Summer at Crusher: Strength, Confidence, and Community in Waconia, MN

If you’re looking for a gym in Waconia, Minnesota that offers more than just workouts, summer is a great time to discover what makes Crusher different.

Located in Waconia and easily accessible for residents throughout Carver County, Crusher helps people build strength, improve their health, gain confidence, and become part of a supportive community. Whether you’re brand new to fitness, returning after time away, or looking for a better training environment, our goal is to help you succeed.

Looking for a Gym in Waconia or Carver County?

Finding the right gym can be challenging. Many people are looking for a place that provides expert coaching, a welcoming atmosphere, and a program that actually works.

At Crusher, we serve members from Waconia, Victoria, Chanhassen, Watertown, Mayer, Cologne, Norwood Young America, St. Bonifacius, and communities throughout Carver County.

Our members come from all backgrounds and fitness levels, but they share a common goal: they want to live active, healthy lives and feel their best.

Why People Choose Crusher

Real Coaching Every Class

One of the biggest differences between Crusher and a typical gym is that our coaches are actively coaching every workout.

You’re never left wondering what to do, whether you’re performing movements correctly, or how to adjust a workout for your fitness level.

From warm-up to cooldown, our coaches provide instruction, guidance, accountability, and encouragement to help you train safely and effectively.

A Community That Supports You

Many people join a gym for fitness but stay because of the people.

Crusher has built a reputation as a welcoming, supportive community where members encourage one another, celebrate successes, and help each other through challenges.

Whether you’re attending your first class or your 1,000th, you’ll find people who genuinely want to see you succeed.

A Proven Program for Every Fitness Level

You do not need to be in shape before joining Crusher.

Our program is designed to meet you where you are today while helping you make consistent progress over time.

Every workout can be adjusted based on your experience, abilities, and goals. This allows beginners to start confidently while still providing challenges for experienced athletes.

We’ve helped people:

  • Get stronger and build muscle
  • Improve endurance and conditioning
  • Lose body fat
  • Gain confidence in and out of the gym
  • Stay active as they age
  • Prepare for sports, races, and outdoor adventures
  • Improve overall health and quality of life

Summer Programs for Adults and Youth

Summer is one of the best times to establish healthy habits and stay active.

Our summer schedule includes opportunities for both adults and youth to train in a positive, encouraging environment.

Adult Fitness Classes

Our adult classes combine strength training, conditioning, and functional movement to help members become stronger, healthier, and more capable in everyday life.

Whether your goal is general fitness, improved performance, weight loss, or longevity, our programming is designed to help you get there.

Youth Programs

We are passionate about helping young athletes develop strength, confidence, coordination, and resilience.

Our youth programs focus on proper movement mechanics, athletic development, and building confidence in a supportive environment. Young athletes learn skills that benefit them both in sports and in life.

More Than a Gym

At Crusher, we believe fitness should enhance your life outside the gym.

We want our members to have the strength and confidence to chase adventures, keep up with their families, participate in the activities they love, and remain active for years to come.

Our long-term vision is to help create a movement of people throughout Waconia and Carver County who prioritize fitness, health, and community as part of their everyday lives.

Every class, every workout, and every interaction contributes to that mission.

Come Try a Class

If you’ve been searching for:

  • A gym in Waconia, MN
  • A fitness center in Carver County
  • Personal training in Waconia
  • Strength training near me
  • Group fitness classes in Waconia
  • Youth strength training programs
  • A supportive fitness community

We’d love to meet you!

Summer is the perfect time to get started.

Visit Crusher, meet our coaches, experience a class, and see why so many people throughout Waconia and Carver County have chosen Crusher as their home for strength, confidence, and community.

Ready to get started? Contact us today or stop by for a class.

Youth CrossFit: The Crusher Difference

Parents—what’s one thing you want your athlete to gain from training? Strength? Confidence? Speed? Or maybe resilience and mental grit that carries into sports, school, and life?

At Crusher, our youth program goes beyond workouts. We focus on creating strong, well-rounded athletes who are prepared for the sports they love, while also developing confidence, coordination, and injury resilience.

Small Classes, Big Attention

Unlike larger group programs where coaches are stretched across dozens of athletes, our smaller class sizes allow for individualized attention. Each athlete gets guided instruction, immediate feedback, and personalized coaching cues to help them move well and progress safely.

Coaching That Sees the Whole Athlete

We don’t just focus on reps and sets—we focus on how your athlete moves. Our coaches watch closely, correcting mechanics and reinforcing proper technique. This approach not only maximizes performance but also reduces the risk of overuse injuries that can come from repetitive motions without proper guidance.

