Open floor or coached class: how each one works
A full gym is an open training floor with cardio machines, strength machines and free weights, usually with classes or personal training on top. You decide what to do and when, within opening hours.
A box is the name the community uses for a gym that runs CrossFit. CrossFit's own site describes an affiliate as an independent gym licensed to use the CrossFit name and methodology, locally owned and operated, with no corporate parent dictating class size, pricing or programming. So two boxes in one city can feel quite different.
Training at a box happens mostly in classes. CrossFit says every class is coached and that most follow a simple structure: a warm-up, skill or strength work, the workout of the day, then a cool-down. It also says every workout can be scaled to your current ability.
If you are still building a shortlist, the criteria in how to choose a gym in Abu Dhabi apply to both formats.
Box against gym, row by row
| Box running CrossFit | Full gym | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Scheduled group classes, with some open-gym time | An open floor whenever it is open, plus optional classes |
| Coaching | A coach runs every class | None on the open floor, a coach in classes or personal training |
| Programming | The box sets each day's workout for everyone, scaled per person | Your own plan, an app or a coach's programme |
| Community | Strong and visible, with the same faces at the same class times | Looser, unless you join classes or train with a partner |
| Equipment | Open space with rigs, barbells, rowers, bikes and kettlebells | A wider range of machines and cardio, plus free weights, sometimes studios and recovery rooms |
| Timetable | Fixed class times, so your week fits the schedule | Train when it suits you within opening hours |
| Cost structure | Usually a monthly class membership or class packs | Usually a membership tier, with classes or coaching included or charged separately |
| Starting out | Many boxes ask newcomers to complete an introductory course | Start on machines alone, or book a coach |
Injuries, intensity and who keeps an eye on you
Neither format is without risk. Box workouts are often timed and can pair technical lifts with many repetitions, so fatigue and form compete. Good coaching teaches the movements first and scales loads to the person, then holds people back when technique slips. On a full gym's open floor the risk sits more with you, because nobody may notice if you add weight too fast unless you book a coach.
Before you start in either setting, find out:
- how many people one coach looks after
- how a workout is scaled for someone new, older or returning after a break
- whether you learn the main lifts before joining full classes
- what the coach does when you mention an old injury
If you have pain, a current injury or a medical condition, get advice from a doctor or physiotherapist before starting high-intensity training in either setting. A coach can adapt a session but cannot assess an injury.
Who does better in each
A box running CrossFit tends to suit:
- people who push harder with a coach and a group than alone
- anyone who wants each session planned for them
- people who enjoy varied workouts and a scoreboard
- those whose week can fit fixed class times
A full gym tends to suit:
- people with a specific goal, such as a heavier squat or a race, who want their own programme
- shift workers and parents whose spare hour moves around the week
- anyone who wants machines, cardio and classes under one membership
- women who would rather train in a women-only section
Trade-offs that only show up later
- Fixed classes meet Abu Dhabi life. Office hours, school runs, Friday prayers and Ramadan timetables all move your spare hour, so count the classes you could really make each week.
- The whiteboard. Many boxes post scores, which motivates some people and pushes others faster than their technique allows.
- Summer in the box. Some boxes work out of industrial-style units, so ask how the space is cooled in the hottest months.
- Two memberships. Some people keep a box for coached sessions and a gym for everything else, which costs more than either alone.
- Women in class. Most classes are mixed. If that matters to you, ask whether women-only classes run.
What to ask a box, and what to ask a gym
| Ask a box | Ask a full gym |
|---|---|
| Is there an introductory course, and what does it cover? | Is there a coach on the floor, or only by booking? |
| How many people are in a typical class, and how many coaches? | Which classes does my membership include? |
| How do you scale workouts for beginners and old injuries? | Can a coach write me a programme, and what does that cost? |
| When is open gym, if I want to practise alone? | How busy is the functional area at my hour? |
To judge the coaching you see on a trial, use how to compare coaching quality.
An office worker tries both
Take a reader in his mid-thirties who works in an office on Abu Dhabi island. He has trained alone in a gym for years, has stopped progressing, and wants structure and company. He once strained a shoulder pressing overhead, and it has since settled.
| What he weighs | Box running CrossFit | Full gym with classes |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | A planned, coached session every visit | Classes and an open floor, with coaching if he books it |
| Company | The same group at the same times | Varies from class to class |
| His shoulder | Overhead work in many sessions, so scaling matters | He picks his own exercises |
| Cost | Introductory course (I), then a monthly fee (M) | Membership (G), plus coaching (C) if booked |
He books the box's introductory course, tells the coach about the shoulder and watches how overhead work is scaled. The coaching is attentive and the group keeps him turning up, so he joins. Had the coach brushed off the shoulder, he would have stayed at the gym and booked a block of personal training.
RPM is a full gym, not a box
RPM is a full gym. It holds no CrossFit licence and does not run CrossFit sessions. It is one club on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, with a Mixed section and a separate women-only Ladies section. The functional area has a turf lane with a sled, kettlebells, battle ropes and step boxes, along with medicine and slam balls. Group classes run in both sections, so ask the team for the current timetable, and the Engine tier adds coached programming.
If you want a coached group workout every day under the CrossFit name, a licensed box is the place for it. If you want an open floor, classes and coaching under one roof, with a recovery suite after training, book a free guided tour of RPM.
Sources
Questions, answered.
Can a complete beginner start CrossFit?
Yes. CrossFit says every workout can be scaled to your current ability, and many boxes start newcomers on an introductory course. Start lighter than you think, and tell the coach about any injury.
Does a box cost more than a gym?
It depends on what you compare. A box fee usually buys coached classes, while a gym fee often buys floor access with coaching extra, so compare the cost per coached session you would attend.
Can I do CrossFit-style workouts in a full gym?
You can do similar mixed workouts if the gym has the kit, such as rowers, kettlebells and barbells. What you will not get is the class, the coach and the group that come with a box.
Does RPM run CrossFit?
No. RPM is a full gym, holds no CrossFit licence and does not run CrossFit sessions. Ask the team which group classes are running in each section.