Brian Bender, owner of Ideal Collaborative and CutThroat CrossFit describes their gym as the best hour of your day...and more. They make fitness fun again. They make each day a little bit different and it’s a nice escape for their athletes. “Just forget everything and enjoy yourself like you used to during recess. It is like a playground...and it’s good for you. Each day, we laugh and have a great time! All the while, the workout has been planned for your progress by an experienced professional. You won’t even notice you’re working hard because you’ll be with your friends.”, Brian said.
Everyone having fun at their playground
Ideal Collaborative and CutThroat CrossFit, they don’t use machines….they build them. You won’t find a sea of elliptical machines with TVs and people wearing headphones. They don’t need or want a bunch of equipment because they believe that it isn’t the way humans actually move. They believe that squats are natural. Push-ups are hard but great. Burpees….well, no one likes those, but that’s one more reason to do them...after all, they’re just getting up off the floor. Brian added, “WE BELIEVE IN YOU, EVEN IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. There’s a reason we train this way: with short, but tough workouts; with free weights instead of machines; and in a private gym, nestled in Lafayette Industrial Park. We train this way because we’ve DONE the other stuff, and this is what works. Science is on our side.”
Brian also shared with me that their physical philosophy is the same as their nutritional: eat real food. Do real work. Question, test, implement, repeat. It’s all connected and that’s why they have a Collaborative model. One can’t replace the other. Years of experience has taught them to keep things simple. Their coaches are the best in the business, and the equipment that they use is state-of-the-art. Ropes to climb, bumper plates, kettlebells, gymnastics rings, chalk, and your own feet: these are the tools required for true progress. Brian emphasized, “When we started, we asked the same questions you’re likely asking now. Today, we have more answers, and you can find those here. We also have MORE questions. We’ll never stop learning on your behalf because we believe that we can never know too much.” Knowledge, simplicity, and empathy. These are the cornerstones of the Ideal Collaborative Community.
Their athletes in action
What separates CutThroat CrossFit from the rest? Their Collaborative Fitness Model. In addition to the best trainers in the area, they have 3 Nutritionists, the Only Hydrostatic Body Fat Testing Machine in Colorado, Physical Therapy, Massage, and Chiropractic all under the same roof. The best part? They communicate about what’s best for the clients that they share.
The biggest mistake he sees people make when they exercise is the lack of consistency. People can fix that by finding a group of people to consistently work out with week in, week out. Their trainers help every day with simple technique fixes like keeping a flat back while squatting or keeping the knees tracking in line with the feet.
The biggest mistake he sees big commercial gyms make is hoping that people sign up for a membership and never show up. At Ideal Collaborative and CutThroat CrossFit, they want their members to be there each week because they know that they can help with the consistency problem. Brian added, “Other gyms also fail to look at the whole picture like we do. Nutrition and proper movement patterns are the foundation of functional health. Other gyms just encourage members to “out-exercise” these issues.”
Lastly, Brian wants to let everyone know that “We’re here, we’re friendly, and we just want to help. In fact, everyone starts with a free introduction with one of our coaches. It’s just a chat to see if we’re a good fit for each other. Guess what? We work with remote clients too so we can schedule this digitally if you’re not from our area.” so go check them out!
Ideal Collaborative and CutThroat CrossFit