We starting doing CrossFit less than one year before our trip to Italy. We were told that all CrossFit gyms ("boxes") have a culture of inclusivity, including welcoming any experienced CrossFitters on a drop-in basis. Simply contact the box in advance, pay the fee, and don't forget to buy their t-shirt. Thoroughly hooked on CrossFit, we decided to try our very first drop-in while visiting Florence, Italy, of all places. Why start small, say in your own City or County, when you can go big and try a foreign Country?!
CrossFit Firenze, incidentally, remains the only box we've ever visited where the class was taught entirely in a foreign language. Having since dropped in many other Countries, in hindsight, it's kind of funny that our first one is the only one where we had a language barrier. That being said, CF Firenze was very accommodating and we all speak "CrossFit," so we managed even if we couldn't understand a word of the coaching.
Like most boxes, CrossFit Firenze is located in a industrial/commercial area. We arrived via Taxi and quickly located the coach in charge, paid our fee, and started warming up. We did not know what to expect but what we found was a warm and inviting community. Those that did speak English helped us figure out our equipment needs and others asked us where were from and welcomed us. The class size was like most boxes at roughly 10-12 members. The workout (snatch, pull-ups, and double unders), sufficiently killed us, especially having been traveling for several days before dropping-in. After this awesome experience at CrossFit Florence, we picked up a new addiction of dropping-in at CrossFit boxes.
Remember CrossFit Drop-in Etiquette: Contact the box in advance, be courteous, and have a great time.
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