When your manager asks you to go on a trip to New Zealand for work, the only right answer is YES! So Daphne got on a plane (where she ran into Tia-Clair Toomey, how much more luck does one need?) and added some drop-ins to her work trip. Starting with the box of two rugby brothers at Reebok Crossfit Canterbury in Christchurch!

 

Travel bucketlist: New Zealand!

I don’t know about you, but where I’m from, everybody loves New Zealand. I know many people who would love to go and a few lucky ones that already have had the honor of visiting this majestic corner of the Earth. And since last December, I am one of those lucky few!

Working for an employer headquartered in Christchurch, New Zealand, I was able to tick another item off my travel bucket list. I feel extremely grateful, since I was also able to go to Japan in the same year and visit Chikara Crossfit. Besides work, I had the opportunity to do a quick tour around the South Island, before heading off to Sydney, Australia. But of course, I could not leave New Zealand without getting a taste of how Kiwis crossfit! (yes, I just turned CrossFit into a verb… :))

 

Christchurch

My trip to NZ was a little unexpected and last minute, so I did not have a lot of time to investigate CrossFit boxes in Christchurch. Which lead to a new approach: asking my local (non-CrossFit!) colleagues for advice. We talked about proximity and accessibility (no, I did not dare to drive on the left, so I Ubered my way around Christchurch) until one of them suggested to go to the box “where all the rugby players go”.

You might have heard of the All Blacks, New Zealand’s successful national rugby team and maybe witnessed footage of their impressive haka. And apparently this particular CrossFit box, which opened in 2010, is owned by two brothers: Owen and Ben Franks, both professional rugby players. Fair enough, Wod Abroad always appreciates a box with a special feature!

I decided I wanted to visit the Montreal location of Franks Brothers, also known as Reebok CrossFit Canterbury. After checking the schedule on their website, I contacted the box and got in touch with coach Ginaya to arrange my drop-in for a Monday evening after work.

 

Franks brothers

I arrived at the box a little early so there was a class still ongoing and I had a chance to look around. With the nice set of equipment, lots of space and availability of locker rooms, I liked what I saw. When it was time for our class to start, coach Ginaya introduced herself to the group and vice versa. Ginaya was even nicer in person than she already was online and made me feel very welcome. And then it was time for the wod..

 

The WOD

General warming up

Front squat technique
Front squats for max load 5 X 3
Tabata burpees finisher

Cool down:
Dynamic and static stretching sequence

A good amount of time was spent on warming up for the squats after which we talked about technique, dos and don’ts. Ginaya helped modifying some moves to adjust for injuries and gave some helpful cues. After the front squats we were treated to loads of burpees as a finisher and we ended our workout with some good stretches. After the high fives and group pics it was time to say goodbye and catch an Uber back to the hotel.

 

Warm welcome

This box is very welcoming and enjoys receiving guests of all experience levels from all over the world. With a staff of 10 and 250 members, they nurture an active, social community and participate in CrossFit and weightlifting events. Check out their instagram for the latest updates!

Wod Abroad approves of this well laid out and super friendly box in Christchurch, New Zealand. If you don’t trust us, ask Jamie Greene , she dropped by two weeks later 😉

 

Nice to know

• To arrange a drop-in, contact Franks Brothers/Reebok Crossfit Canterbury through their facebook page or instagram @franksbrothers
• Check out the current class schedule at their website Drop-in fee was 20 NZD when I visited in December 2017, there are special tariffs for multiple drop-ins
• The Montreal location that I visited is a 10-15 min walk from the city center, but since I was located near the airport I took an Uber which took about 15 minutes to get there, be aware of traffic during peak hours. Their second location is in Papanui.

Ps1. My trip around the South Island took me to Queenstown (of course) and while being there, I met some nice members of Crossfit Queenstown. Unfortunately I did not bring my CF gear on that trip, so I can’t vouch for their facilities. But they are very welcoming to guests, so drop them a line to arrange your drop-in when you are in QT!

Ps2. Stay tuned for my next blog about my visit to CrossFit Active in Sydney, Australia