Bank Holidays & Paleo - Neils Blog - Part 4

So more news from the Farley camp......

We all went training as a family on the recent bank holiday and once again (as they usually do on bank holidays) Connect opened up the classes to over 30 people and by using expert programming made it a team WOD that everybody could enjoy.

Plenty of room at Connect for some big Team events!

Team WODs are always great fun and this was no exception. It did have a downside as my team got beaten by Sarah's team and Madi's team but Sarah did manage to hit herself in the head with a 10kg plate whilst beating me so not all bad!  Haha! (I might be going to pay for that later ...!)

The fact that we can all go together makes training easier and even though my son Leo is only four and obviously too young to take part he is always made to feel welcome and loves coming down with us. He gets to swing on the rings and he loves the punch bag but I think his favourite is the chalk bucket!

Away from the training, Sarah has also started what is called the 30-Day Paleo challenge. This again is something that Connect offers and is an excellent support to fitness and health. It’s run by Barney and Holly who created Caveman Snacks and PlanP (check them out on Facebook and Twitter) and every six months or so we are invited to commit to a 30 day strict Paleo eating plan.

If you have never heard of Paleo, it is a 'modern nutritional eating plan based on the diet of Paleolithic humans'. It is also referred to as the caveman diet and avoids refined/processed foods and any that are perceived to be agricultural products. Basically you can eat what cavemen used to be able to hunt or gather. a great resource and place to start learning about this is on Marks Daily Apple.

The 30 day challenge results are amazing. The first time I tried it I lost 7kg and 3in off my waist. An astonishing result in just 30 days. I also had more energy and felt great. I can't recommend this highly enough. We have followed Paleo since starting at Connect but it’s always good to strip it back every now and again and do this challenge in its entirety.

I know we have posted this before but its always good to see the change Neil has made!

CrossFit sometimes gets some bad press; people slate it for bad coaching, poor form and high injury rates. I'll agree that there are some poor quality coaches out there who tend to teach weight over technique and if you search YouTube you will see some horror stories. This is not true of Connect. Our coaches are second-to-none with years of experience and the one thing they all tell you is technique, technique, technique! They always have three different scales to the workout too (Health, Fitness and Performance) so you can choose exactly the right difficulty level for your current level of ability or fitness. Along with the normal CrossFit classes they offer Olympic lifting classes, gymnastic classes, mobility classes and barbell classes too to ensure everyone can develop the essential skills that make CrossFit so damn fun!

With 3 different WOD options each day we always scale you to your current
abilities to ensure safety and the fastest progress.

Success Stories

With all the training that goes on down at the box and the high frequency we see our members every week its sometimes easy to forget the journey that some of them have been on.

We see them training hard and following our dietary advice, we programme our sessions to hit their fitness from all sides and we are always around to offer support via email, Facebook and in person at the box whenever they need it.

We have been doing this CrossFit thing for over 3 years now but you know what? It still amazes me when one of our members shows us old photos of themselves before they joined up. It shouldn't amaze me because I know what we do and the advice we give is the best advice they can listen too and follow and I know the CrossFit methodology irrefutably works. I've seen it with so many people over the years. But I still get that buzz of excitement when I see that absolute change in one of our guys or girls. I guess its why we do this job and why I wouldn't want to do anything else. 

Neil Farley joined us in August of last year (2012) after continual harassment from most of his friends and family who were already training with us! You know how it is if you do CrossFit. WODs, training and AMRAPs become your sole topic of conversation that you get to bore all your acquaintances with!

So he finally gave in and came down to check us out himself......

Neil at 98kg.

This 'before' photo was taken a few years earlier when Neil had decided enough was enough and had signed up for a 10km run. At this point he weighed 98kg. We cant take all of the credit for his weight loss as at this point he had started running and cycling to work. He says he joined a gym but like most big-chain gym memberships it hardly got used as he got bored and had no direction or guidance in the right way to train.

By the time he joined us he had already done a fantastic job of getting his weight down to 89kg but felt as though he needed more of a push as he wasn't seeing any more progress.

