December's Box of the Month is CrossFit UVA, based at Affinity Wellbeing in Frome. To find out more about what makes this box so great, we caught up with Paul Roffey, the owner and head coach.

 

 

KB: Why did you decide to open your box?

My wife and I have run Affinity for the last 6 years, starting small in church halls with just 2 members and out of the back of a car, gradually building up to what we have now (2 x 1200sq ft premises and 300 members).

We run over 60 sessions a week between us both: CrossFit, Kettlebells, Pilates and Yoga, as well as a multitude of external events from holidays, runs, parties and more.

We eat, drink, sleep Affinity and CrossFit UVA, but it’s easy to do that when you’re surrounded by people who lift you higher. We love what we do from the coaching to the design and marketing, which we do all ourselves. Loving what you do makes everything that much easier...

 

What do you love most about CrossFit UVA?

The people.

At Affinity/CrossFit UVA, the purpose of why we do, what we do and how we do it, is to inspire people and make their dreams and goals a reality. It's that simple. Everything we do, we believe in challenging the status quo. We approach and think about things differently. Our boxes are just "the spark" we use to inspire people with.

We do this with proven training protocols, positive affirmation, undivided support and encouragement. We offer the most extreme, proven training methods from all over the world, some are incredibly old, some are borrowed and some we have created ourselves. We understand each individual is unique with varying lifestyles, bodies and goal sets, and our members are a a group of dedicated individuals, which the spirit and attitude of helps drive Affinity and CrossFit UVA.

This video probably better conveys what makes our box special more than words ever could:

 

What have been the highlights since you opened?

Too many to list, but it has to be our events that help bond our community.

We run action adventure weekends/weeks in the UK and France that include beach bootcamps, coasteering, surfing, rafting, rock climbing and abseiling, bush craft, jet skiing, paddle boarding, and kayaking to name a few activities.

We also take part in may events across the country from OCR, functional fitness competitions and other challenges - we make everyone's training count!

We also put on the best summer and Christmas party including our 'Pack Of The Year Awards'. Receiving "Outdoor Community Fitness Trainers Of The Year" was a great end to 2016, too.

 

What's your coaching philosophy?

Be yourself.

Define your coaching objectives.

Establish rules.

Build and nurture relationships with athletes.

Help athletes manage their stress.

Always focus on the big picture.

Have fun!

 

What are your members like?

We're lucky enough to have the biggest, most diverse membership around, ranging from the age of 3 to 70+ - and it's all inclusive. Everyone trains together and inspires one another.

There are no egos, just a box full of love and support. Many friendships, relationships, marriages and now babies have been formed through Affinity/CrossFit UVA. That's truly humbling. We couldn't think of anyone better to share our time with, and regularly spend all our free time with them too! We'd be nothing without them :)

 

What happens in a typical day at CrossFit UVA?

Social media, social media, social media!

A lot of banter.

Whiteboard and warm up.

More banter!

WOD/Skill/Strength/Banter

Cool Down

... With a massive sprinkling of fun and games thrown in too!

 

What does the future hold for you guys?

Working hard to continue to better ourselves.

Each year we introduce something new, so we continue to inspire and peak everyone's interest - and to stimulate ourselves too.

Our aim is to make both Affinity and UVA a name that will be known throughout the UK for its unique approach to functional fitness, and in turn make a real impact of peoples lives near and far.

We're also in the planning stages of setting up our first event at a truly unique venue for 2017.

December 12, 2016 — KITBOX [ ]

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