Programming Designed for Longevity

Crusher’s programming is thoughtfully designed to complement the sports your athlete plays. We balance strength, mobility, power, and endurance so that each athlete builds a well-rounded foundation. From heavy lifts to functional movements, every session is tailored to enhance athleticism, not just fill time on the clock.

Confidence On and Off the Field

Strong bodies build strong minds. As athletes gain strength, improve coordination, and see measurable progress, their confidence grows—both in the gym and in their sport. They learn to challenge themselves, work as a team, and celebrate hard-earned victories.

Why Crusher Stands Out

  • Smaller, focused class sizes for more personal attention

  • Coaches who prioritize movement quality and technique

  • Programming that builds balanced, resilient athletes

  • A supportive environment where confidence and character grow

We’ve seen it time and again—our athletes don’t just get stronger; they gain confidence, coordination, and skills that transfer to sports, school, and life.

If you’re ready to see your athlete thrive in a program designed for real-world athletic performance and long-term growth, join us at Crusher.

Sign up today and let’s help your athlete become stronger, faster, and more confident!

Should Kids Lift Weights?

Weight training and High-Impact training for kids.

Don’t worry, I am not going to get technical with stats and percentages. I’m going to make this simple and relatable for everyone. How many times have you heard…”Kids should not use weights…it will stunt their growth”…Countless times I am sure. I can find countless articles that contradict that and on the flip side I can find articles supporting that. As a parent of two boys who do Crossfit I can tell you I am 100% confident in having them use weights. 

But let’s define “weights”, and more importantly “weights” when it applies to our program. Age appropriate weights is how I’ll describe it.

  • I want you to picture an 8 year old girl holding a set of 2lb-3lb dumbbells doing some shoulder presses.  Now picture a coach beforehand demonstrating proper movement. Can the child demonstrate proper movement without weight? If so, then let’s see how they perform the movement using a very light load. If they can they get to use that weight for the workout. If not, they don’t use a weight. 

Simple as that in our program. The coach dictates what weights are used because we all know little ones, they will grab the heaviest weight they can. It’s in their nature to do that. Weights used are earned through demonstration of movement. The Crossfit Kids training program does not advocate maximal lifts for kids and preteens. We do however advocate supervised low load weight training.  Something to keep in mind however, is how heavy is your child’s back pack?  What types of things do they move around and life on a daily basis?  I will say, much heavier than what we have them lifting in class.  And we are teaching them how to lift those things with proper form.

When our youth are playing their respective sport the force applied to their bodies during play is far greater than those we use in our program. Our application is also done in a controlled setting with no outside variables such as sport. The unforeseen variables in sport pose a far greater risk of injury. Making your child’s muscles and joints stronger will help prevent injury on the field and in everyday life. Helping them move better through proper range of motion will benefit them for their entire life.

Along with age appropriate weight training we also add in high impact training which has huge benefits for your child. These are movements like running, box jumps, and broad jumps just to name a few. Read this article for benefits of high impact and weight training in our youth.

 

http://journal.crossfit.com/2016/11/crossfit-kids-research-brief-bone-density.tpl

Any application of load in any exercise program for anyone needs to be done so correctly. Especially in our youth and our coaches are trained to do so. Explanation, demonstration, correcting of faults, and “earned” loads will keep your child safe and that is Crusher’s number one priority. 

Looking for a place to keep your child active?  Athlete or not –  we would love to help.  Our program is designed for any child of every level.  Email Geo@CrusherCrossFit.Com for more information!

 

Coach Geo

Meet Connor – Teen Athlete!

Teens Athlete Spotlight (November 2019)

 

Athlete – Conner Epping

Age – 15

Member since – March 2017

 

I want to introduce you to one of our amazing Teen athletes, Conner Epping. He puts in the hard work and he is an absolute joy to coach. Conner is part of one of our many families who “Fitness” together here at Crusher CrossFit. His parents Alanna, Joe, and sister Brenna are all part of the Crusher Family. Recently they were seen doing the “CrossFit Open” together as a family in the same heats. Very cool and very inspiring to see as they pushed through very tough workouts along side of each other while the Crusher community cheered them on. 

I recently sat down with Conner for a little Q&A

 

Why did you start CrossFit? My Mom and Dad started and they would talk about it at home. I knew they loved it and they inspired me and I gave it a shot.

Do you enjoy CrossFit? I love it. 

Why do you enjoy CrossFit? It helps me mentally. It has made me more confident. Both in the gym and at school.

