Not CrossFit: Coached Strength Classes in Montclair
By The Char Fitness Club team
One of the questions we hear most is some version of "Is Char a CrossFit?" The short answer is no. The longer answer is worth reading if you like hard workouts but want them coached, scaled to you and built around good form. Here's how our classes on Hartley Street work, so you can decide if they're a fit.
What people usually mean by "not CrossFit"
When someone asks us this, they're rarely criticizing any gym. Usually they're telling us what they want: a tough workout, but one where someone is watching their form, they won't be pushed into lifts they aren't ready for, and they won't feel out of place if they need an easier version. That's the kind of training we built Char around.
How Char's classes are built
Small groups. Classes are capped at 12 people, so a coach can actually see you and correct you.
Form first. Our movements are well structured and easy to modify, and proper form is the priority to keep the risk of injury down.
No barbells in our HIIT workouts. Conditioning work uses movements that can be scaled up or down on the spot.
Modifications for every level. Easier and harder options are part of every class, so beginners and regulars can train side by side.
45 to 60 minutes. Long enough to work hard, short enough to fit around a real week.
The four classes
The Trilogy, our most popular class: strength, conditioning and recovery in one session.
Strength: weight training with a focus on form, scalable for all experience levels.
Sweat: cardio and high-intensity intervals for stamina and heart health.
Stretch: guided mobility and flexibility work to reduce soreness and improve posture.
You can read more on our class descriptions page.
Who Char suits, and who it might not
Char is a good fit if you want coached, structured workouts, like training with a group, and care about moving well for the long run.
It may not be the right fit if you want open-gym hours to follow your own program, or competitive Olympic lifting. Char is class-based: booked, coached classes plus personal training. If you're still comparing options, our guide on how to choose a gym in Montclair has questions worth asking anywhere.
Try it for a week, free
The easiest way to know is to train with us. Your free week lets you try the different classes and see how the coaching feels. Book through Mindbody, then find us at 8 Hartley St., Unit A + B, tucked behind the auto shop on one-way Hartley Street. Street parking is on Hartley St., Washington St. and Bloomfield Ave. Curious about the space first? Take a look inside Char.
