What first got you interested in CrossFit?

I used to go to my local gym and spend my time throwing heavy weights around without much purpose, structure or end goal. I’d always skip cardio day and slide off to the sauna at the earliest opportunity and as a result I’d never really see the improvements I was looking for. A friend had recommend I try CrossFit and after sitting on the idea for a while I gave it a go, loved it and now I am hooked!!

Why did you join?

I’d heard of CrossFit Colchester through friends and on Facebook and knew it had an extremely good reputation for having excellent coaching staff. I wanted structure and motivation during my workouts and CrossFit Colchester gives you exactly that!

What did you find most challenging at the start?

My cardio has always been a massive weakness of mine and my motivation to keep going to the gym consistently without breaking for a month here and there. CrossFit Colchester has changed all that for me. Although my cardio is still not where I want it to be, it has improved 10 fold since joining and the workouts just seem to make me want to come back time and time again. There are so many different elements to CrossFit and so many new movements you can learn, thats what makes it so challenging but addictive at the same time. You will never get bored as there is always something new for you to try and perfect. I used to hate Cleans…. I just could’t seem to get the movement right, but thanks to the coaches at CrossFit Colchester, it’s now one of my favourite lifts!

How long have you been a member?

7 Months

What kept you coming back?

The Coaches, The Workouts, The Community, The Price and the fact that I don’t EVER want to go back to being unfit are all the things that keep me coming back to CrossFit Colchester. Once you give it a try, you will love it and get hooked, just like me! The community aspect of CrossFit Colchester is second to none and you will be made to feel welcome by everybody and end up making life long friends.

Name: Leonie MartinAge: 28

Profession: Hairdresser

Favourite Movement: Snatch

What first interested you in CrossFit?

My boyfriend was going to CrossFit and he dragged me to a CrossFit competition, Battle of the Boxes, after trying to convince me that I too would love CrossFit. I signed up for my free trial after leaving the competition, it looked like such good fun!

Why did you join?

I was bored of conventional gyms, the machines and classes became very predictable. I felt like I wasn’t challenging myself enough and I wasn’t getting any fitter or stronger. I needed, and wanted, a change.

What did you find most challenging at the start?

Learning the Olympic lift moves, snatch and clean and jerk. They are quite daunting with the amount of technique involved. But after all the coaches help and cues, they are now my favourite!

How long have you been a member?

3 Years

What kept you coming back?

Noticing a huge change with my weight, strength and body shape. I have always struggled to put on and maintain weight. Crossfit has helped me maintain a healthy weight and build muscle. I want to keep getting stronger and see what my body can do. Oh and all the coaches are great, and make sure I’m doing every move safely!

Name: Holly TurnerAge: 32

Profession: Police Officer

Favourite Movement: Wallballs

What first interested you in CrossFit?

I’d been interested in trying CrossFit for a while after hearing great things from friends over in Canada back in 2012. At the time CrossFit was up and coming in the UK, but unfortunately there wasn’t any boxes around where I lived to give it a try, so I had to stick to boring gym training. I had always loved training and keeping in shape, and over the years I tried many different sports and training methods. Sure I got results, but I always had to drag myself there and I’ll be honest it became monotonous and boring running on a treadmill and having no real direction with weights.

Why did you join?

In June 2015 my boyfriend told me about a Crossfit box that had opened just around the corner from where we lived at the time, so we made contact and went on a Saturday morning to watch the class and check it out. I remember I was instantly hooked and in total awe of the girls there and their fitness levels. I loved the buzz and how friendly and welcoming everyone were, with ego’s being ‘left at the door,’ males and females being equal and the support within a CrossFit family. I didn’t hesitate to sign up instantly!
What I love about CrossFit is that there are people in all shapes and sizes, and the workouts can be scaled to what you can actually do! I started to see results very quickly from the workouts with muscles development and toning, and ladies I soon realised that lifting heavy weights does not mean you are going to get BIG muscles!! For the first time I actually felt confident with my body, felt better in clothes and loved how I felt and looked in a bikini!

