CrossFit Silver Spring

Visited during a trip to the area.
Pros: Staff are very barbell and Oly focused. If that is your thing, great spot. Equipment and location is in good shape and the facility is clean. People at the box seemed close and friendly towards each other. Good Vibe.
Cons: Parking is tough, good luck. Only street parking and if you plan on going during business hours of the other businesses next door, good luck.
Barbell focus… again if you are looking for a balance with Oly, gymnastics and functional, this may not be for you. But if you love the heavy lifts… this is your spot.

Amazing box. I’ve been fortunate to be able to drop into this box whenever I’m in DC area for work. Such a welcoming community, coaches are knowledgeable, will spend time giving you coaching and feedback, even if your just there for the day! Workouts are challenging but scalable, so all levels are welcomed. There is such a variety every time I come there. I love that daily there is a strength and a conditioning WOD. Josh and his team are amazing, well worth the visit, if your thinking about crossfit, do yourself a favor and stop in!

I love cross fit and these guys/​gals know what they are doing. They are true motivators and get the best out of everyone. Great staff and facilities. Great instruction and advice. I make more out of one hour here than I used to make out of an 4 hours at my old fitness center. They 100% focus on safety and results. Less down time due to strain, ache or injury because you learn how to do things the proper way. Love it!

I moved to the DC area in March 2014 from Utah (yes Utah). One of the first Crossfit boxes I went to was Crossfit Silver Spring. They were very welcoming. I ended up liking my first experience, however I still wanted to look around at other boxes in the area JUST to be sure.
I ended up trying a few more Crossfit boxes out and going with a box that was closer to my job in Alexandria. This ended up being a mistake in my opinion. I enrolled in a membership at Trident Crossfit, which had a huge gym. A bunch of people, but one thing I realized quickly is, it’s not always about the size of the gym, but the people involved and that are running it. It was a good box, however just not a good fit for me.
I wanted to get better at Weightlifting, and researched some Barbell clubs in the area. Turns out, one of the best barbell clubs in the area was at a Crossfit box I already visited; which was Crossfit Silver Spring. Eventually I called Marcos and Josh back and they remembered me from before. They were more than happy to hear about my goals, and not only get better at crossfitting, but dedicating more time to the Olympic lifts!
Since then I’ve enjoyed my time, and found a new love in the sport of Weightlifting. If you are in the area and looking for a fun atmosphere, as well as getting a kick ass workout then Crossfit Silver Spring is the spot. If you REALLY want to have some fun, ask about the El Jefe Barbell Club!

My wife and I have been going there for almost 2 years now (I think) and I have to say first and foremost the staff there cares about helping you achieve your goals in a safe manner. But guess what? your mind may have other plans and they are going to be there to push you when you can’t push yourself. On the flip side, they are always capable of modifying things to keep you safe. They can do this because they know their trade.
There is a great mix of skills in every class from beginner to fire-​breather and everyone get’s a great, efficient workout.

I’ve spent years going to the gym 5 days a week. Doing an hour of cardio, followed by some weight machines targeting specific muscles. I spend hours in those places, without ever seeing a lot of results.
This was my first crossfit experience. Came in really nervous about trying this out, and a bit embarrassed due to my lack of strength and knowledge on how to perform the exercises properly. All the trainers here have been very patient in teaching me and have spent a lot of time with me working on form and technique. I haven’t really felt uncomfortable, and after a few months of going twice a week, am already beginning to see the improvement that I was seeking.
Whereas at my prior gyms, I would spend HOURS each week working out, I’m literally right now only working out 2 hours/​week. With that, I’m seeing more improvement than I ever did in my time at a gym. My strength is improving, and I love that I seem to be able to recover quicker after each exercise. Admittedly, I haven’t been to other boxes, but I can’t imagine a much better experience than I’ve had here. I’m looking forward to see the results I get when I step it up to 3+ classes a week.
If you give it a try, definitely stick in there for the first month. It really gets easier to recover from each class, and gives you the most results per time spent in the gym than any other workout I have tried.

I love this place. Easily my all-​time favorite place to workout. Can’t beat the exceptional staff whom are extremely knowledgeable and super friendly. Not to mention they are excellent motivators.

Had an awesome experience here and unfortunately had to move just a week after completing my month long Elements intro course. Moved out of town and have yet to find a crossfit place that lives up to Josh and Crossfit SS. You can tell Josh really cares about making sure that you know what you’re doing, that you learn the proper techniques for lifting, and is serious about helping you progress and get stronger while having a good time. The WODs are smart-​challenging and realistic. I didn’t realize what I had til I left! Thanks CFSS.

Went to check out the place and the program and it turned out to leave a bad aftertaste.
After leaving several messages — none of which were returned — to schedule an initial assessment, my girlfriend and I decided to show up in an effort to enroll. Josh — presumably the proprietor and trainer — seemed perturbed at our arrival and was willing to actively ignore two people who were potential clients. A red carpet treatment is not necessarily what I’d expect but expecting a little more attention to two more potential sources of income shouldn’t be too unreasonable.
We ended up watching for a half-​hour from the side, surveying the scope and breadth of the workout regimen. Josh, true to earlier form, seemed uninspired and unwilling to engage with his students.
Perhaps, it’s a good source for a workout. But it’s a thumbs-​down for me

Great gym, and great coaches. I’ve seen more results in 30 days than I’ve had in the past few years.

