CrossFit for the Old and Infirm
When we moved to Vancouver’s West Side in 2013, many of our competitors derided Empower as “CrossFit for the old and infirm.”
They were basing this on my mission to make CrossFit training accessible to athletes like me—people who were older and had a host of prior sports injuries. CrossFit gyms were full of hard-charging 20 and 30-somethings. My friends and I were already in our 40s and looking for a more sustainable approach to fitness.
By designating us as the gym for the old and infirm, our competitors intended to discredit us. They were trying to say that if you’re serious about CrossFit, you should go elsewhere. But it backfired on them, creating a niche for Empower.
Everyone who wanted the fitness CrossFit training provided, but was afraid of getting broken in those hard-charging gyms, came to us. Our reputation was such that CrossFit coaches from other gyms referred people to us. Even their own family members.
“You’re the only coach in Vancouver I’d trust,” one CrossFit coach told me in 2016, referring to his partner who suffered from prior physical ailments. His partner was inducted into our 10+ year Legends wall this year because, a decade and three kids later, she is still training with us remotely via Zoom. Word got around so that we began receiving referrals from physiotherapists too.
Yes, our competitors meant it derisively when they dubbed us the refuge for the old and infirm, but it was the greatest favour they ever did us. Empower flourished while most of those gyms have long since gone out of business or rebranded to escape their hard-charging CrossFit reputation. Meanwhile, our Empower members continue to enjoy the benefits of CrossFit training, our mean age now 50.
The Unexpected Outcome: High Performance
There is a funny secondary outcome from focusing on longevity. If you train safely and sustainably over the years, your fitness continues to improve, especially relative to your age bracket. So, while we did not come out of the gates hot to compete, over time, Empower has produced a large population of very fit members, even by CrossFit standards. No, we weren’t exactly chasing athletic dominance, but we’ve had some success in that realm.
That’s not despite, but because of our approach to training. Canada’s original CrossFit gym, founded in 2005, celebrates member longevity at the 5-year mark, as it is rare for members to last that long. At Empower, our Legend’s wall begins at the 10-year mark, and our wall space is quickly filling up.
Since moving to the West Side, Empower has produced two BC Weightlifting record holders who have represented Canada at the World Masters Weightlifting Championship. We have never failed in 10+ years since 2016 to put an athlete or several athletes on the podium at the CanWest Games or Fraser Valley Throwdown. And this year, we have a member who intends to break the deadlift world record for women over 80. She is also a 10-year Empower Legend Wall inductee.
That is the thing about excellence. It is built by years of consistency, not some fevered short-term, body-destroying effort. Aesop’s tale about the tortoise and the hare sums up the Empower approach to fitness. We’re building fitness to last into our later years.
Coaching Matters
Our coaches continue to push themselves toward a higher level of mastery. We were one of the first gyms in BC to have a certified CrossFit Level 3 Trainer and the first one in the province to have two CrossFit Level 3 Trainers.
And for the past couple of years, we have been one of the few gyms in the world able to boast of having three certified CrossFit Level 3 trainers. Why? Because professional development matters. Only by continuously developing our skills and knowledge can we provide the best coaching to our members.
Built for Real People
Empower’s offerings have expanded over the years to address a broader demographic. This includes Varsity Youth programs and our ever-popular Fit Over 40 and Lift Over 40 programs. As a result, we see whole families training under one roof. Parents, children, grandparents — it is a joy to see three generations pursuing fitness together. We are honoured that members trust us with the fitness of their parents, spouses, children, in-laws and neighbours.
Not Old. Not Infirm.
No wonder our competitors could not understand what we were doing when we first opened our doors on Vancouver’s West Side. We were building something that did not exist before. We were operating on a different timeline. We weren’t competing with them in the present but with ourselves in the future. We weren’t chasing glory; we were building a legacy. And yes, with a mean age of fifty, it may be fair to describe us as old, but one thing we are not is infirm!
At Empower, we take broken bodies and make them strong for the long haul. It has been an honour to serve this community as a hub of hope for people like me who want to enjoy an active health span and continue playing into our sunset years. If you’re young at heart but slightly worn in other parts, there is a home here for you at Empower.