As well as training consistently with us at least 3 times a week, Neil also joined up to our regular Paleo challenges run by Plan P. These 30-day events are an introduction to the Paleo way of eating for our members. Provided is a full two-week recipe meal plan created by coach and chef extrodinaire Barney Gehlcken (who runs the kitchen at the fantastic Noble House Pub in Hove, East Sussex) and full shopping lists of things to buy and things not to buy. We also weigh and measure everybody in at the beginning so that we know exactly what progress they make during the 30 days.

It most definitely isn't easy, with the hardest part being 7-10 days in when the body is craving sugar and headaches and mood swings are common. However, after about 14 days the body starts to switch energy sources and you start to feel amazing. For more info on Plan P or the Paleo diet click on the links.

Neil had a fantastic success with his paleo and has kept it up ever since. It really does change the way you think about food and what you put into your mouth. Yes, of course there are still times for treats but on the whole most of our members who try it out end up sticking with it for the majority of their meals.

Neil at a sprightly 72.5kg this week.

Neil lost an impressive 5.5kg in weight and 3 inches from his waistline whilst on the challenge, taking him down to where he is at today......a fantastic 72.5kg.

The change from last August has been amazing to witness and be a part of and now Neil is fully in tune with the CrossFit way of life. He trains hard, takes our advice on board and is feeling a whole load better for it. Oh and yes, he does now talk about CrossFit all the time too.

If you would like more information on CrossFit, Paleo or Plan P and how we could help you out just give us a call or drop us a line. We're ready to help.

Lets see those photos again. Great work Neil, fantastic job!

30-Day Paleo Challenge June RESULTS!

At Reebok CrossFit Connect we are in the business of changing peoples lives. And this is never highlighted better than when we run our 30 day paleo challenge and gather in the results.

And, just like all the others we have run, this most recent one has been a resounding success. The changes that our group of intrepid paleo adventurers have gone through in just 30 days has been absolutely amazing. Yes, we provide the training and the food plans but it is their hard work and determination that gets them to their destination. The sceptical faces we saw at the opening talk by Barney (our resident paleo nutritionist) are replaced by something along the lines of "So you guys DO know what you're talking about!" when we weigh and measure you up. I know a lot of you simply cant believe that those results can come from just 30 days.

Lets have a little recap for those of you that don't know what's involved.


For 30 days we asked our members to train 2-4 times a week at the box and to follow a strict paleo food plan drawn up by Barney and Plan P. Eating paleo is not an easy concept to get your head around initially as it cuts out a lot of things that most people have considered a staple part of their diet for all of their lives; potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and dairy. Just what are you meant to have with your meat and vegetables at dinner time? Or lunch without sandwiches? Are you crazy?!

However, it takes perhaps a week to 10 days for you to realise that you can live without those items and not long after that to fully feel the benefits of not having them in your diet. You have more energy and your energy levels are more balanced across the whole day without having the highs and lows associated with big sugar spikes. This is not to mention the longer term health benefits that a wheat and sugar free diet brings. For a great resource and more info on the paleo diet see here.

Eating like this alongside a short duration, high intensity training programme such as CrossFit produces big changes in body composition, helping you to reduce your body fat percentage whilst building lean muscle. There is no magic pill. Just sound nutritional advice, great coaching and the personal effort needed to work hard.


Okay so lets get down to it. What exactly did our members achieve whilst following the plan?

We had 16 people complete the challenge. And here are the results:

Total weight lost:                   37.2kg
Total body fat % lost:            33.5% 
Total waist inches reduced:    31.75
Total hip inches reduced:       10.75 (on 7 female participants)

(I dont want to give out individual results and names on the blog but if you would like more exact details then they will be available down at the box.)

This truly was an amazing set of results. Also, when you take into account that not everyone wanted to lose weight doing the challenge (losing weight and losing body fat are two different things) it becomes even more impressive. The remarkable thing about paleo is that you will only lose the excess fat you are carrying. The stuff you don't want. If you are eating adequate amounts of protein and calories you wont start losing precious muscle. That's not how it works. 

Whilst carrying out the plan everyone still saw good increases in their strength and fitness levels too, a fact that is recorded in a personal diary of achievement that every member keeps and fills in after every session. We can see the exact progress they are making and importantly for them it acts as a great motivational tool.

