Your Coaches

 Darren Ellis (Director/Coach)

Darren Ellis finished high school Top of the class for PE and failed everything else.....

A 6 year stint overseas visiting places like Congo, Ethiopia, Yemen and Guatemala resulted in a 10kg (unwanted) weightloss, a weird tropical infection, and a desire to make up for his false start in life.

An MSc at the University of Auckland almost led him into academia but he came to his senses when he realized that most of what he'd been taught was either wrong or of no use in the real world. He now owns CrossFit NZ and changes people's lives while doing his best to swim in the ocean, learn something new and take a nap every day.

He is a regular contributor to a variety of popular print and web based health and fitness magazines, and is available as a public speaker, and consultant to sporting organisations, businesses, universities and television.

He placed 4th in both the 2009 and 2010 Australasian CrossFit Games, and was part of the affiliate team that competed in the 2010 World CrossFit Games.

What is your fitness/sporting background?

Gymnastics as a child, then martial arts in my teenage years.  Spent my 20’s backpacking and generally no exercise at all! I try to surf and freedive whenever I get the chance.

What first attracted you to CrossFit?

After a masters degree in Exercise Physiology, working in the fitness industry, and doing extensive research of my own into health, fitness and performance, I felt I was honestly one of the most knowledgeable people on the subject in the country.  So why then was I not making the progress I felt I should have been?  CrossFit showed me how to enjoy exercise again, and how to push myself past preconceived limitations, both physical and mental. 

What results have you had training CrossFit?

Leaner, stronger, faster, healthier, happier.  Simple.

What you enjoy most out of coaching others?

Undoing the damage done to people’s bodies and minds by poor advice from gyms, food companies, and government ‘experts’.

Taking people who have lost all faith in the possibility of being health and fit, and showing them how to achieve it.

The look on someone’s face when they get their first pullup.

Favourite exercise?

Power Clean

Worst exercise?

Handstand pushups

Interesting fact about yourself?

I have travelled to over 50 countries, including 6 war zones, have a black belt in kung fu, and can kill and butcher a pig if necessary......with a knife, not the kung fu........

 

Amanda Bunn - (Coach/physio)

What is your fitness/sporting background?
I played pretty much every sport growing up, I was always doing something. However, Tennis was the sport I grew to love and have been playing competitively since the age of 14
 
What first attracted you to CrossFit?
The competition aspect of the training and the generalisation of the programming was just what I was looking for.
 
What results have you had training CrossFit?
Crossfit has changed my peception on what it means to be fit and healthy. My physical capabilities have grown immensely, I am fitter, stronger and leaner than ever before and this is continually improving. Crossfit has also provided the perfect environment to continue to develop my mental capabilities as an athlete
 
What you enjoy most out of coaching others?
Helping guide people to levels of health and fitness which they never thought were within their reach. Teaching someone a new skill, figuring out ways to make it ‘click’ for each individual, it’s like a big puzzle and it is so much fun. 
Seeing people healthy and happy!
 
Favourite exercise ?
Snatch
 
Worst exercise?
Honestly don’t have a ‘worst’ exercise. I enjoy doing the things I’m average at (or can't do) because it’s a chance to get better at them

Interesting fact about yourself?
I’m a twin, have been to Antarctica, and can get through the head of an unstrung tennis racquet.

Contact Amanda for a physio consult on 0212262632 or email: [email protected].

Craig Leonard

What is your fitness/sporting background?

Pretty much played all sports growing up - Soccer, rugby, hockey, tennis, cricket, avid snowboarder and also martial artist.  Actually studied the same style of Kung Fu as Darren.

What first attracted you to CrossFit?

300! I looked up videos on Youtube of the cast and crew training for the movie and wanted to know more.  I kept coming across this group called CrossFit doing the 300 workout.  So I watched quite a few of those, came across the main site and watched that for a while.  I looked at as many videos of workouts as I could and wanted to be part of it so I got in contact with Darren about coming along and the rest is history.

What results have you had training CrossFit?

Improved mobility, especially in shoulders.  Not just stronger but overall fitness is higher than before I joined.  Leaner, faster, healthier.

What you enjoy most out of coaching others?

Watching someone smash a PR under your guidance, helping people get their first kipping pullup, muscle up or double unders.  Getting clients achieving things they never thought they could.

Favourite exercise?

Any type of squat.  Actually quite partial to power cleans as well :)

Worst exercise?

Running....no wait, burpees....no, running.. no, actually burpees.

Interesting fact about yourself?
I chipped a tooth on the pullup bar doing Fran at my Level 1 Cert.