Introducing

Head Coach Ben Cole

2022’s British Teen CrossFit Champion

The Fittest Teen in the UK 2022

Ranked 18th Worldwide

CrossFit Level 1 Coach

Brand-X Professional Youth Coach

Ben’s Story

Playing sports from a young age, fitness and exercises has always been a part of my life. Despite this I was insecure about my body and how I looked, so when I was 13 I decided to make a change. After losing some weight I wanted to put on muscle so I start working out at home, doing bodyweight workouts until eventually I bought some dumbbells. I soon discovered CrossFit which I fell head over heels for and I’ve been training CrossFit since 2019. I found a passion for competing in it and become the Fittest Teen in the UK in 2022, winning The British Teen Championships and placing 2nd at The European Championships. I have coached adults and youth for over two years, being a CrossFit and Brand X Professional Youth Coach. I now aim to take my personal and coaching experience to a larger scale and focus on helping young people.

@ben_cole24

Introducing

Coach Lily Lambert

Brand-X Professional Youth Coach

Regional Level Swimmer

Glasgow School of Sport

Lily’s Story

I was a competitive swimmer from ages 9-17, so exercise has always been a big part of my life. When my swimming journey came to a close during COVID-19 I missed exercising so much and felt a huge gap in my life. I then started to work out in my garden/garage with no equipment. I started to notice big changes in my fitness and physique and was really enjoying this way of workout out. I was terrified of my local gym because I didn’t really know what I was doing. Fast forward 4 years and I have found a way of working out which I love (a mix of cardio, weightlifting and gymnastics). I find it a privilege to be able to exercise and want to help other young people get to this point, giving them guidance and advice to navigate this journey of exercise for themselves.

Coaches Q&A

Coach Ben

  • When I was younger I was always insecure about how I looked. This was why I started to workout. But now after 5 years of working out I realise that I am no longer insecure about my body. I now workout because I enjoy it and it makes me feel good. I hope to allow other teenagers to have the same positive body image as I do now.

  • I believe that fitness can give youth a purpose and dedication that is lacking in this generation, and as a result of this, it can dramatically transform the mental and physical health of young people. I want to give young people the tools and drive to change their lives through fitness.

  • If I have any spare time when I’m not coaching, training or working on The SYC, I’ll be spending it with Lily.

  • I think back squats are my favourite exercise. The mix of strength and mobility required to have a solid squat makes it a tough movement.

Coach Lily

  • Fitness and exercise helps me both mentally and physically every single day. It has taught me discipline and to exercise even when I don’t want to. This then transfers to other areas of my life. It has taught me delayed gratification and that I have to work hard at things for a long time before seeing results sometimes.

  • I understand the struggle of being a young person not liking the way you look and feel yet not knowing how to change this. I used to be the teenager who was self conscious in the gym, not knowing what to do and then feeling embarrassed. I want to help other young people not feel like this and give them all the tools they need to succeed, and have fun whilst exercising!

  • Go to the beach and swim in the sea! Ben and I love being outdoors and we will drive to the beach at any chance we have. Our first date was actually swimming in the sea in November!

  • My favourite exercise has to be swimming as I am naturally a mermaid… However recently I have started to enjoy running a lot more which I NEVER thought I would say!