Drop-In Vegas Style

I had the lovely experience of making it down to CrossFit Las Vegas today. And I am just ecstatic that I did. Hand Stand Push-Ups (HSPU) were part of the WOD. These are one of the exercises that just amaze me when I see other people do them, and prior to today, I had not had (nor created) an occasion to try them on my own.

So when the instructor went over the WOD, I was filled with a wide mix of emotions ranging from “Oh crap” to “Oh shit”. One of the many things that sets CrossFit apart are the instructors. And Vili at CrossFit Las Vegas is no exception. He could see that I was a bit concerned with the HSPUs and he sprung into action, never once making me feel like I should sit it out or not try it. He just grabbed a few ab mats and walked me through it step by step, and let me try it. And I was able to flop myself up and over and before I knew it… I was banging out my HSPUs like the best of ‘em. Ok, maybe not that great, and with 2 – 3 ab mats, but you get my point.

So HSPU’s aside, here’s the run down on CrossFit Las Vegas (CFLV):

Visit their site, and do a little prep-work
1. www.CrossFitLasVegas.com
2. Set up a log in
3. Have your affiliate owner shoot them an email and it’s only $10 for the class!
4. If you don’t do any of the above, don’t worry, you can just show up for a class, you just need to fill out an extra form when you get there and the regular drop in fee is $20
5. Getting down there from the Strip is kinda pricey. The cab ride was $20 each way from Bellagio.
  1. 7540 DEAN MARTIN DR.
    #508
    LAS VEGAS, NV 89139
    (702) 900-2358
  2. Tell the cab driver it’s at W Warm Springs Road and Dean Martin Drive. It’s just south of W Warm Springs on the East side of Dean Martin Drive. In a little one story strip building that has several businesses in there. They are in suite 508 which is on the south end of their building, you’ll see the logo and other CrossFit style decals when you find it.
  3. I just grabbed a random cab from my hotel to get there, and once I told the guy where I was going he got all excited and we talked fitness the whole way…when he started showing me pictures of himself working out on his phone, it got kinda odd, but he was nice enough and came back to pick me up no problem :) You’ll definitely need to call for a cab to get back. So get your cabby’s number. Here’s my guy’s if you need one: 702-332-5116, his name is Gary.
6. CFLV is a bit more chilled on the start time than my home box. I showed up at 5:40AM for the 6AM WOD and I ended up sitting in the cab for a bit until folks arrived, about 5:50AM.
7. The WOD had a flexible start time of about 6:05AM, and that was driven by when the regular athletes trickled in. Seemed very friendly and comfortable.
8. The warm ups were done as a group, and had a nice mix of stretching with bands and movements and single unders, which I enjoyed because I really need to work on my jump rope skills.
9. My classmates were very friendly and welcoming and focused on the WOD. I thought it was a very well run group, especially for 6AM in Las Vegas.
10. We did a strength routine of Clean and Jerks that we had 20 minutes to complete on our own and do 5 sets of 3 at 75-85% of PR. This was a struggle for me as I had a little trouble pacing myself. I prefer a timer and set intervals, but that’s probably just because that’s what I’m used to. So I ended up doing 6+ sets ‘cause I kinda burned through it.
11. We then did the WOD that included the HSPU, dumbbell lunges and Hallow Rocks. So two out of the three were new to me. Which is another benefit of CrossFit Tourism, you get to try new things. And speaking of the Hallow Rocks, holy cow, way more intense than they look!
12. Last, but certainly not least, I got to give a ton of credit to Vili. What a great coach!! He gave very clear and simple instructions, helped everyone with a perfect mix of instruction and motivation. He’s got a great attitude, and added a ton to the overall experience.