Our Coaches

Why do you CrossFit?

I CrossFit as I get to train with hundreds of great people everyday within the walls of CrossFit Athletic. It’s like being part of team sport again and you understand this when you become part of what we have.

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been coaching for nine years.

What motivates you as a Coach?

I enjoy seeing people overcome challenges. Whether that is someone who is completely dysfunctional accomplish unachievable movement patters correctly for the first time or aspiring athletes reaching heights they thought were unattainable.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

Soccer, cricket and baseball and I now love golf. Within CrossFit, we have had many great experiences and moments but without a doubt, my proudest moment as an athlete was as part of the CrossFit Athletic Regionals team in 2012 and placing 2nd, winning a spot to the CrossFit Games in LA. We overcame a lot that year and looking back, we had no real idea what we were doing. It was a great achievement though and help us set up as a good competitive gym.

What is your favourite CrossFit movement and your least liked movement?

In my opinion, deadlifts should be done daily. Not a fan of split jerks.

What is your favourite music to work out to?

AC/DC as it reminds me of the early days.

What is your favourite cheat meal?

Oporto’s.

Why do you CrossFit?

I do CrossFit for two main reasons. Firstly, it is a fantastic way to keep fit, stong, mentally stimulated and healthy. Secondly, I love the social aspect of CrossFit. Training daily with your colleagues and members creates fantastic friendships and bonds between people, both inside and outside of the gym.

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been coaching in CrossFit for around 5 years.

What motivates you as a Coach?

Watching people grow in confidence and belief in themselves since they started CrossFit. The change in body shape or improvement in their fitness levels is such a satisfying part of being a Coach and being able to help people achieve their goals is an amazing feeling.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

Yes, soccer and baseball. Winning all four trophies available in one soccer season is one of the best sporting moments I have ever been involved in. Massive team effort!

What is your favourite CrossFit movement and your least liked movement?

I really like bar muscle ups and I could do without thrusters.

What is your favourite music to work out to?

Metallica and AC/DC. Nothing like a good guitar riff and pounding drums to pump you up.

What is your favourite cheat meal?

KFC Chicken dipped in potato and gravy!

Why do you CrossFit?

As a busy man who has always put a huge emphasis on my physical training, time is always a challenge. CrossFit satisfies all of my training needs as well as provides me with a solid community and an avenue to compete. I have dabbled in most sports and training regimes over the years but nothing comes close to keeping me in shape like CrossFit does.

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been heavily involved in the fitness industry for almost a decade as a Personal Trainer and Manager. Half of the time, I have been a CrossFit athlete, with a solid 3 years as a Coach at CrossFit Athletic.

What motivates you as a Coach?

As a lover of all things sports and fitness, I love sharing my knowledge with the members. Nothing fires me up like someone having a red hot go! Coaching people to step outside their comfort zone and do things or go places they didn’t think they could, keeps me motivated and in the game.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

Before getting into CrossFit, I was an active Ironman Triathlete and Ultra-distance runner. Prior to that, I dabbled in Surf Life Saving, BMX riding, Rugby, Body Building, Ultra-Distance Road Cycling and currently Mixed Martial Arts. I also love Stand Up Paddleboarding (both surfing and endurance) and Brazilian jiu jitsu. As an athlete, my proudest moment would be stepping into the cage for my first MMA fight followed closely by crossing the finish line after my Ironman Triathlon.

What is your favourite CrossFit movement and your least liked movement?

The Snatch. I like all movements as they all pose different challenges.

What is your favourite music to work out to?

Rock and metal.

What is your favourite cheat meal?

Enough Mexican food to feed a medium sized Mexican village (and an African one too).

Why do you CrossFit?

From the first time I ever tried CrossFit I immediately fell in love with the way that CrossFit as a strength and conditioning methodology combines so many different elements of training (strength, flexibility, mobility, and metabolic conditioning) into one program. It is very easy to become stagnant with training and lose interest and I think that CrossFit as a training methodology is a great way to stay motivated.