What did you find most challenging at the start?

After a little break from CrossFit due to relocating areas, in June 2016 I joined CrossFit Colchester. CrossFit Colchester had always been spoken very highly of, and I had heard very positive things about the box from coaches and people who had been there. I knew it was very well established with competitive athletes so I will be honest I was pretty nervous about joining, but my nerves soon disappeared when I went down on a Sunday morning for a big team birthday WOD for one of the members and was greeted by Chris Quinney and Karrina Howe, who are both coaches there.
Instantly I was made to feel so welcome by everyone who chatted to me and I loved the training programme and the variety of the workout! I was hooked again! One of the things that I love is that even on my low energy days when I feel like im too tired, I walk into the box and instantly my mood can be changed from the energy within the box and the people there. The workouts vary on a daily basis, therefore you never get bored and you always wake up with different parts of your body aching!! My cardio has improved massively (think that’s due to Quinneys love of burpees! Haha!) there is never a workout that doesn’t have me pouring with sweat, and the coaches and athletes always encourage me and push me to my limits, even when im not sure I can be pushed anymore! The team of coaches love to help you and work with you on your form in all aspect especially Olympic Weight Lifting, and the WODs……well its CrossFit. You’ll get your butt kicked time and time again, but you’ll learn to love the misery and pain of the workouts! Haha!
You’ll become faster, stronger, smarter, feel better and look better. The fact is my life would not be the same without CrossFit Colchester.

Name: Michael BlackmoreAge: 31

Profession: Civil Engineer

Favourite Movement: Thruster

What first interested you in CrossFit?

I have joined a lot of conventional gyms in the past but given up pretty quickly due to lack of motivation. It ends up with me wasting a lot money on memberships that I never used, so thought I would give something different a go.

Why did you join?

I wanted to push myself, set a new challenge and take a positive step to feeling better about myself. I need to be constantly motivated, that’s what I liked about the set up at CrossFit Colchester. The small classes and the amount of attention I get from the coaches every session, every day.

What did you find most challenging at the start?

Everything!!! Mainly the gymnastics stuff as I was big guy at the time, carrying a lot of excess weight. I’m now 2 stone lighter and feel so much fitter, stronger and better in my own skin.

How long have you been a member?

2 Years

What kept you coming back?

Great atmosphere, friendly members and motivational coaching. I got a thrill out of all the quick results I gained which lead on to big result I now see in myself. Also the general feeling of being a boss when you hit a PB, doing something you thought was impossible. Joining CrossFit Colchester has really impacted my life in the most positive way, this is the best I’ve felt in years. I wasn’t really in a good place mentally or physically when I started but every week that becomes more of a
distant memory rather than my reality.

Name: Debbie FoxAge: 46

Profession: Care Worker

Favourite Movement: Burpee

What first interested you in CrossFit?

I liked that the classes were smaller than ones that I have been to in commercial gyms in the past. This means that I receive more one to one time with the coaches, they are able to help me scale movements and go through technique thoroughly.
The classes are more challenging than doing my own thing, and I push myself harder working out within a group. I feel fitter and am enjoying the process!

Why did you join?

I get bored very easily and found myself giving up. I needed a new challenge to help me increase my fitness and after my taster session, I was hooked.

What did you find most challenging at the start?

All the names of the movements and actually remembering how to do them! The foundation was great, the coaches go through absolutely everything and the help I received when I actually started taking part in the classes was on point.
The Olympic lifts were quite challenging so I started coming to the beginners weightlifting on a Saturday which was really beneficial.

How long have you been a member?

1 Year

What kept you coming back?

The friendly atmosphere at the gym means that you get to socialise before and after classes, which on a day that I don’t feel like going can be a real motivator. The coaches have all been so helpful, scaling movements, coaching exercises in depth and even nutrition.
The constant feeling of being challenged and the support from the members and staff makes the whole thing really enjoyable!