I feel like I should write paragraphs about my time here, but I really don’t need to say much– this place saved my life while I was living in MD.
I moved here for work and lifted at Gold’s for a couple months and despised my lifestyle. New to CrossFit, I decided to give it a go… by the time I left to move back north I was in the best shape of my life and learned that I don’t need to bench and do bicep curls to get there. Josh recruited me for the Olympic weightlifting sessions. After a couple months, my shoulder issue I’ve been dealing with for years disappeared and I was putting up more weight than ever before. CrossFit strengthens everything including your mind. It repairs out-​dated ways of thinking and lifting. I can’t thank this gym enough– I’ll miss it. I’m taking a lot of knowledge back home from this place.
Josh, Colin, Rachel, Marcos, you guys kill it.
Krutch

Smart programming, great coaches, and best of all, a really nice CrossFit community of people in Silver Spring!
I had the privilege of dropping into CrossFit Silver Spring for a week while I was in town visiting family. After emailing coach/​owner Josh before my arrival from LA, I came in and was so happy that I chose to drop into CFSS, so much so that I was driving an extra 15 minutes every day to come here instead of CF gyms that were closer to where I was staying.
Why did I stick to CFSS while I was in town vs. trying out other gyms?
Smart programming! CFSS programs really smart, challenging, yet reasonable workouts to promote sustained health and strength-​building with its members. This is not one of those «45 minute chipper» gyms that throws the kitchen sink at you, leaving everyone looking like zombies, and I really appreciated that a lot. CFSS spends a significant amount of time on mobility, strength, and skill work, in addition to a shorter, high intensity met-​con within its hour-​long class periods. What does that mean? People can come in more often (because they’re not «wrecked for the sake of being wrecked»), build good skills and technique, and they’re working out at a high intensity that turns them into cardio superstars.
The coaches! Coach Josh and Coach Rachel are really positive, encouraging, and they want to make sure their members are being safe when challenging themselves AND scaling accordingly so that they can sustain a high intensity through the WOD. I really thrive in positive environments and having their support helped me PR my hang clean by 40# AND hit a new max box jump during the week I was in town! They treated me like one of their regular members and if I lived here, having these two coaches at CFSS would be one of the big reasons why I would join the gym.
Skill work! My CrossFit gym at home largely follows programming from Outlaw CrossFit, so it was really cool to come here and work on some skills that weren’t as familiar to me. From pushing the prowler, to power swings, to Turkish Get Ups, and Fireman’s carries, we worked on a lot of cool skills and stretches here that I know I’ll take home with me. Part of the fun of dropping into other gyms is seeing what other skills gyms work on and taking them home with you. I really like that there’s time to work on these skills during class at your own pace.
The people! In general, everyone loves their home CrossFit gym and the community that hopefully spawns from inside of it. I’ve dropped into a bunch of CF gyms in my random travels and I’ve never felt more welcomed by the members than I did at CFSS. Dan, Nancy, Alan, Megan, Matt, Nick, Phil, Adonis, Marcos and everyone else I met all week instantly made me feel like I was at my home gym. They helped me understand their gyms’ movement standards and made for that awesome environment that makes CrossFit so unique. The high five’s, fist bumps, and tired, delirious smiles were all there and it made me love this gym even more.
If you’re just getting started in CrossFit, I would highly recommend checking out CFSS. The best parts of CrossFit are having a community of people around you who encourage you and celebrate your victories, along with having smart coaches who care about your growth and enable it in smart ways. You’ll learn skills correctly here and will be able to be challenged, yet comfortable working at your own pace.
If you’re already familiar with CrossFit and are looking for a gym with a great community and smart programming, also definitely check out CFSS!
While I love my home gym, I’ll miss CFSS when I head back home and hope I’ll be back one day!

I came to CrossFit Silver Spring and the Capital Barbell Club specifically for additional training with the olympic lifts. From my very first interaction with Josh, the owner, and all of my subsequent sessions with him and the other members of the CBBC and CFSS, I knew I’d found a supportive training environment that would help me reach my goals. The atmosphere is relaxed, professional and focused. The gym itself is in a great location, with ample parking. The weightlifting platforms are in the front of the gym right as you come in the door. The WOD’s are run using the rest of the floor space — it’s a very comfortable setup. The weightlifting sessions are generally 1.5 hours with the experienced members guiding and providing instruction to the less experienced. Having never been in a club like this, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it’s been amazing. I don’t feel rushed, but we cover a lot of ground every single session. Each time I go in, old teaching points are reviewed and reinforced and new material is introduced. Not only do they make sure the training is top-​notch and challenging, the mix of personalities makes it entirely enjoyable.