Image via Shutterstock.

You may have heard the joke “If someone who enjoys CrossFit is alone in the woods where no one can hear them, do they still talk about CrossFit?”

The popular fitness regimen certainly has its fans, and it’s their enthusiasm in part that has led to a reputation of being cultish. That’s precisely what District Crossfit owner Andrew Killion wanted to push back against in a recent Facebook post. In doing so, though, detractors say he just proved their point.

Killion compares the top tagged Instagram photos from District Crossfit to those at Vida Fitness At The Yards, another boutique gym in D.C.

He writes that on Vida’s page, one finds, “Pretty much nothing but selfies. People focusing on themselves and trying to appear as cool as possible. There’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone deserves self love. And let’s be honest, VIDA is the kinda place where you go to be see and be seen [sic]. It’s essentially a nightclub with weights in it.”

He contrasts that with the top posts at District Crossfit (one of many independently-owned area businesses that offer the franchised workout), which he describes as “Not one. single. selfie. Nothing with a hint of self indulgence.” Instead, he says, there are videos of folks working out together, getting coached, and being part of group photos.

“Yet some how Crossfit gets the reputation of being ‘elitist?'” Killion asks.

After a barrage of critical comments on the post and a Reddit post, Killion followed up by saying that many people “found it overly confrontational and aggressive,” though he maintains that he wasn’t trying to dis Vida. He just wanted to point out the contrast between the posts.

In a phone call this morning, Killion maintained that he stands by his message, even if his tone came off harsher than intended. “I was perhaps a little too aggressive in pointing out the stark differences,” he says. “But look at the differences—I just think it’s very telling. Our posts are all about community, and Vida’s are all about selfies of very attractive people.”

He says he noticed the Instagram posts because District Crossfit is trying to reach out to local businesses through social media.

“I have nothing against Vida personally. I love Vida. I wasn’t meaning to attack people, or say that CrossFit is better or cooler,” he says, adding that the two gyms just have different attitudes towards fitness. “You will not see a bar on our roof or a $6,000 Pec Deck machine.”

So far, Vida Fitness At The Yards has not responded to requests for comment. It’s one of six Vida locations in the city, where membership options range from a monthly fee of $70-$129. Vida offers perks for members who post photos and check in on social media.

District CrossFit has about 300 members, who pay between $120-$250 per month for the class-based fitness regimen. It opened its doors in 2010.

Despite the proliferation of boutique fitness options in the city for those who can afford it, swaths of D.C. remain a “physical activity desert,” according to a study from the Active Kids, Healthy Community initiative. Ward 7 is the most difficult ward to find a safe, affordable place to engage in physical activity, with some kids needing to walk more than half a mile to find a recreation space, the study says.