CrossFit Leeds was established in July 2010 when owner, Mike Rawlinson, set up Yorkshire’s first CrossFit affiliated gym in Meanwood with the goal of providing a functional training facility, with access to quality coaching, professional equipment, and a welcoming environment that could help improve the strength, fitness, health and happiness of its members.
Prior to the opening of CrossFit Leeds, Mike graduated in Economics from the University of Birmingham and began a career in the financial industry. After five years, Mike was becoming increasingly disheartened with his desk job and in 2008 resigned to pursue a more rewarding career in health and fitness.
While working and studying within strength & conditioning, Mike discovered CrossFit and began incorporating the training methods into his own training, rapidly seeing consistent improvements in his strength and fitness. Mike started using CrossFit training with his personal training clients and in his group classes around the gyms of Leeds and noticed clients enjoying their training more than ever and achieving excellent results.
In July 2010, after months of planning, Mike set up CrossFit Leeds, the UK’s 20th CrossFit gym, in an industrial unit on Education Road in Meanwood. Within the first year, CrossFit Leeds had built the foundations of a hard-working, motivating community of members who enjoyed training regularly and were making noticeable improvements in their strength and fitness. By June 2011 CrossFit Leeds had qualified a team to compete at the European CrossFit Games competition where they finished as the 4th fittest gym in Europe.
Although CrossFit was still relatively unknown, word was getting out about the success of CrossFit Leeds and by 2012 we had outgrown our gym space and moved to our second gym, a 3,000sq ft facility in Meanwood. Mike’s partner Rosie, who had been working as a Personal Trainer at David Lloyd for 6 years, joined the Coaching Team in 2012.
Over the years CrossFit Leeds has grown its membership and timetable of classes while keeping our commitment to improving the lives of our members.
In 2014 CrossFit Leeds moved to their current home, a 4,000sq ft premium training facility on Kirkstall Industrial Park, where you’ll still find Mike and Rosie, alongside their experienced team of Coaches, pursuing their passion of regularly coaching classes and building the community at CrossFit Leeds with a mission to improve the strength, fitness, health and happiness of its members.
Over our 15 years we’re very proud to have inspired over 10 former members to go on to open their own gyms around the world; created a social community of members that has produced countless friendships as well as introducing over 20 couples who have met at the gym and gone on to marry; and attracted world class sports stars including Leeds Rhinos Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow & Jamie Peacock, England Rugby international Henry Paul, and WWE’s Seth Rollins & Charlotte Flair to come and train with us.