Were you nervous to start? Yes, very. But not anymore. I look forward to coming now and challenging myself.

Do you play a sport? No. Crossfit is my sport.

Do you think CrossFit helps you in your academics? Yes, it has taught me to focus more. It also helps with my headaches and anxiety. I feel much better when I come to class.

Have you talked to friends about CrossFit? Yes. My friends Joey and Trevor joined. I like when we all can work out together. It’s fun.

What is your favorite movement? Rowing

What is your least favorite movement? Burpees. I hate those things. (“Conner, I feel your pain here man” – Geo)

Do you like working out with Mom and Dad? Yes, they inspire me to try harder. It’s pretty cool.

Do you plan to continue with CrossFit when you become an adult? Definitely. 

Do you like your coaches? Yes, they are fun and they help me with each workout. They give me scales and tips to get through the workout.

As a coach of Conner I can tell you this kid is awesome and we are the lucky ones that get to coach him. The Epping family continues to inspire all of us and we look forward to seeing them all continue their fitness journey with us. 

 

If you feel encouraged to try something new like Connor did, email me at Geo@CrusherCrossFit.Com – I would love to help.

 

Coach Geo

 

Does Your Child Need More Confidence?

Have you ever seen a child frustrated in a sport? Or gym class? We have all seen it. All the kids on the team are asked to do the same thing. And yes that is what sports are about, right? But sometimes that can lead to a child being dejected that they aren’t as good as someone else. This is even more evident in youth athletics as they get older. Even more so as they transition into high school sports where cuts are made and some kids aren’t even able to get on a team. Most of us won’t continue with a team sport past these years.

In CrossFit we aim to build confidence in every one of our athletes. In our Adults and especially in our little ones. Are all of our athletes the same? No, of course not. All of our athletes vary in both physical and mental capacities. But that’s the beauty in our programming and our expert coaches.  It is tailored to your or your kids specific need. And they will not feel singled out.

  • We adjust our workouts to match the “age appropriate” stimulus for each of our age groups. (We start at age 3!)
  • We then adjust weights, reps, and even the movements for each young athlete. Giving each their own workout that they can accomplish. We have a specific time domain that we want every athlete to finish in. 
  • This builds confidence, rather than them being frustrated and maybe even embarrassed that they can’t do what others are doing.
  • As coaches we give them realistic and challenging goals that they can accomplish. There is nothing better than seeing our kids do that “box jump” they didn’t think they could do. That “handstand” hold they were worried about. 
  • Our program enhances athletic performance. Making your child an all around better athlete makes them more confident out there on the field, court, and ice. Whatever their sport is. We make them better at it.
  • Boosting confidence leads to higher self-esteem.

Come join us. We are building stronger, faster, and most of all more confident little athletes. Our coaches are dedicated to making your child’s fitness journey with us one that they will enjoy. Our focus on safety, sportsmanship, self-discipline, hard work will directly translate to their everyday life outside of the gym.

Best,

Coach Geo

https://crushercrossfit.com/programs/crossfit-kids/

4 Ways to Help Kids Eat Healthy!

It’s no secret. How we fuel our bodies makes a big difference. Our kids need a healthy eating lifestyle as well. Here are a couple of easy ways to help.

  • Breakfast…A healthy breakfast will keep your child full and focused for the first few hours of school. Avoid the easy cereal option that’s loaded with sugar. This causes a quick burst of energy followed by dropping blood sugar levels.  Try these easy options.
      • Eggs with toast and some cut up fruit.
      • Low-Fat Low-Sugar yogurt
      • Oatmeal with some mixed in berries. Play with different textures of Oatmeal until you get it to their liking.
      • Healthy muffins
  • Healthy Snacks…Avoid the candy, cookies, and chips. Add in some fruit, nuts, trail mix, even popcorn can be a better alternative. Don’t force them to eat something, try a few things and you’ll find something they like and can enjoy.

 

  • Hydration…Water, water, and more water. Hydration is key but we also need to avoid sugar filled sodas and juices. Flavor up their water with some low-calorie flavored mix, ice tea, unsweetened sparkling water, and low fat milk are all good options.  Best practice is to drink when you’re thirsty. Drink something with electrolytes before, during, and after physical activity.

 

  • Lead by example… We as parents play the biggest role. Our kids will eat what we eat. Eat better and they will eat better. Learning healthy eating habits now will guide them to a more healthy adult lifestyle.

Can CrossFit Improve Your Child’s Academics?

Believe it. We can help in this area! Not only do we enhance your child’s physical fitness, our program also enhances cognitive development. As stated in the article below, “Crossfit will supercharge the child’s cognitive and physical growth.”

