Banbury gym to host 'tough but fun' CrossFit workout to raise money and awareness for epilepsy

Members of the CrossFit Banbury gym on Riverside Business Park will complete the Purple Heart workout next Wednesday (March 26).

The gym hopes the fundraising day will become an annual event and has already recruited a gym in Hull to join them virtually for the workout.

CrossFit is a high-intensity workout with weight lifting, aerobic exercises, and balance. It aims to improve all-around fitness for those who take part.

The initiative is the brainchild of CrossFit Banbury member Ross Pemberton, who has lived with epilepsy since the age of 11.

Ross initially walked through the doors of the EP Gym, which is connected to CrossFit Banbury, ten years ago to improve his physique but says he has found an accepting community at the Banbury’s CrossFit classes.

Ross said: “I’ve been coming to the gym for ten years, originally just to keep fit and to build up my muscles.

“I saw that a CrossFit class had started, and I was always interested, but I wasn’t sure if it was safe for me to do.

“However, since I have been coming to the CrossFit classes, I have been accepted into the community.”

Ross, 54, says that joining the CrossFit group has not only improved his overall fitness but also given him more confidence in his everyday life.

He said: “I suffer a little bit with low confidence, and sometimes I worry that I shouldn’t be here because of my epilepsy, but the gym has made adaptations to make me feel comfortable, and taking part in CrossFit has boosted my confidence.”

One of the coaches at CrossFit Banbury who has made adaptations so the classes can cater to all is Tarn Cannon.

Tarn said: “As long as we can adapt the workouts to the capability of the individual, CrossFit can be really safe and beneficial for not just people with epilepsy but people with disabilities in general.

“CrossFit is very versatile; it can include rings, rope climbing, running, swinging, rowing, barbell and dumbbell work. There are so many movements. It’s tough but also a lot of fun.

“The gym is open to everyone, and it’s important for us that people know that they can come and give CrossFit a go.”

Ross and the team hope that next week’s fundraising day will inspire more people to get involved with exercise and CrossFit, regardless of whether they have disabilities or a lack of confidence.

As part of the workout the CrossFit class will be split into pairs and tasked with completing 120 deadlifts, 120 box jumps, 120 wall ball throws and 120 dumbbell snatches in the shortest time.

Tarn said: “We will be giving out prizes to the top three winners and then we will communicate with the Graft House Gym in Hull, who we are competing against to do a north vs south leaderboard.”

Ross explains how the fundraiser is particularly important, as research into epilepsy and funding for care in the UK doesn’t receive as much support as many other conditions.

He said: “There are 71 new cases of epilepsy in the UK every day, and about 620,000 people suffer from epilepsy just in the UK.

“It is the second biggest neurological condition, and the government spends approximately £12 per individual on someone with epilepsy, but they spend £234 on every Parkinson's patient when there are three times fewer.

“So there’s a real disparity in how the government uses funding for neurological conditions, and epilepsy is shockingly underfunded here in the UK.”

The gym also has plans to launch CrossFit classes for children in the future as well as open days where newcomers can try their hand at the sport.

For more information about CrossFit Banbury visit: https://www.crossfitbanbury.fit/

For more information about International Epilepsy Day or to donate to help support research and care, visit: https://internationalepilepsyday.org/