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been coaching CrossFit at an affiliate since November 2013, so just over 2 years. Before CrossFit I was a Personal Trainer/Strength Coach for 2 years, so, I have been coaching in the fitness industry for about 4 years.

What motivates you as a Coach?

Coaching CrossFit has always been something that I have thoroughly enjoyed. Watching people progress from their first few classes where they give you a look of disbelief at what you are trying to coach them to seeing them master the various elements of their training and move on to more advanced movements gives me a sense of fulfilment and joy. I think as an athlete myself it gives me passion and drive to want to help others become the best version of themselves and achieve things they never thought possible.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

As a youngster growing up in Adelaide, AFL footy and Cricket were my two main sports. When I moved to Sydney I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to try snow skiing. I immediately fell in love with both down hill and cross-country skiing and this became my new winter sport. I competed at a regional, state and national level in both skier-cross and cross-country disciplines all throughout high school. I also competed at a first grade level for cricket through high school.

What is your favourite and least favourite CrossFit movements?

The Snatch is my favourite. This movement requires a combination of skill, timing, mobility, flexibility, strength and power. Any movement that combines all these elements I highly regard as one of my favourites! It doesn’t mean it’s my best movement but it’s the one I have most joy in constantly trying to improve.

Least liked – thrusters. Just because they suck.

What is your favourite cheat meal?

KFC Chicken nuggets 24 pack would be my ultimate cheat meal. It’s very rare but when I feel like I have earned it, it happens!

Why do you CrossFit?

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been a PT for over 7 years and coaching at CFA for over 1 year.

What motivates you as a Coach?

It’s gonna sound cheese but helping people to live healthy and happy life is the biggest satisfaction. Meeting new people and be surrounded by great community helps too 🙂

What is your favourite hobby outside of  CrossFit?

What is your favourite CrossFit movement and your least favourite?

I really enjoy the Snatch and Cleans. I really don’t like pull ups.

What is your favourite cheat meal?

Chicken burger with bacon or chicken laksa.

Why do you CrossFit?

I initially did CrossFit as a way to train functionally for other pursuits but eventually found myself doing it as it is a great way to be an all-rounder in strength and fitness.

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been coaching for 9 years and CrossFit for 5.

What motivates you as a Coach?

I get a kick out of people who put in the effort and continue to listen, learn and develop to make themselves better. That applies for both top-level athletes and those who have never stepped into a gym.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

Rugby and surf life saving and my proudest moment would have been CrossFit Regionals in 2013, when my team made Top 5 with little supervision. It was such a great team to be a part of.

What is your favourite CrossFit movement and your least liked movement?

The Snatch. Takes a lot of time to learn and practice to master it. And I totally dislike wall walks. To tall for that rubbish and my head always explodes!

What is your favourite music to work out to?

Dance or rock.

What is your favourite cheat meal?

Mexican or pizza.

Why do you CrossFit?

I do CrossFit because it’s a constant challenge, there is always something that can be improved and worked upon. Whatever my goals are, there is an element within CrossFit that can be tailored to want I want to achieve.

How long have you been coaching for?

I started coaching football at a young age and got more into personal training during my time at university. To date I’ve been coaching for 15 years.

What motivates you as a Coach?

As a coach I am fascinated by human movement and working on fixing minor deficiencies that can make training more efficient. Everyone moves differently so every session brings something new, being able to work with a diverse group of people and help them improve on something they have a passion for is highly motivating for me.

Do you have a favourite hobby outside CrossFit?

My favourite hobby outside the gym is football (soccer), it’s a large part of my culture from home and my training in the gym certainly benefits my hobby.

What is your favourite music to train to?

My favourite music to train to depends on what I’m doing in the gym. Strength and skill work I prefer rap or rock, aerobic work has to be trance!

What is your favourite cheat meal?

My favourite treat meal is a recently discovered one, the blame Canada burger from Bar Luca with all the trimmings… Amazing!

