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We keep hearing about great new places to get an awesome workout in Nashville. We sent three workout queens, Rowanne McKnight, Edith Kirkland and Besty Cunagin, to check out the differences between two new places that had piqued our interest, Iron Tribe Fitness and Barry’s Bootcamp. These ladies are huge runners, each having completed multiple marathons, triathlons and even an ultra marathon. But, they also enjoy yoga classes, weight training and a barre class here and there, too. Today, they weigh in (did we really just say that?!) on their experience:
Rowanne:
Our field research began in October, when Edith, Betsy and I were in the last phases of training for a marathon. This seemed perfect, since after races, we have found that some post-race blues usually set in. You don’t feel like running, but you can’t really figure out what else to do without a goal on the horizon.
Our first stop was the newly opened Iron Tribe Fitness in Maryland Farms. Iron Tribe Fitness (ITF) is a CrossFit concept gym with classes lasting 45 minutes. The average workout of the day (WOD) is 20 minutes – short in duration, but high in intensity. In addition, they also promote a version of The Paleo Diet called Whole9. Complete meals from Innerfire Grill and snacks from Sweat Angel Bakery can be bought at the gym for those (all) of us who need convenience. Everyone participates in an introductory 101 class series – 4 weeks of classes, 3 days a week. Richard Marten (franchise owner) and Mary Catherine Flemming are incredibly welcoming and genuinely interested in helping you be your best. Richard’s clear instruction on the proper form for every movement insures that the chance of injury will be low and one will achieve maximum benefit from the effort. Best of all, their enthusiasm is infectious!
Franchise owner Richard Marten demonstrating the push-press to our 101 class – this PVC pipe is quite a bit lighter than the dumbbells used during the demo!
Lots of laughs for everyone in the tribe.
We were excited, sort of. Paleo was about to eliminate favorite carbs, grains and dairy from our diet and we were initially discouraged by the length of the 101. It just seemed so long… Could we just do an abbreviated class for journalistic purposes? We were told no. We thought that if we could practically run to Murfreesboro, albeit with lots of Gatorade and snack stops, surely we could handle these workouts. Ah, wrong again! We stopped whining, started getting new sore muscles and were easily converted to ITF’s playground of barbells and gymnastics rings and movements like the split jerk, clean and jerk and box jump. We loved our 101 group, aka “tribe,” and enjoyed the flexibility to go to a morning or evening 101 when our schedule did not work for our 12:15 pm slot. We also agreed that we all experienced increased energy and stamina on the Paleo/Whole 9 plan. No solid numbers to share since we shun scales, but we felt like jeans did fit better!
Here’s our friend Kay doing a back squat. We had to keep adding weight and repeating the squat until we reached our maximum capacity, or fell over… Whichever came first!
From Iron Tribe… Edith and Rowanne have signed up for 4 more months! This time, they will have stats for the beginning and end results.
Edith, Rowanne and Betsy (from left to right) sporting black ITF t-shirts, along with StyleBlueprint friend and running buddy Kay Goodrum (in gray t-shirt).
We went back for a “real” class and it was real “hard,” and we can’t wait to go back. WOD up!
Next stop, Barry’s Bootcamp.
Owner, Antonio Compton, of Barry’s Nashville
We are all DYING here and Liza shows up to photograph us!
Floor exercises…
Barry’s Bootcamp is impressive. I understand all the hype now, and it will get you in shape. Period. If you are a beginner, make sure you talk to Antonio first about how to take it down a notch. There is not a lot of instruction or attention to form, so be careful. But because the weights are not super heavy, the likelihood for injury is pretty low. We all agreed that it’d be a great jump-start for anyone needing to get back on an exercise program or for anyone who is happy with her workouts but wants to throw in something extra. Oh, and don’t forget to pre-order a delicious smoothie to have, ready and waiting for you, at the end of class!
For Roxanne. That would be Rowanne. Oh, well. The smoothie is a much deserved post-workout treat.
The babes of Barry’s Bootcamp–do we look like the promo poster?
