, someone who's never done CrossFit, what uh would that look like for them, say the first time they come in? What could they expect? Because if you've got people listening who've been thinking about it, maybe they've seen your gym, maybe they're like, uh, I don't know, I'm a little nervous like you were. Yeah. What could they expect the first time they come in?
Speaker 1That's a really great question. Um, so the first thing that they're gonna expect is they are going to walk in and either me or my husband are gonna be there to greet them. We try to always be present whenever we have someone new coming through the doors. Um, try to be a friendly face, introduce them to the coach that's gonna be coaching their class, as well as walk them through the gym in the space so they can see all of the equipment that we have. Um, and then once they've met their coach, they're gonna go right into class. So, what that looks like is the coach is gonna, we we can have a whiteboard. Um, and every day we post our daily workout of the day or WAD in the CrossFit language. Um, and so the coach is gonna go over what's on the whiteboard, talk about the stimulus for the workout, kind of any like goal percentages they may need to meet for the strength, and then break down and demonstrate the movements that that we'll be doing today. Um, once they've gone through that, we the coach leads a warm-up, targeting the muscle groups that we're going to be working on that day. Um, guys, the entire process is completely guided by the coach. Um, once you're warmed up, generally we have what we call strength portion, which could be five sets of three back squats as an example. Um, it does vary depending on what program we're in. And then after that, we typically have a shorter conditioning piece. So the coach will transition them to that. You'll do a quick 15-minute workout. That time varies depending on the day, and then everybody's gonna cool down. It could look like some stretching, maybe some high fives, quick walk to route three, and then everybody's gonna go on with their day. It's an hour start to finish, um, but should definitely leave feeling like you accomplished something.
Speaker 2Amazing.
Speaker 1I love that. That doesn't sound so bad. No, it's not. It's not now. Every once in a while we have people walking on their hands, but we know people can't walk on their hands, not most people can't. So we adjust it for everybody that's in the class. And you know, if you see something, you're like, I can't do that, it's okay. You're not gonna start the the person who's doing it didn't start doing it right away either. So we'll get you there. Right. They're the inspiration, yes, yes. And we have some people who are like, I don't want to climb a rope ever. I'm never gonna need to. So we find we we work with them and find another adjustment so you're still building strength and maybe not doing that same movement, and that's okay. We're gonna work with you.
You Don’t Need To Be Fit
Speaker 2I love that. So, what is something that you wish the listeners knew about CrossFit Forward?
Speaker 1So, the thing that I hear most about people wanting to start going to any gym, really, is you need to be fit to start. And that is so not true. Well, you come in the door and we help you be fit. You can come in at wherever, whatever point you're at, and we will work with you and get you to where you need to be. Um, we truly have everyone's best interest in mind. So we're not going to push you too far out of your comfort zone or do anything that would hurt you. We want to make sure that you move and you feel better every single time you come in.
How To Connect And Nominate
Speaker 2Amazing. So important. I love it. So if the listeners want to try you out, if they want to connect with you, where can they find you?
Speaker 1Yeah, so you can email me at jessica at crossfitforward.com. Um, we also have an Instagram page, which is CrossFitForward, uh Facebook page, and then you can text or call us at um 540-993-3472.
Speaker 2Amazing. Jessica, thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today and sharing CrossFit Forward with us.
Speaker 1Thank you so much for having me.
SpeakerThank you for listening to the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to FXBG NeighborsPodcast.com.