CrossFit East River

I was a globo gym rat for a while until I got sick of doing SS routine, which basically had you squatting every workout and alternating between bench/​deadlift and cleans/​strict presses. I saw a good deal on groupon for this gym and gave it shot. That was more than half a year ago and now I can say this is the best decision I have ever made.
At CFER, you would feel more like working out with a bunch of friends in a garage. The atmosphere is almost the opposite of intimidating. All the people here and coaches here are extremely friendly and helpful and just ordinary people that you would grab a drink after class with. I have tried other more «famous» boxes but they aIl seem to be more catering to one group of people and if you don’t belong, they won’t try to help you fit in. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that. More just because personal preferences. Eric and Melissa are the best gym owners. They are down to earth and always available to answer any questions you have. They also are very open to any suggestions from the members and just a lot of fun to work with.
I am much stronger now after half a year (and counting) of crossfit. I look forward to my gym time every day. I have made a lot of friends from the gym, which I really appreciate because I have been having trouble finding friends that are interested in fitness as me. If you want to try out crossfit, I would highly recommend you give CFER a shot!

I started doing Crossfit a little over three years ago in Arizona, so when I moved to NYC I tried a few boxes around flatiron and midtown and wasn’t too impressed. They were crowded with multiple classes at the same time and the coaches seemed impersonal. That being said I absolutely love this box, from the friendly trainers, to the versatile work outs down to the equipment. It is always air conditioned in the summer and warmed up in the winter. The overall feeling is more like a family than just a regular gym and they always incorporate fun activities outside of the gym as well. The price is also extremely reasonable, the only downside is the lack of showers but I live close enough that it’s not much of an inconvenience. If you are interested in starting Crossfit this is the go-​to one, that is if you want to get into kickass shape!

I wouldn’t recommend this place if you are new to crossfit. I signed up for 2 months, but was pretty disappointed with the experience and wouldn’t return. The instructors ranged from straight up rude to somewhat decent, but overall I found the coaching left a lot to be desired. The gym feels dirty, the mats harbor staph colonies, there’s not enough bathroom or shower space. You get the picture.
Lastly, if you have any injuries, CFER was really shady about working around this. I have a chronic knee injury, and brought this up to every instructor, some of whom were unable to offer modifications or were just rude about people having limitations. I really wanted to like this place. But for the price, the schedule is too limited, the space is grungy, and the instructors were meh. There are way better gyms in the neighborhood, crossfit and otherwise.

I can’t say enough good things about this box. The first thing I noticed was that Eric & Melissa learned my name right off the bat, and were welcoming every time I came in. I’ve asked them a lot of questions about workouts, Crossfit, diet, you name it, and they always have time to answer thoroughly.
The eight required Foundations classes really ease you into things in a good way. You’ll be spending some time doing lift form with a PVC pipe before you touch a real bar. The coaches are very attentive to your form… Brad has helped me time and time again.
What else? There is a good variety of classes: regular WODs… the Sweat River class which emphasizes cardio and doesn’t use any bars… the Barbell Basics class. And there’s also a Facebook group which Eric & Melissa use to organize social events outside the box.
There have definitely been times when the coaches were outlining workouts that I wasn’t familiar with a movement. Sometimes you gotta ask — there is never any shame in it. The coaches are always phenomenal about teaching you.
Love the box, love the athletes, and especially love how much improvement I’m seeing in six weeks!

I had a great experience with this place. It made me love Crossfit. The only reason I left was because I moved to a different neighborhood.
The coaches are nice attentive and patient. The culture is great– everybody supports each other, nobody looks down on you. I was a beginner so that was very important to me.
Foundation classes are truly necessary, I can’t imagine being thrown to WODs without them, I would die!
Workouts are tough, but still can accommodate athletes of different levels.
Overall thank you Eric & Melissa for the great experience! Thanks to you I am now a crossfitter! :)

Phenomenal coaching.
I dropped in to an 11:30a class with Eric, the owner, instructing. The WOD was well-​planned and well-​timed, and left us all on the floor after. Eric helped me to hit a 3RM snatch and then got us all through a rough — but fun — met con. Eric definitely knows his stuff and I’m looking forward to returning.

Zero stars. I contacted Gilt who initiated an investigation. Eric and Melissa verbally agreed to send over various documents but showed little follow-​through. Nothing after one week. After two weeks, Gilt reported that Eric and Melissa claimed that I was the one who requested to terminate my contract without a refund. A bold lie. I revealed that the conversation was recorded. Gilt said they would check back. I got my refund the next day. Dishonesty is not a good color on anyone.

