Now Open: CrossFit North Reston

Reston has a new entry in its growing list of fitness options. CrossFit North Reston opened at 11503 Sunset Hills Rd. last month, and the Plaza America-area facility already has enthusiastic members.

CrossFit is a back-to-basics strength and fitness program that combines weightlifting and high-intensity interval training into a constantly changing hour-long “Workout of the Day (WOD).”

The program was founded in 2000, and today there are more than 10,000 gyms, or “boxes” as they are called in CrossFit-speak, nationwide.

Two of the local boxes are owned by Todd and Melissa Katz and additional partners. Todd Katz, a marathon runner, began doing CrossFit in 2008, and soon was teaching workouts from his garage. After Melissa, a lawyer, became hooked on CrossFit too, they opened up Hammer Down CrossFit in Chantilly in 2009.

They opened CrossFit North Reston in June because this area was lacking CrossFit options, even though there has been a CrossFit Reston (located at 310 Victory Dr. in Herndon) for several years, Todd Katz said.

The Katzes says CrossFit is appealing to people of all fitness levels and ages for many reasons. There is the camaraderie they get from group exercise. Participants say they like the coaching and the ability to challenge oneself but still go at their own pace. CrossFit also includes a Paleo Diet nutritional component, which one CrossFit North Reston member says was life-changing.

Crystal Armes, 35, of Oakton has lost about 60 lbs. in the year since she began CrossFit, first at Hammer Down and now at North Reston as well.

“I lost about 15 lbs. at first, and then when I added Paleo I lost the rest in about three months,” said Armes, a former Division I college athlete who is at the box five to seven times a week now.

Cheryl Lawson of Herndon, has been doing CrossFit about four years. She says she was in “so-so” shape when she started, but the group workouts and the ever-changing WOD have kept her interested and motivated.

The 56-year-old Lawson can now power clean lift 115 lbs. — almost as much as her body weight.

CrossFit North Reston is open daily. For class times and open workout times, visit CrossfitNorthReston.com or call 757-774-8983. Rates start at $139 a month for three classes a week.