Richard Allen - Head Coach

Level 1 CrossFit Trainer

• CrossFit Olympic Weight Lifting Specialty Course
• CrossFit Movement and Mobility Specialty Course
• Personal Trainer Reps 3 Certificate​
• MetaFit Coach

Fitness has always been a passion for me and so I started training as a teenager. I later got involved in body building and even competed in Essex Strongest Man. After getting involved in combat sports like Muay Thai, I discovered MMA (also known as Cage Fighting) and it is my wrestling coach who recommended that I try Functioal Fitness: he said it would improve my strength, flexibility and all round performance, which it definitely did.

I have since found a new passion and have not looked back and after training and coaching along with other Functional Fitness gyms, I decided to open up my own gym: Xplosive Functional Fitness and we have been growing from strength to strength. We are committed to help our community live a healthier and fitter life through training for all and promoting good nutritional choices.

Claire Allen - Personal Trainer & Coach

• BA, MBA, PGCE
• Level 1 CrossFit Trainer
• Advanced Sports and Exercise Nutritional Advisor​
• ​Metafit Coach

I used to be a couch potato and then I married Richard who helped me discover Functional Fitness. After losing close to two stone and seeing my body shape transform, I decided to help others.
Functional Fitness just works - it is incredibly effective in achieving the right results and is incredibly motivational.
With now two children I am getting back into fitness - even if you train during pregnancy your strength will still take a hit. I am still passionate about coaching and helping people get better. I am also keen on helping our members with making good nutritional choices as nutrition is the cornerstone of Health and Fitness.

Jess Clark - Personal Trainer & Coach

• CrossFit Level 1 Trainer​
• CrossFit Scaling Cert

I have always been passionate about fitness from a young age. I used to do Athletics including relay, high jump and track running at school and university. I also dabbled a bit in cross country running as a teenager and during my 20s as well. Long distance running has always been one of my favourite hobbies and I have completed four half marathons. I have tried some martial arts including Judo and Thai Kick Boxing. 
But once I did my first session of Functional Fitness back in early April 2016, I was totally hooked! It included everything I liked about exercise as I have always loved pushing myself and had really enjoyed doing Insanity over the two previous Summers. My stamina from the long distance running was fairly solid, but when I started doing Functional Fitness I discovered that I wasn't as fit or strong as I wanted to be. The beauty of Functional Fitness is that it covers so many different types of fitness and that you can always progress and improve, whether that be finishing your 200m run in a faster time or smashing a 1RM deadlift PR.
After 6 months, I decided that I would like to do my Level One in CrossFit coaching and I assisted Claire in teaching the Foundation class twice a week. Once Claire was heavily pregnant I took over coaching the classes alongside my main job as an Secondary School English Teacher. I love coaching and helping others make progress. I like to see people enjoying exercise as well because it is important to enjoy it as well. I don't take myself too seriously and I like to have a laugh. Life is too short!
In Feb 2018 I became pregnant and with the blessing of my midwife I continued to regularly train, scaling back movements and weights. I believe that this helped me keep my weight gain within a healthy range and it helped keep me sane to be honest! I trained past my due date until baby made an appearance 6 days later.
I am now a full time mummy and so time is very precious. I didn't return to training until 8 weeks post partum and I am currently still scaling until my ab separation repairs and my pelvic floor recovers. Functional Fitness is very time effective as you only need an hour to fit on both strength and conditioning, so it is ideal for busy parents!
I am hoping as my son gets older (he is nearly a year old at the moment) I should be able to dedicate more of my time to coaching.

Ben Thornett - Personal Trainer & Coach

Contact us

Xplosive Functional Fitness
UNIT E2Briarsford Industrial Estate
Perry Road
Witham CM8 3UY

Tel: 07429051221
xplosivefunctionalfitness@gmail.com