Now that the 30 days are over its great to hear that many of our participants are going to stick with this way of life and eating. It does make you feel so fantastic that you really don't want to go back to your old habits. Yes, you can treat yourself now again with the things you like but being so strict for 30 days really does reinforce how bad the junk products make you feel.

We'd like to say a massive well done to everyone that completed the challenge.

A special mention we feel should also go to Darren, Alex B, Bear, Michelle and Caz who made the biggest changes out of all losing 19.8kg in weight, 18" round the waist and 13.6% body fat between them. Brilliant stuff!

If you would like to know more about the next Plan P challenge, CrossFit or simply want to see the place where our members are seeing so much success then give us a call, drop us a line or come down to the box and say 'Hi'. We are a friendly, community driven gym where top quality coaching and nutrition advice are combined to really make a difference to your life.

http://www.crossfitconnect.co.uk
http://www.planp.co.uk
http://www.cavemansnacks.co.uk

New Year, New Leaf, New You!

Yep, whilst you still have all the enthusiasm in the world its time to decide the best place to go and get yourself into shape. Where is it going to be this year? Do you still even go to the gym you signed up for this time 12 months ago? Or more importantly can you really still the results of all your hard work stacking up in your favour? Are you getting stronger? Are you losing body fat? Can you honestly say you are on the path to where you want to be in three, six or twelve months time?

If so then congratulations! Its a nice feeling isnt it! :)
If not then perhaps its time for a change. Time to try something new.

Time then to get down to CrossFit Connect or one of the many CrossFit boxes popping up near you. CrossFit is growing rapidly and there are now over 75 CrossFit gyms or 'boxes' in the UK. Not to mention somewhere in the region of another 2500 worldwide.

The first few months of this year are going to be a busy time for our guys and gals at the box.  First up is our January paleo challenge which you can read about below, then we've got to get training for the UK CrossFit Throwdown Games happening in February at Brunel University and then towards the end of February registration opens for the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. This year is bound to be bigger than ever with live broadcasting on ESPN and the general awareness of CrossFit growing massively last year thanks to Reeboks involvement.

So what can you get by coming down and checking out CrossFit Connect?

Do you want to drop body fat? Check.
Do you want to drop inches off your waist? Check
Do you want to drop your weight by as much as 5kgs? Check
Do you want to improve your strength, fitness and speed? Check
Do you want to make friends and actually enjoy coming to the gym? Check

Do you want all of this in just 30-days with a simple eating plan and some good old fashioned hard work? You bet you do!

Okay, so I'm not telling you its going to be easy or that we do all of this for you. You have to WANT to make the change and you have to actually WANT to make this happen.
We as coaches are here to guide you, motivate you and teach you how to become fitter, faster and stronger. CrossFit changes peoples lives. You just have to make that decision to try it and you wont look back.

Results from our recent challenges amazed the people who took part. Here's a section of an earlier post from the first challenge:

Ten of our members completed the challenge and i have to say they are very happy with the outcome. Plan P included a detailed meal plan drawn up by our 3 AA rosette winning chef, a food diary, a carefully structured training programme of lifting and WODs (workout of the day) and full support via email and phone. We didn't allow them any cheat days so that they could feel the true benefits of being 100% 'clean' and most of them trained at least three times a week down at the box.

The measurements we took were:
Weight (Kgs)
Body Fat % (as a total)
Body Fat % (as a score in four areas of the body; biceps, triceps, hips and shoulder)
Waist in Inches
Hips in Inches

So what happened and how did they feel?

Between them they lost:
27.8kg in weight (approx 4.4 stone)
19.4% body fat
15 inches around their waists!
(I dont want to give out individual results and names over the internet but if you would like more exact details then they will be available down at the box. Also, the 15in waist measurement total was only between 7 people not 10!)


Not bad eh? And this includes a few people who weren't looking to actually lose much weight but to just lean up around the mid-section. The before and after photos we took showed great differences and we kept having to remind ourselves that this was in fact only a 30-day challenge and not longer. Imagine 30 days from now being over half a stone lighter and having 5% less body fat around your mid-section? You'd take that wouldn't you?

I should also tell you that we saw some amazing increases in strength during that time as well proving that you can indeed get stronger and lose weight at the same time. One Deadlift went from 140kg to 170kg and one Shoulder Press from 32.5kg to 50kg.

