CrossFit Jona

And just like that… September’s here, summer’s gone and we’re all pretending we’re delighted to be back in a routine 😂

Our 5:30 HYROX class was packed tonight! Apparently everyone had the same idea — holidays are over, the kids are back to school and it’s finally time to stop saying, “I’ll start again next week.” 👀

Fair play to this lot for getting stuck straight back in… although judging by a few faces, the summer break was definitely felt 😂🔥

Sunday reminder from me… rest, recover and spend some proper time with the people you love 🤍

I’m incredibly proud of every single one of you and the effort you’ve put in this week. Whether you smashed every session, simply showed up when you didn’t feel like it, or just did your best—that’s always enough.

Your body needs rest just as much as it needs training, so slow down today, eat something nice, enjoy the people around you and maybe even have a wee beer… purely for recovery purposes, of course 🍺😂

Recharge the batteries and we’ll go again tomorrow.

Proud of you all.

Narelle 🤍

🌟 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT — LESLIE LYTTLE 🌟

Next up in our members spotlight is the one and only Leslie Little!

Leslie has a sense of humour that could brighten even the toughest day. Whether it’s a quick one-liner, a bit of friendly abuse or a perfectly timed comment while everyone else is fighting for their lives mid-WOD, he always manages to make us laugh. 😂

But behind all the craic is someone who has made incredible progress in the gym. Leslie continues to get stronger, fitter and more confident, and it’s been brilliant watching all his hard work pay off.

More importantly, he’s genuinely one of those people you can turn to for honest advice and support. Even we, as coaches and owners, have gone to Leslie for guidance—and he’s always generous with his time, experience and wisdom… whether we asked for it or not! 🤣

Leslie, you’re a massive part of the Jona community. Thank you for the laughs, the advice and the brilliant energy you bring through the doors. We’re incredibly lucky to have you—and we promise not to let this post go to your head! ❤️

✨ Continuing on with our Members Spotlight, we have the wonderful Wendy Nesbitt — or as many of us know her, Sparkles Wendy! ✨

Wendy is such a positive part of our Jona family. Her progress, determination and willingness to keep pushing herself have been incredible to watch. She always brings plenty of laughs, encourages everyone around her and never takes herself too seriously — even when the running gets tough! 😂

One of our members sent us this lovely message:

“I am voting for Sparkles Wendy not because she voted for me 🤣🙈 Because I’m so proud of how far she has come. Last year she would have stayed inside on the bike (which is way worse than running) or the rower. Now she is out pounding and panting beside me🤣 always encouraging me to do better and never gets cross with me when my brain isn’t working 🏋‍♂️👏”

Wendy, we are all so proud of how far you’ve come. Thank you for the sparkle, kindness and encouragement you bring through our doors. Keep pounding, panting and shining — Jona simply wouldn’t be the same without you! 💛✨

The following people are paid actors!!

🔥 BEGINNER BOOTCAMP IS BACK! 🔥

Had your summer fun? ☀️

Now it’s time to get stuck back in.

Whether you’re completely new to fitness or a seasoned CrossFit or HYROX athlete looking to get back into a routine after the summer, our Beginner Bootcamp is the perfect place to start.

📅 Starts Tuesday 1st September
🕢 Every Tuesday & Thursday | 7:30pm
💷 £99 for 4 weeks
💳 Just £49 secures your place today, with the remaining balance due on 1st September.

Over four weeks, you’ll learn the fundamentals of HYROX and CrossFit in a fun, welcoming environment, with experienced coaches supporting you every step of the way. No pressure, no intimidation—just great coaching, plenty of encouragement, and a community that genuinely wants to see you succeed.

At CrossFit Jona, you’re not just signing up to a gym—you become part of a family. From the moment you walk through the door, you’ll be surrounded by people who will cheer you on, celebrate your wins, and help you become the best version of yourself.

And the best part? We’ve got everything you need under one roof.

🏋️ CrossFit Jona
🏃 HYROX Training
🧘 Align Pilates Studio
💆 AG Sports Massage
🧊 The Reset Factory Recovery Suite
💈 Pat’s Barbers
☕ Café
🚿 Showers & Changing Facilities
🚗 Free Parking
📶 Free Wi-Fi

Whatever your goal is—losing weight, getting stronger, improving your fitness, building confidence, or simply feeling healthier—this is where your journey starts.

Summer was for making memories…

September is for investing in yourself.

📩 Spaces are limited. Message us today to secure your place with just £49. Your future self will thank you. 💙

Continuing on with our members spotlight. 🤍

Next up are Ruby & Lara.

We could write plenty ourselves about these two, but sometimes the nicest thing is hearing what your fellow members say about you when you’re not in the room.

This message was sent to us about Ruby with a very deserved mention for Lara too:

*“Ruby, she’s a brilliant role model for younger members including Eliza, she’s so lovely and kind and encouraging. I’ve seen her (and Lara tbh) just go from strength to strength and improve so much over this last wee while, turning up consistently and giving it everything, all whilst juggling her own personal life and working as well as being so young.**

We just think personally, they are the next gen and a superb example as a rep for the gym.” 🤍**

Honestly, what more could we add to that?

