CrossFit belongs at Queen’s — it’s time for all sides to come to a consensus to make it happen.

Currently, a group that runs CrossFit — an intense interdisciplinary workout, using the ARC facilities without being a sanctioned Queen’s club — is under fire from Athletics and Recreation (A&R). While dialogue continues between the two parties, they’re having trouble finding a way to make CrossFit happen.

The CrossFit group has a large following at Queen’s — its Facebook group has over 500 likes and most sessions attracts over 40 people. The sessions are led by an instructor certified to teach CrossFit, but who isn’t certified as a personal trainer and isn’t hired by the ARC as an official instructor.

A&R is skeptical about allowing the group to become a sanctioned club for countless reasons.

Given the intense and challenging nature of the exercises, there are potential risks to the activity that should be addressed — risks that A&R don’t want to be associated with.

They’ve also expressed concern over the CrossFit instructor’s lack of formally recognized personal training certification.

Even though CrossFit’s instructor isn’t trained in this way, he is still recognized by CrossFit as a certified instructor — something that should carry some weight.

With a trained instructor and adherence to safety precautions to ensure the wellbeing of those being trained, a club should be allowed to exist.

Meeting these standards, CrossFit should be able to provide their service to students in whatever setting. Just like Fencing or Archery are student-run clubs with trained instructors, there’s no reason CrossFit shouldn’t be allowed to follow the same rules.

A&R’s suggestion to turn CrossFit into a Health and Wellness activity, meaning a class that individuals may have to pay for beforehand, is disappointing.

If there’s a trained instructor willing to provide their services to students for free, why should A&R sideline them and then offer the same service at a price?

A&R’s actions make it seem as if the organization is more interested in profiteering than in serving students.

Hopefully, a solution will come out of this that allows CrossFit to become a club, while ensuring that A&R isn’t liable for the safety of the students involved.

A&R and those running the CrossFit group want the same thing — to provide Queen’s students with a positive athletic experience at the University.

If the demand for CrossFit exists, both parties should make it their primary goal to reach a deal that will allow the workout to be practiced further by those who want to learn.

— Journal Editorial Board