CrossFit East River is awesome. I was visiting from out of town and decided to check it out. The owner and coach were great and really welcoming, as were the fellow crossfitters. I felt totally welcome and comfortable there. I liked the intensity of the WOD and the way the coach carefully watched everyone, offering encouragement and pointers. The next time I am in NYC I will definitely be back!

Melissa and Eric are the owners of this box and they are extremely friendly. As for the social aspect, they host events so that you get to know your fellow crossfitters and can have fun outside of your daily WOD routine. As far as the programming, they offer plenty of class times and have a variety of classes like CFE and yoga. They utilize the full hour; you work from the moment you step into the gym to the moment you leave. If you are interested in competitions they offer to personalize programming the weeks prior to your event to help you meet your goals. The coaches are fantastic and are willing to help you out with anything. They really stress mobility, which has helped me as I tend to have shoulder issues. I have been a member for less than 2 months however, I am really enjoying my experience so far and would recommend to others.

I love CFER! All of the coaches took the extra step to make everyone feel supported. I took their foundations classes at the beginning of 2014 and my only complaint was the scheduling process and lack of flexibility in class times. I was genuinely disappointed that I couldn’t join this box full time because they provide a community that isn’t common in other boxes in NYC.

I was in NYC for business and dropped in to this box this morning for a WOD. Coach Melanie was super accommodating and very friendly as were the members who were working out there. The skill before the WOD was technique-​heavy and Melanie was very knowledgable and attentive. She was also good at assessing skill levels and adjusting the workout and giving tips based on that. I would definitely go back for another class and would recommend to anyone in the city looking to get into crossfit.

Took the foundations class and found the instructors to be diligent and helpful. They demonstrated everything to where I was comfortable to go into an actual WOD and not look like a total idiot. Could not believe how nice everyone is and cannot recommend this box enough.

5stars from an intermediate level crossfitter.
i came to CREF on the same day I got off the plane from LA to NYC, stayed there for 3mos, and came away feeling stronger and sadder than I’ve been in a while.
the programming is thoughtful. the coaches, Melissa and Eric, assessed the box’s needs as a whole for 2 – 4 mo, and then programmed accordingly to get their members where they needed to be.
the coaches were sweet. altho I probably wasn’t the favorite, i still always felt welcomed and was greeted with a smile. the fact that they ordered lacrosse balls for every member to work thru those tough knotted muscles during the week at home was pure love!
the coaching was great. the workouts start with a nice warmup, mobility (highly underrated but oh-​so-​important), skill, and then the main WOD, and sometimes a cash-​out. Melissa really helped my back squat by watching my form like a hawk and pointing out when it crumbled. Eric forced me to do double-​unders on every wod (or DU attempts) when I never would have on my own. you are never pressured to do more than you can, but are encouraged and pushed to do your best. that sentence may only make sense once you’ve crossfitted: p
the community is solid. I’ve crossfitted all around the world, and CFER has one of the most welcoming atmospheres I’ve seen! the guys and girls there are everyday people, and you can grab a beer, get brunch or coffee, or even get a late night comedy show with them! some are beginners, some are super crazy natural athletes. but all of the people there are the salt of the earth, and i miss them.
having moved back to LA, I’m sad. CFER is a great community and a great box. i know i can’t go back to my former box and am trying to find something resembling CFER. trust, you WILL get stronger and fitter there, and you will have fun doing it.
ps: if you’re down for a cash out – just ask Eric what you should work on, and he’ll program it! stick to it!

Great coaches, great community, great gym.

For a yogi like myself, I was VERY nervous about starting Crossfit. From the moment I stepped into Crossfit East River, Melissa and Eric have continuously encouraged and motivated me to keep going! I never believed that I could actually enjoy working out and now I find myself checking the WOD every night before I head to sleep. Check out this place – I promise you will not be disappointed!

I’m so happy this crossfit gym opened in my neighborhood! The space is awesome, Melissa & Eric are fantastic & all the other members I’ve taken class with have been friendly, supportive & encouraging. Definitely recommend trying out a class!

I was a member at the Blackbox last year but discontinued my membership as it was a pain for me to get to the Flatiron each day.
I’m so happy that they opened a Crossfit in the EV. The gym here is super nice with tall ceilings, new equipment, comfortable pull-​up bars, and even notebooks to track your work-​outs there. Awesome space and Melissa and Eric are great.

Don’t be nervous, don’t be shy. Melissa and Eric are your warrior guides to this wonderful journey to unleash the inner warrior god or goddess in you through their patient coaching, knowledge and friendliness.
I have never ever taken crossfit before but I have been curious. I just did not want to trek to the one near Port Authority. So when I read on
about this new one opening up near me, I was like, «I’m in!»
I recommend if this is your first time, don’t run 4 miles an hour before like I did. Lesson learn. This crossfit is good for anyone from all walks who want to break the gym routine. «Just do it!»