 

Read more here https://rallyfitness.com/blogs/news/how-crossfit-training-can-help-kids-learn

 

“CrossFit Kids uses the natural process of motor development to increase learning effectiveness and efficiency. Instead of confining a child’s development with rules and movement limitations of sports while running the risk of contributing to the detrimental effects of overspecialization, CrossFit Kids uses a child’s natural propensity for constantly varied movement by using constantly varied movement.”

 

  • It is proven that our brain function is higher after physical activity
  • Our class structure promotes learning, adapting, and a higher level of focus
  • It’s no secret, exercise can help your child “recharge” after sitting in school all day. 

So what are you waiting for?  Sign them up today!  Visit our website or email me at Geo@CrusherCrossFit.Com for more information.

Get your kids active!

Nobody wants to do something that isn’t fun right? Well that is something we take to heart here at Crusher Crossfit. In particular with our Kids program. Ask any one of our kids, they enjoy our classes. Sure they are getting a great workout in. Sure we are asking them to work hard. We are getting your child “more fit” but we also know how to make it a FUN experience for them.

Here’s How:

  • In every class, we incorporate a game. We make it active and we make it fun. Most classes even have two, one for a warm up and then one to end the class.
  • Encouraging your child throughout the class, making them laugh and smile. 
  • Positive reinforcement every chance we get.
  • We incorporate team and partner warm ups. Nothing like seeing kids getting that little competitive edge going. We keep these fun and we encourage the teams to cheer for their teammates. 

What’s even better than having fun with a game? The smile on a child’s face when they accomplish a movement or workout they thought they couldn’t have done. That’s what we love to see. We set up our little athletes for success. Our coaches know how to adapt each workout for each child so they can complete the workout and feel good about themselves.  Interested in getting your kid involved?  Email Geo@CrusherCrossFit.Com or head to our programs page and take a look at our options.  Ages 3 and older can participate! 

Getting your kids into an ACTIVE LIFESTYLE!

 

Does this sound familiar?

  • “Put your phone down”
  • “You need to stop playing Xbox”
  • “Get outside and play with your friends”

 

In today’s age that is all too common when we parents are looking at our kids sit inside and not being active outside. How do we combat this? Signing them up for sports and activities is a great start.. But how about signing them for a program that will help them excel at their sport?  Not in sports? How about a program that simply gets them moving. We have the ability to help your child become a stronger athlete..as well as the ability to simply teach your child about body awareness and moving properly. And it is fun!

 

Getting them prepared to maintain an ACTIVE LIFESTYLE as they become adults is so important. And this is where our Crossfit Kids Program comes into play.

 

Crossfit Kids Program!

  • Small group class led by a certified Crossfit Kids Coach
  • Teaching them the 10 General Physical Skills (Endurance, Stamina, Strength, Flexibility, Power, Speed, Coordination, Agility, Balance, & Accuracy)
  • Improved athleticism and sport performance
  • Builds confidence
  • 30-60 minute class structure optimizing your and your child’s time
  • Class options for ages 3-18
  • Fun and varied workouts keeping them focused and interested
  • Teaching them safe and proper movement
  • Teaching them proper age group intensity levels that will develop mental toughness
  • Depending on age, that is what determines the class agenda
  • Boost to social skills
  • Increased knowledge of healthy habits

Our Classes are tailored specifically to the age and ability of your child.  Stop in for more information and to try us out!

 

Keep your Kids Active

DIY Kids Obstacle Course

Want a fun activity for your kids that will help get them moving?

You can create a backyard obstacle course… all with things you already have at your house!

The way kids exercise is by jumping, rolling, running and overall playing. Here are a few ideas to get you started!

  • Cones – Use these to run around, zig zag, or even jump over
  • Hoola Hoops – These can be used to jump through, pick up and hoola hoop, or do an action in them like “Squat” or “5 Jumping Jacks.”
  • Slide – Put a slide mid way through the course – every kid loves a slide!
  • Inter tube – Jump in and out
  • A Towel – Lay this out and when they reach the towel, they do a forward roll on it!
  • Step Stool – Climb it and Jump off (be sure it isn’t too high depending on age)
  • 2×4 – Lay it out and they can work on their balance… think balance beam

As you can see, there are many different items that you probably already have at home! Anything you can think of to jump over, crawl under, roll on, balance etc.. It will work.

Now get your creative juices flowing and go create a fun obstacle course for your kids! {If it is hot – add a sprinkler!}

Next on the agenda? Have your kids rearrange the course you built, and create one on their own.