Betsy:
I loved doing these workouts! Here’s how I’d boil down the basic differences between both programs:
Iron Tribe Fitness is CrossFit at its best! I’m a runner used to moderate intensity for longer durations, so ITF was a
new approach to fitness for me – high intensity, interval training for short durations (meaning like 10
minutes). I thought how can I be sore after only “working out” for 10 minutes, but when done correctly,
this type of workout boosts your metabolism to burn more calories, improves your aerobic capacity and
adds a ton of variety to your workout. Iron Tribe is not just about attending a class, it about joining a team. The
team mentality fosters accountability, confidence and a sense of camaraderie that makes working out
fun! ITF simultaneously appeals to both novice and elite athletes (“everyone is an athlete who walks
in the door of Iron Tribe”), as WOD movements are scaled to everyone’s fitness level. Unlike most new
programs that lose their appeal after the “newness” wears off, ITF leaves you wanting more.
Barry’s Bootcamp is hard – period. It’s on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to instruction; there’s little
to none. But it’s easy to pick up the movements. Once the lights go down, the music goes up and you
don’t stop for 1 hour. And between the environment and the different workouts, there’s no opportunity for boredom or the fidgetiness I’ve sometimes experienced working out indoors. The “not yo average joe” smoothie waiting for me at the end of every grueling hour was motivation enough to drive to the Gulch, too. You will thank yourself for committing to Barry’s – it will get you in shape. And you will sweat, really sweat, so be prepared!
Thanks, ladies! For more information about Iron Tribe Fitness, visit their website: http://irontribefitness.com. For more on Barry’s Bootcamp, visit their website, as well: www.barrysbootcamp.com.
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12 Responses to “Compare: Iron Tribe Fitness and Barry’s Bootcamp”
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- What the heck is Paleo? | StyleBlueprint Birmingham - [...] how and why do I know all this about Paleo stuff? When Betsy, Rowanne, and I started the 101 ...
- What the heck is Paleo? | StyleBlueprint - [...] how and why do I know all this about Paleo stuff? When Betsy, Rowanne, and I started the 101 ...
- What the heck is Paleo? | StyleBlueprint Memphis - [...] how and why do I know all this about Paleo stuff? When Betsy, Rowanne, and I started the 101 ...
- What the heck is Paleo? | StyleBlueprint Atlanta - [...] how and why do I know all this about Paleo stuff? When Betsy, Rowanne, and I started the 101 ...
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Thank you ladies and SB for much needed inspiration on this cold January day! You are all three an inspiration to all of us and our daughters. Thank you for “shunning the scales” and proving that forty-somethings can be amazing athletes.
Agreed!! Great job, girls!
While I have never been to ITF or BBC and am sure they are great places to get or stay fit, I put my money on Leann Frey and Josh Rogers at RESULTS FITNESS on 16th Avenue. If you like small and intimate, Results is the best!
We’ve highlighted Results before, and love it. Today’s post was dedicated to two new fitness places in town that we also wanted to highlight.
Iron Tribe boasts that they are a “Ramped up CrossFit”. The only thing I see that is ramped up is the price. In their effort to imitate CrossFit they only prove that CrossFit is worthy of imitating.
If they are better than CrossFit, they should send trainees to the CrossFit Games and prove it before bragging without merit. It only costs $10 to compete and they could win $250,000.
whooa there Allen… having trained at a few crossfit gyms in the area I can attest that they provide a premium experience compared to the other gyms I’ve joined and will be a nice addition to the fitness community in middle TN. I don’t know where you train, so I can’t speak to your personal experience vs. ITF, only my own.
Besides nice facilities (including showers), equipment, and convenient location, one item which sets them apart from similar programs I’ve participated in is the level of coaching involved. The 101 intro class lasts about a month and they spend lots of time not only working on technique of the movements but also discussing the kinesiology, nutrition, and philosophy of the program. Despite having a crossfit background, I still decided to go through the 101 class and was able to refine my technique, increase efficiency of my workouts, and build relationships with a great group of people.