CrossFit and Paleo are a potent combination.


We have packages for existing members and new members alike.
Members entry is £15.


For new members the package is outlined below:
~30-day Plan P guide including detailed meal plans, food diary, shopping lists and exercise guide.
~Personal two hour Intro course at CrossFit Connect.
~One months membership at CrossFit Connect that includes unlimited classes.
~Full health check and measurement assessment at beginning and end.

Cost = £125 (a 15% saving on individual costs)

If you would like to know more about the next Plan P challenge, CrossFit or simply want to see the place where our members are seeing so much success then give us a call, drop us a line or come down to the box and say 'hi'. We are a friendly, community driven gym where top quality coaching and nutrition advice are combined to get you into the best shape of your life. 


The challenge starts on Monday January 16th and will run for 30 days. We will be holding a talk from our resident paleo chef Barney on Saturday January 14th at which time we will also take your starting measurements and photos if you wish. You will also be able to collect your paleo books at this time for those that need them.


If you have any other questions don't hesitate to drop us an email. I would wish you good luck but you dont need it! If you sign up, follow what we say and train hard the results will speak for themselves. 
Come and find out about the buzz thats being generated by one of the best gyms in Brighton and Hove . We produce results. Full stop.


Take care

September Paleo Challenge Results!

So our second 30-day paleo challenge in association with Plan P has come to an end and everybody has been weighed in and measured up!

And just like in June the results have been fantastic! A big well done to everyone that completed the 30-days. I think there may have been a few wobbles this time round if the talk in the box is to be listened too but the results are still plain to see!

A paleo diet and CrossFit training is a potent combination to melt away fat, increase muscle and leave you feeling faster, fitter, stronger and leaner.

Its been fantastic to watch our guys and girls improving so much with their lifts, their skills and their fitness over the last few months and to see the newcomers to the paleo diet taking to it and learning its principles is great. Myself and Holly are in this business to change peoples lives and i think the feeling you get when you complete the 30-day challenge is enough to convince you that what we keep blabbering on about is the truth! :)

Eating paleo is not an easy concept to get your head around initially as it cuts out a lot of things that most people have considered a staple part of their diet for all of their lives; potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. Just what are you meant to have with your meat and vegetables at dinner time? Or lunch without sandwiches? Are you crazy?!

However, it takes perhaps a week to 10 days for you to realise that you can live without those items and not long after that to fully feel the benefits of not having them in your diet. You have more energy and your energy levels are more balanced across the whole day without having the highs and lows associated with big sugar spikes. This is not to mention the longer term health benefits that a wheat and sugar free diet brings.


Okay so lets get down to it!

This time around we had 10 people complete the new Plan P guide. And here are the results:

Total weight lost:                   22.4kg
Total body fat % lost:            12% (on 6 participants)
Total waist inches reduced:    15.25
Total hip inches reduced:       10.75

(I dont want to give out individual results and names on the blog but if you would like more exact details then they will be available down at the box.)

Another amazing result and a new batch of members feeling all the better because of it!

Averaging that out comes to 2.2kg and 2% body fat lost per person in 30 days which, if continued like that until Christmas, would mean a drop of 9kg and 8% body fat! Imagine how good you would be feeling about yourselves then! Of course, not everyone wants to lose that much weight. The remarkable thing about paleo is that you only lose the excess fat that you are carrying. The stuff you don't want. If you are eating adequate amounts of protein and calories you wont start losing precious muscle. That's not how it works. And I'm sure the vast majority of people could do with a 5-8% drop in body fat!


This was achieved at the same time of course that everyone saw good increases in their strength and fitness levels, a fact that is recorded in a personal diary of achievement that every member keeps and fills in after every session. We can see the exact progress you are making and importantly for you it acts as a great motivational tool. 

If you would like to know more about the next Plan P challenge, CrossFit or simply want to see the place where our members are seeing so much success then give us a call, drop us a line or come down to the box and say 'hi'. We are a friendly, community driven gym where top quality coaching and nutrition advice are combined to really make a difference to your life.


http://www.crossfitconnect.co.uk
http://www.planp.co.uk
http://www.cavemansnacks.co.uk

Sugar, Sugar, Sugar!

Hey all.