Watching both Ruby and Lara grow in confidence, get stronger and continue to show up week after week has been class — but what makes us proudest is hearing how other members see them.

Being a role model isn’t about being the best athlete in the room. It’s about how you treat people, how you carry yourself and the example you set without even knowing anyone is watching.

And when our younger members like Eliza are looking up to people like Ruby, we know we’ve got something pretty special happening within these walls.

Ruby & Lara — keep going from strength to strength.

You’re both a huge part of our community, and we’re incredibly proud to have you representing Jona.

The next generation is looking pretty bloody good. 🤍🪽

This month we’re sharing the lovely messages that YOU have sent in about each other, and this one made us smile. ❤️

– Emma Crawford 🫶

“She is a long-standing member of 6 years, shows up no matter how she feels – and for the early morning classes too… crazy mother f**ker 🤣. She always makes new people feel like they can lift an army and is constantly encouraging everyone to go heavier, especially when they’re completely sh****ng themselves and doubting what they’re capable of. Emma is always willing to lend an ear when you’re feeling s**t too, and she’s always there for me. Bless her.”

We absolutely love this.

It sums Emma up perfectly. She’s been a huge part of Jona for years, and while she’ll always encourage you to put another plate on the bar, it’s the way she supports people away from the workout that really makes her special.

She’s the kind of person every community needs. Someone who shows up, lifts others up, believes in people before they believe in themselves, and is always there when someone needs a friend.

Emma, thank you for being exactly who you are. We’re incredibly lucky to have you as part of the Jona family. ❤️

I tried to start member of the month! A wee free week in the reset factory but it’s become more than that!

The amount of messages I’ve received about members has left me feeling so incredibly proud!

So you know what?

Im gonna share them!

First up is a real life super hero! Our Katie Ferguson!

I vote Katie Ferguson ❤️

Katie was the first person who came up to me for a wee chat when I first started, and made me feel so welcome from the very start. She paired up with me even though I held her back.

Shes been my number one supporter.. and threw in the odd threat with the PVC pipe across the ass to make me run faster👀 lol.

I don’t know how she manages staying consistent with CrossFit while juggling family life with three small children and working as a paediatric nurse, training before night shifts.

She’s a top girl, my agony aunt (we often rant about the stress at work, and she just gets it).

A workout is never a competition with Katie, it’s always encouragement. She has an infectious smile and is always up for the craic ❤️.

That’s why she’s got my vote 😃

Cheers John!

Today, our hearts are full.

A massive congratulations to Ben on becoming CrossFit Games Champion and bringing home the gold. 🥇 What an incredible achievement, and one that has been earned through years of hard work, discipline and sacrifice.

We’re also thinking of Ben’s amazing family. Behind every champion is a family who sacrifice just as much—supporting the early mornings, long days, travel, setbacks and victories. This gold belongs to all of you.

Receiving this message from Ben means more than we can put into words:

“Happy one year anniversary to CrossFit Jona. I know your hearts have been so heavy in recent weeks so this feels a bit meaningless, but without Jona moving to Portadown, I wouldn’t have won gold. Thank you for allowing me to use the open gym and prepare for the Games. I’ll be back once I take some time off from the sport to recover my body and spend time with my family.”

Ben, in truth, your message couldn’t have come at a better time. The last few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our family, and your kindness and thoughtfulness have reminded us why we love this community so much.

It was an absolute privilege to have you train at CrossFit Jona while preparing for the Games. To think that a small part of your journey happened within our four walls is something we’ll always be proud of.

Enjoy some well-deserved time with your family, let your body recover, and know that you’ll always have a home at CrossFit Jona whenever you’re ready to walk back through our doors.

Congratulations again, Champion. We couldn’t be happier for you. ❤️🥇

One year ago today, we opened the doors to CrossFit Jona with a dream.

If we’re honest, we never imagined just how much this place would come to mean to us.

Over the last 12 months we’ve celebrated incredible highs, watched people achieve things they never thought possible, seen friendships form, confidence grow, and lives change. But we’ve also had our share of difficult days. Life doesn’t stop just because you own a gym, and this year has reminded us of that more than ever.

Through every high and every low, you’ve all been there. When the hard days arrived, our community showed up—not just to train, but to support, encourage and remind us why we started this journey in the first place. We will never forget that.

To our amazing coaches, Stevie, Emma and James—thank you. Your passion, commitment and genuine care for every single member is what makes this place so special. We couldn’t do this without you, and we’re incredibly lucky to have you leading alongside us.

To every single member of CrossFit Jona… thank you. You are the heartbeat of this gym. You’ve created something far bigger than four walls and a few barbells. You’ve built a family. A place where people belong, where everyone is welcomed, encouraged and celebrated.

Every morning we unlock those doors with a smile because of you. You give us a reason to get up, to keep pushing forward and to keep making this place the best it can be.

Narelle and I are unbelievably proud of what we’ve all built together. Not what we’ve built… what we’ve all built. This community belongs to every person who has walked through those doors, cheered someone on, celebrated a PB, offered a helping hand or simply turned up when it wasn’t easy.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for believing in us and for believing in CrossFit Jona. 🤍

Here’s to the memories we’ve made, the friendships we’ve found, and to many more years of lifting each other up.

Happy 1st Birthday, CrossFit Jona