While the Brentwood facility is just open, the more established ITF gyms in Birmingham, AL, do have athletes register and compete in the various rounds of the crossfit games.
Its also my understanding that Crossfit HQ does not let affiliates franchise, so when ITF decided to expand unfortunately the direct relationship to HQ could not continue.
I’m glad there is a growing diversity in the fitness community in Middle TN including cross training, running clubs, yoga, boot camps, sports training, rock climbing. All of these cater to different lifestyles and tastes and hopefully will help benefit the health of our community and make this a better place to live.
Iron Tribe’s success is defined by the lives they change. Their program caters to everyone, regardless of shape, size, color, fitness history, or athletic ability . . . and they do it with excellence!
Allen,
Every so often we have a “bring a friend” day at ITF and I would like to offer you the opportunity to work out with us at no charge. We can be friends!
We are an accepting group of people and would welcome you to give us a shot. I believe you will find that you are wrong in your assessment of ITF.
Others have already replied to you with valid and honest points, so I won’t repeat those, but I believe you won’t find anyone bragging about anything. However, you will find yourself completely exhausted after a workout (assuming you push yourself)and glad that you kept an open mind in the process.
See you soon friend!
JW
(In full disclosure I am a new member of ITF Belle Meade)
First and foremost, one size does not fit all as far as BBC, ITF and Personal Training goes. Can’t knock it unless you have tried it…
The main difference in ITF and a traditional CrossFit Gym are the coaches. ITF’s coaches are full-time and focus only on their ITF business. Too many CrossFit gyms have part-time coaches who have other full-time jobs to worry about.
As far as the challenge goes, pound for pound, my coach at ITF Belle Meade can hang with anyone in this town.
Ok Randy, put your money where your mouth is, I train at another Crossfit in town and I challenge you to a tennis match to prove my superior fitness. If you cant play tennis we can find another sport.
Bill
What did you have in mind 2 out of 3 or 3 out of 5? I’m not sure my skill level is up to your skill level…
I think what was great about this article is the three ladies did a fantastic job of detailing their experiences at both ITF and BBC. The biggest thing I took from this article is there is more than one way to skin a cat. Some people like being part of a group or “tribe” and some would prefer to workout in an “exercise rave”. Whatever your choice, what’s nice is just that….we have a choice.
In response to a previous comment about ITF only being a more expensive Crossfit style gym; ITF was featured in Entrepreneur Magazine in September of 2012. This leads me to believe it is more than just a “ramped up price” CrossFit gym. Think about that logically. Why would one of the most prestigious new business start-up magazines write about a gym that is exactly like every other Crossfit gym but with a higher price? They wouldn’t. Entrepreneur Magazine found value, they found a niche, they found a service that wasn’t being properly addressed at other Crossfit facilities.
As consumers, when we see a higher priced item/service as to what we may believe is to be the EXACT as another option, we have get down to the facts as to what might cause this price difference.
1. Is my lower priced gym clean? Can I shower there without fear of an unidentified growth on my feet? Will there be clean towels?
2. Will my coach be a full-time employee or just train some classes so that they can get a free membership?
3. How important will the proper and precise form be at your lower-priced option?
I can go on and on but I think you get the point. I personally like to find value in everything I do in life, including the clothes I wear, the restaurants I dine and the facility I choose to workout in.
When I want a good steak, I don’t go to O’Charley’s (not that there is anything wrong with O’Charley’s) but instead to The Palm, Ruth’s Chris or Morton’s. Why?? Because I know the level of service and quality of food I will receive. Is it more expensive? Absolutely, but it’s a value I have placed on the experience I know I will get at those places.
We live in what is becoming one of the fastest growing cities in the Southeast and one that is becoming more progressive. One of the benefits to this is the number of choices we have in everything we do in our daily lives, including a choice of the type and price of training we want. Try them all. Be open-minded. Determine what is causing differences in prices, experiences, results then make an educated decision for yourself. Whatever you decide to do fitness-wise make sure it’s right for you, love it and stick with it.
Here’s to a healthy 2013!
Sincerely,
A new ITF member who did his research