We are into the last week of our September Paleo Challenge and i hope you are all by now feeling fantastic and energised.

We've heard from a few of you that it took a bit of getting used to changing your diet in this way but this is completely normal. I'm also glad to say that those of you that were wobbling stuck with it after our advice and are now feeling the true benefits of a clean diet.

The challenge officially finishes next Sunday 2nd October so have a great week of super nutritious, clean eating and then we'll see what a change can be made in just 30-days when we take all your measurements again next week!

Make sure your food diaries are being filled in so you can see exactly how good you have been over the last four weeks (and so can we!!)

At the end of the challenge we will then follow up with a 'what to do next' post concerning how to go about maintaining your new diet and not slipping back into your old ways. Yes you can start introducing a few of the things you have really missed, but in moderation and not everyday! In fact, going back to eating how you were before will more than likely make you feel quite sick.

As a little bit of encouragement i thought you may find this of interest! When you see the sugar laid out like it is next to the products it truly is stunning how much sugar we ingest without thinking about it. Imagine your disgust (I would hope!! haha!) if someone asked you to eat 10 sugar cubes instead of having a can of Coke!! Crazy isn't it!

(The pictures can be found on the internet but i got the one below from here:
http://fitter-faster-stronger.blogspot.com/)


Have a good week and see you at the box.

September Paleo Challenge

So there are 5 days to go to sign up for our September Paleo challenge. We have a whole stack of people on board this time to try to 'go Paleo' for 30-days and see what great results they can achieve.

Do you want to drop body fat? Check.
Do you want to drop inches off your waist? Check
Do you want to drop your weight by as much as 5kgs? Check
Do you want to improve your strength, fitness and speed? Check

Do you want all of this in just 30-days with a simple eating plan and some good old fashioned hard work at CrossFit Connect? You bet you do!

Okay, so I'm not telling you its going to be easy or that we do all of this for you. You have to WANT to make the change and you have to actually WANT to make this happen.
We as coaches are here to guide you, motivate you and teach you how to become fitter, faster and stronger. CrossFit changes peoples lives. You just have to make that decision to try it and you wont look back.

Results from our June challenge amazed the people who took part. Here's a section of an earlier post from the first challenge:

Ten of our members completed the challenge and i have to say they are very happy with the outcome. Plan P included a detailed meal plan drawn up by our 3 AA rosette winning chef, a food diary, a carefully structured training programme of lifting and WODs (workout of the day) and full support via email and phone. We didn't allow them any cheat days so that they could feel the true benefits of being 100% 'clean' and most of them trained at least three times a week down at the box.

The measurements we took were:
Weight (Kgs)
Body Fat % (as a total)
Body Fat % (as a score in four areas of the body; biceps, triceps, hips and shoulder)
Waist in Inches
Hips in Inches

So what happened and how did they feel?

Between them they lost 27.8kg in weight (approx 4.4 stone), 19.4% body fat and 15 inches around their waists!
(I dont want to give out individual results and names over the internet but if you would like more exact details then they will be available down at the box. Also, the 15in waist measurement total was only between 7 people not 10!)


Not bad eh? And this includes a few people who weren't looking to actually lose much weight but to just lean up around the mid-section. The before and after photos we took showed great differences and we kept having to remind ourselves that this was in fact only a 30-day challenge and not longer. Imagine 30 days from now being over half a stone lighter and having 5% less body fat around your mid-section? You'd take that wouldn't you?

I should also tell you that we saw some amazing increases in strength during that time as well proving that you can indeed get stronger and lose weight at the same time. One Deadlift went from 140kg to 170kg and one Shoulder Press from 32.5kg to 50kg.

CrossFit and Paleo are a potent combination.


We have packages for existing members and new members alike.


Members entry is £15.


For new members the package is outlined below:
~30-day Plan P guide including detailed meal plans, food diary, shopping lists and exercise guide.
~Personal two hour Intro course at CrossFit Connect.
~One months membership at CrossFit Connect.
~Full health check and measurement assessment at beginning and end.

Cost = £150


If you would like to know more about the next Plan P challenge, CrossFit or simply want to see the place where our members are seeing so much success then give us a call, drop us a line or come down to the box and say 'hi'. We are a friendly, community driven gym where top quality coaching and nutrition advice are combined to get you into the best shape of your life. 


