CrossFit Shapesmiths, the largest CrossFit gym in the UK and Ireland, will celebrate its 10 year anniversary this month on Saturday 7th February.
Founded in 2016, this Box is a leading CrossFit and functional fitness facility located under the railway arches of Clapham Junction, London. Its community comprises of over 700 members, offering more than 180 classes per week across a huge variety of disciplines such as CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting, functional bodybuilding, endurance training, youth programmes and community events. They have a class every 15 minutes.
The founders, Lee Steggles, Brett Pateman and Richard Dean, began with two and a half railway arches underneath Clapham Junction. 10 years later this number has expanded to 10 arches that span over 13,000 square feet.
Speaking with Lee recently, he told me that their biggest achievement, and challenge, is the fact that they have grown and progressed continually for 10 years. He is articulate, funny, warm hearted and extremely passionate about the Shapesmiths as a whole.
As we chatted, he continually brought the conversation back to his respect for the members, the community and the exceptional skills and work ethic of the coaches and co-owners. No ego, just a genuine love for his team and community.
Throughout their history it is clear that Shapesmiths has always been looking to progress and grow in order to provide the best services possible for their community members. They also brought in new blood with people such as Emma, Harry and Ben. Each with their own respective areas of expertise, this helped to once again expand the levels of coaching excellence and the breadth of different classes Shapesmiths offers.
This 10 year anniversary will celebrate not just growth in terms of size and member count, but the strength of a model built around people, connection, and belonging. Their mission of community first is much more that simply a slogan.
If you want to give CrossFit, or any other type of training methodology a go, I can guarantee that you will receive a warm welcome under the Clapham arches.
This welcoming atmosphere even exists deeper into their DNA, as they started as a place for individuals looking for something more authentic than the standard gym experience.
“Shapesmiths has always been about creating a space where people feel part of a welcoming community,” says Lee. “It’s where people can be themselves, believe in themselves, and where, at whatever point they join, they can honestly say, ‘this is where everything just got better for me.’”
Over the past decade, Shapesmiths has navigated economic uncertainty, rising London rents, and the challenges of a global pandemic. Rather than scaling back, the gym adapted and evolved through all of these challenges.
During lockdown, the team pivoted to online training, and in the years since has expanded its offering to support a wide range of interests, from hybrid fitness racing and gymnastics to yoga, ensuring there is something for everyone to get fitter and enjoy the process.
A defining feature of Shapesmiths is its commitment to community beyond daily training. The gym regularly hosts social events, educational workshops, charity initiatives and large scale community fitness days, establishing itself as a central figure in the UK’s fitness and social scene.
This February, the 10 Year Anniversary Celebration at its Clapham Junction facility will bring together members, alumni, and coaches past and present to celebrate a decade of fitness, friendship, and shared progress.
“Shapesmiths has always been about diversity,” Lee adds. “We’ve had elite athletes, parents, kids, and complete beginners train side by side. Without the community getting behind us, we simply would not have lasted ten years.”
Check out everything you need to know.
CrossFit Shapesmiths
Location: The Arches, Grant Road, Clapham Junction, London SW11 2NU.
Website: www.shapesmiths.com
Press Contact: lee@crossfitshapesmiths.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 (0)20 3202 1004
Instagram: @crossfitshapesmiths
