MEET THE JST COACHES

Jak Cornthwaite started training at CrossFit JST in its Compete Classes, later joining the coaching team in 2015. Over the years, he has coached athletes of all levels, from class members to Regional, National, and Games-level competitors.

 

Since 2019, he has focused solely on coaching and running JST Compete’s daily operations.

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As an athlete, Jak competed nationally and internationally in sailing, making the British Youth National Squad.

 

In CrossFit, he was on a Regionals (Semi-Finals) team in 2014 and 2015, then qualified for the CrossFit Games in 2017 & 2019, marking the first British team to do so. He also competed individually at Regionals in 2016 (15th) and 2018 (7th), finishing as the top-ranked British male in both seasons.

Jamie has over a decade of coaching experience, working with athletes at all levels: From beginners to those competing at the highest stages of the sport, including multiple CrossFit Games Semi-Finals.

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He is committed to continuous learning and refining his coaching approach to help athletes reach their full potential.

 

Before transitioning to CrossFit, he spent seven years as a professional rugby player, an experience that shaped his understanding of high-performance sport - along with his wonky squat and signature sense of humour.

With 12+ years of coaching experience, Jamie has worked with athletes and teams across multiple disciplines. A former professional rugby player for Northampton Saints, he transitioned to CrossFit in 2017, drawn to its team-driven and competitive nature.

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Since joining JST in 2022, Jamie has progressed from Regional Manager for JST community events to Head Programmer for JST Class, the affiliate programming arm of JST Compete.

 

As co-owner of Cattle Dog CrossFit in Northampton, he leads a top-tier coaching team, ensuring in-person coaching excellence while refining JST Class programming to suit all athletes.

 

A seasoned competitor, Jamie has podiumed at Battle for Middle Ground and other UK competitions alongside JST athletes.

With 5 years of in-person coaching and 3 years of online coaching, Peter has worked with athletes of all levels, from beginners chasing their first pull-up to elite competitors preparing for international events.

 

His background in basketball (international level) and rowing (national level) gives him a unique perspective on athletic development. Now, as part of JST, Peter plays a key role in coaching the JST Junior & Youth squads, helping to shape the next generation of athletes.

 

As a competitor himself, he has experience at RX-level national and international competitions.

Aoife has over 13 years of experience in the fitness industry and has spent the last nine years coaching at CrossFit Shapesmiths, where she also writes the gym’s affiliate programming.

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As an athlete, she has competed at an elite level since 2017, making her debut at the European Regionals in 2018. She has since qualified for the European Semi-Finals in 2022 and 2023, competed at Wodapalooza and the Dubai Fitness Championships, and secured a win at the Arnold Fitness Games in 2022.

Ed's been in competitive CrossFit since 2018 and coaching for the last two-plus years, in-person at NENE Training and online. At 22 he's already got a sharp eye for movement and a serious record: two-time back-to-back champion with the JST Invitational SiD Team, an Elite Team spot at the 2024 French Throwdown, and a podium at the SiD Triple Threat.

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He's at his best with athletes chasing technical skill, missing gymnastics, or real foundational strength, because he's lived the strength graft himself. Moving well came naturally. Getting his weightlifting competitive didn't. Early on he bought into "more is better", buried himself in volume, and watched his progress go backwards. Sorting his programming and going after strength properly is what finally broke it open.

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Now he uses those mistakes so his athletes don't have to make them. His philosophy's simple: work hard every day, nail the little things, and the big stuff follows.

Eight years coaching athletes across the UK, including at WIT Fitness in London. Where I'm most use is competitive fitness. Gymnastics, pacing, and picking apart your movement and your workout strategy so you stop leaving time on the floor.

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I still compete myself, so the feedback comes from someone who's been on the same floor recently, not someone reading it off a spreadsheet.

Dan has been coaching CrossFit since 2010 and joined JST in 2019. With 14 years of experience, he has worked with athletes at all levels, refining his ability to communicate effectively - a key skill in coaching online athletes.

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He has coached 9 individual athletes to 14 Regional, Sanctional, and Semifinal appearances, including 8 first-time qualifiers, with 4 representing JST.

 

Additionally, he has coached teams to 5 Regional/Sanctional appearances.

Denis has been coaching CrossFit since 2016 and joined JST in 2025. He has competed in multiple Regionals, Sanctionals, and French Throwdown events, with a strong background in team competition.

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As a former professional and semi-professional footballer, he understands what it takes to succeed in a team environment. His coaching philosophy focuses on meeting athletes where they are and helping them bridge the gap to their goals, rather than solely working with elite competitors.

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Most recently, he captained CrossFit Wigan’s first-ever team at Strength in Depth, securing a top 20 finish.

Huw has been coaching for over 20 years across various sports and the fitness industry. He started CrossFit in 2014, began coaching in 2016, and joined JST in 2025.

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As both an individual and team athlete, he has competed at Wodapalooza, French Throwdown, Lowlands Throwdown, and Strength in Depth. In 2019, he represented JST Orange at Sanctionals.

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His extensive coaching experience has allowed him to guide athletes at all levels, from beginners to elite competitors, helping them reach levels they couldn’t achieve alone.