We will be taking starting measurements from this Wednesday 31st August until Saturday 3rd September when the challenge starts. Paleo books with food guide, menu plans and food diaries will be available from Saturday 3rd from the box.


If you have any other questions don't hesitate to drop us an email. Also see our facebook page at:
http://tinyurl.com/3rk5x39 for updates.


I would wish you good luck but you dont need it!
If you sign up, follow what we say and train hard the results will speak for themselves. 
Come and find out about the buzz thats being generated by one of the best gyms in Brighton and Hove . We produce results. Full stop.


Take care

Paleo Challenge Results!

First off a massive congratulations to everyone who took part in the first 30-day Paleo challenge at CrossFit Connect in association with Plan P and Caveman Snacks!

Eating Paleo is not an easy concept to get your head around initially as it cuts out a lot of things that most people have considered a staple part of their diet for all of their lives; potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. Just what are you meant to have with your meat and vegetables at dinner time? Or lunch without sandwiches? Are you crazy?!

However, as we explained in our opening talk on the subject at the beginning of the challenge, it takes perhaps a week for you to realise that you can live without those items and not long after that to fully feel the benefits of not having them in your diet. You have more energy and your energy levels are more balanced across the whole day without having the highs and lows associated with big sugar spikes (pasta lag anyone?!). This is not to mention the longer term health benefits that a wheat and sugar free diet brings.

Ten of our members completed the challenge and i have to say they are very happy with the outcome. Plan P included a detailed meal plan drawn up by our 3 AA rosette winning chef, a food diary, a carefully structured training programme of lifting and WODs (workout of the day) and full support via email and phone. We didnt allow them any cheat days so that they could feel the true benefits of being 100% 'clean' and most of them trained at least three times a week down at the box.

The measurements we took were:
Weight (Kgs)
Body Fat % (as a total)
Body Fat % (as a score in four areas of the body; biceps, triceps, hips and shoulder)
Waist in Inches
Hips in Inches

So what happened and how did they feel?

Between them they lost 27.8kg in weight (aprox 4.4 stone), 19.4% body fat and 15 inches around their waists!
(I dont want to give out individual results and names over the internet but if you would like more exact details then they will be available down at the box. Also, the 15in waist measurement total was only between 7 people not 10!)


Not bad eh? And this includes a few people who werent looking to actually lose much weight but to just lean up around the mid-section. The before and after photos we took showed great differences and we kept having to remind ourselves that this was in fact only a 30-day challenge and not longer. Imagine 30 days from now being over half a stone lighter and having 5% less body fat around your mid-section? You'd take that wouldnt you?

I should also tell you that we saw some amazing increases in strength during that time as well proving that you can indeed get stronger and lose weight at the same time. One Deadlift went from 140kg to 170kg and one Shoulder Press from 32.5kg to 50kg.

CrossFit and Paleo are a potent combination.

A week after the challenge has finished and all of them are still sticking to the plan by their own accord. Indeed why would you want to go back to eating how you were when Paleo makes you feel so great? One of my clients has even started another 30 days right away as he cant wait to see even more improvements.
In fact two of our members let themselves have treats last weekend, chocolate, milk, bread, pizza etc for finishing the challenge but told us how terrible it made them feel for a good few days after eating it. We have just become accustomed to eating this stuff and its not until we clean our systems out that our bodies respond and complain when we bring those food types back in.

Here is a quote from one of our members:

"Having talked myself into giving this eating plan a go and impressed by the 'things to eat' list my brow furrowed heavily when reading the 'things not to eat' list (politely referred to as 'foods to avoid'). 30 days later and 'wow', who knew i could cook and real tasty stuff too?
With plenty of example menus to get you started, I had at least one unique dish every day over the full 30 days without once resorting to an omelette! In fact I have taken the view that the weight loss, lost inches and reduced body fat are more an added bonus to the good eating rather than a key motivator (but were very welcome of course)  Many thanks guys!!"  Steve C  BN2


Our next Plan P challenge starts in September and we are combining the elements together in a package to make it simple for you to get involved:


~30-day Plan P guide including detailed meal plans, food diary, shopping lists and exercise guide.
~Personal two hour Intro course at CrossFit Connect.
~One months membership at CrossFit Connect.
~Two nutrition talks by our 3 AA rosette winning paleo chef.
~Full health check and measurement assessment at beginning and end.


