Last weekend I finally got round to seeing the new venue in
Harlow that is Crossfit Raeda
Myself and owner Lee Ottey cleaning the place up
This is not your average gym and is run by some
of the best coaches in the UK. What you have is a first class facility for
weightlifting, strength and conditioning, athletic preparation and testing as
well as regular classes to stay in shape. Annie and Lee have a wealth of
experience as both competitive athletes and coaches having been an integral
part of the GB handball team for the London 2012 Olympics. You will not find a
venue run by someone who has dabbled in training, opened a gym and put shiny
certificates all over the wall. These coaches are the real deal and have
athletic testing sessions with light gates and a force mat to check progress
and performance levels.
I had a lifting session there recently in prep for a
competition and have to say that it was a very good session in a venue that I
would like to train in as regularly as time and travel distance will allow
being 60 miles away.
They have a set of 8 level platforms, Eleiko bars and
competition plates hidden away and a fantastic wall-mount rig construction with
an overhang ladder. You have the concept 2 rowers, a lot of good quality cast
iron and competition steel kettlebells as well as the usual circuit stuff such
as boxes, med balls and dumbbells. It is a great place to train, with first
class coaches that will do more than just run you into the ground 3 times a
week. They understand performance and will make sure you show steady progress,
as injury free as possible, and with intelligently planned progressions based
on your specific goals.
Aside from the Crossift classes the venue is also a
recognised weightlifting club affiliated with British Weightlifting. Sessions
are run for you to learn and improve these skills on a regular basis which will
greatly improve your confidence when workouts contain these technical
movements. The exercises are broken down into manageable chunks that allow you
to fully understand what is happening at each aspect of the global movement so
you begin to understand mechanics, power production, centre of mass and become
a proficient lifter.
If you are within a 30 minute drive of this venue than I
would simply make it your new training facility and finally get some
professional coaching to achieve your goals. Far too many people zombie along
in the local leisure centre looking and feeling no different to when they
joined 3 years ago. Here you will be very surprised at what can be achieved
when your time and efforts are specifically focussed on achieving your goals.
I also had one of my best ever training session there.
Go check them out!
Tel: +44 203 243 1020
Mob: 07738 210101 or 07958 359681