I enjoy the wide variety CrossFit (strength, cardio, Olympic lifting Etc.) offers as well as being able to train in a group environment/atmosphere.

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been coaching for around 2 years.

What motivates you as a Coach?

I enjoy seeing people improve in the training and fitness levels. Seeing the change in the person in all areas of their life outside of just fitness levels is very rewarding also.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

I did surf life saving at a young age into my teenage years, as well as rugby league until the age of 22.

What is your least liked CrossFit movement?

Anything upside down.

What is your favourite cheat meal?

Burgers, regularly.

Why do you CrossFit?

To be dynamic/mobile so I can return to MMA/Jiu Jitsu.

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been coaching classes for around 3 years and have been a PT for 4 years.

What motivates you as a Coach?

Knowing that I can add value to someone else’s life via helping them hit their goals and push beyond their boundaries. Seeing their results goes to show that when you commit to something with the right prescription, you can achieve. I think this applies to life overall.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

4 years of rugby and rowing and then MMA since the age of 18.

What is your favourite CrossFit movement?

Muscle ups or deadlifts

What is your favourite cheat meal?

Meat-lovers pizza and Messina ice cream (in one sitting).

Why do you CrossFit?

Because it works! For the first time in my life, I found something that keeps me fit, healthy and is making me younger. Add a great community to train with and soon you will be making appointments with yourself to make sure you don’t miss out on your training session.

How long have you been coaching for?

Not long. My background is investment banking so fitness as a profession is fairly new to me, so there is a lot to learn, practice and perfect. We have a high standard at CrossFit Athletic, so I have great benchmarks to aspire to.

What motivates you as a Coach?

The transformation – watching people set goals, change behaviours, do and achieve is fantastic. To think you have had some influence in this process is phenomenal.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

I read a lot about sports. Not really. I played some sport growing up in particular soccer but I was never great at it so rarely pushed myself. Great to see that we can change!

What is your favourite CrossFit movement and your least liked movement?

Olympic lifting is my favourite area as you are always learning something new and it takes a long time to master. I hate double unders because I have yet to do them. There is something about them that just does not gel with my brain but suspect that if I practiced a bit more, I may just get them.

What is your favourite music to work out to?

Rap or 80s new wave

What is your favourite cheat meal?

Love burgers (with a bun) and Nutella (with everything).

Why do you CrossFit?

I CrossFit for the challenge of learning new exercises continuously, the challenge of the workout both physically and mentally, to see how far I can push my body until it just about gives up. But most of all, I CrossFit for the community – being able to sweat with your mates it’s like playing team sports again.

How long have you been coaching for?

I have been coaching at CrossFit Athletic Mona Vale for the last year and prior to that I have been a personal trainer for the last 6-7 years.

What motivates you as a Coach?

What motivates me as a Coach is seeing people reach their full potential with their fitness in a workout even though they thought it was never possible. Seeing members get better and better each day as they start to apply themselves more and more to fitness is a great outcome to your workday.

Do you have a sporting background pre-CrossFit?

I come from a background of Rugby League, I played up to Reserve grade with the Penrith Panthers before giving it away at age 22. After that I took up running whilst working as a PT and in the process completed a marathon and several half marathons. My proudest moment has to be when I qualified for CrossFit Regionals as an Individual during the 2014 season in my 3rd year of CrossFit. I finished 30th in the Open and went on to finish 30th at Regionals.

Why do you CrossFit?

I enjoy the variety and the challenges I always face along with the fun environment of training in great company, and I love how good I feel after : )

What is your favourite CrossFit movement? 

Deadlifts.

What is your least favourite CrossFit movement?

Double unders should have never been invented.

What is your favourite music to listen to when you train?

A little bit of Rock music is always good .. Metallica, Bon Jovi, AC/DC that kind of thing.

What is your favourite cheat meal?

Some good Italian pizza is always a favourite.