Cost = £150


If you would like to know more about the next Plan P challenge, CrossFit or simply want to see the place where our members are seeing so much success then give us a call, drop us a line or come down to the box and say 'hi'. We are a friendly, community driven gym where top quality coaching and nutrition advice are combined to get you into the best shape of your life. 


Ten people...thirty days....27.8kgs...19.4% body fat....  doesn't this sound like something you'd like to be part of?


http://www.crossfitconnect.co.uk
http://www.planp.co.uk
http://www.cavemansnacks.co.uk

Great CrossFit/Paleo blog

Take a look at this blog for a great read on what it means to do CrossFit and follow a 30-day Paleo challenge.

Joe is one of our members who has been CrossFitting for a while now and he talks about what differences he has seen and how it has made him feel. There are some great photos in there too.

He also is going to cover the next 30-days of his Paleo challenge and there is lots of good information about what to eat, what not to eat and why.

http://jodyblogs.blogspot.com/


Thanks Joe! :)

Busy Weekend! - 4/5th June

So we have lots going on at the box this weekend and i think its going to be beautifully hot to go with it so all is good!

Saturday
8am-10am - Intro course
10am -11am - WOD class
11am - 12pm - Gymnastics / Olympic Lifting Class
12.30pm - 1.30pm - 30 Day Paleo Challenge talk / sign up (for more info on this see the posts below)

Sunday
10am - 11am - FREE taster class for those interested in seeing what it is we do at the box, how CrossFit varies from other types of training and an opportunity to see the facilities and ask us questions. Please drop us a line if you or anyone you know would like to attend.

Enjoy the sunshine!

30-Day Paleo Challenge...more info

Hey all. Here is some more info for the challenge which starts on Monday 6th June:

* There will be a nutrition talk from Barnaby our resident Paleo chef this coming Saturday 4th June after classes at approx 12.30pm. This should last around one hour and we will be able to answer any questions you may have about what to eat and what not to eat. We might even rustle up a few tasty treats for you to try! Attendence at this is not required for you to enter the challenge but it will give you a good idea of what to expect, why its so beneficial and the right and wrong foods to go shopping for!

* You will need to take before and after photos to be eligible for the prizes. For men this will require shirts off and for ladies bikini tops. We can take these for you at the box or submit a suitable one yourself. We will keep these confidential unless you agree otherwise and want people to see the remarkable transformation that has happened to you! :) You can by all means still enter the challenge even if you dont submit a photo, its just that you will not be eligible to win any prizes.

* You will receive a PlanP guide to Paleo nutrition which will include a two-week full meal plan devised by Barney (did we mention he's a 3 AA Rosette winning chef?!), a comprehensive shopping list of things to look out for and things to avoid and a food diary in which to record your progress. We will encourage all of you to keep this food diary properly as an incomplete diary = no prizes!!

* You will get your weight, blood pressure and measurements taken on entry and at the end of the challenge for comparison and so everyone is using the same set of devices.

* The three coaches (Dave, Holly and Barney) will be at your beck and call day and night (okay, so thats going a bit far...just day!) to help you with any questions you have about what to eat and what not to eat. Just drop us an email or question us at the box. We will keep you on track.

* The prizes will be awarded to the male and female that we feel has made the biggest transformation over the 30-day period. This will include things such as the photo, the measurements, how detailed your diary is, how often you have trained and how much your strength and fitness levels have progressed (so training diary essential too!). It isnt just about the look of the photo its about attitude and dedication to the challenge at hand. Our decision is final and we will not accept any bribes........ ;)

* Entry is for friends and family too so even if they are not members of the box they can still enter. Feel free to tell anyone you know about it, post it on facebook etc. The more the merrier!

* Entry fee is £10 and you need to be signed up by  8pm on Thursday 2nd June. Please drop us an email at info@crossfitconnect.co.uk to register if you havent done so already. Payment can be made to us either in cash when you are at the box or as a bank transfer (details on request).

So good luck everyone, get in touch if you are ineterested and hopefully see most of you on Saturday.