Beginners CrossFit near Canary Wharf · Poplar E14
THE PLACE TO
START, WHEN
YOU HAVE NEVER
STARTED.
The CrossFit 1864 Beginners Programme is 4 weeks of personal coaching plus group classes, built for people with no CrossFit experience, no gym background, or who have not trained in years. A coach in your corner from day one.
Poplar, East London · 15 min from Canary Wharf · £169 one-off · No experience needed
- I want to get fit but I do not know where to begin. The gym feels like somewhere other people go.
- I have bought memberships before. I have never really used them. I do not want to do that again.
- I am worried I will be too old, too unfit, or too far behind everyone else in the class.
- I want someone to tell me what to do. I do not want to figure it out alone.
The Beginners Programme exists for exactly this. It is not a taster session. It is a structured 4-week start that gives you coaching, a plan and a community, so you never have to figure it out on your own.
Four weeks.
A coach. A plan.
Most gyms throw you into a group class on day one and hope for the best. We do not. Every week of the Beginners Programme starts with a one-to-one personal training session, so you learn each movement properly before you practise it in a class.
Alongside that, you join group classes, scaled to your level, so you meet the coaches and members gradually. By week four you know the movements, you know the people, and you know you belong.
Book Your Intro ChatYour goal-setting call and your first personal training session. You learn the foundational movements with a coach whose only job is you. Then your first group class, scaled to where you are.
A new personal session builds on week one. In class, your coach already knows your scaling, your movement and your goals. You are a familiar face, not a stranger.
The movements start to feel natural. Your personal session sharpens your technique and your classes start to feel like a routine.
Your final personal session and two group classes. By the end of week four you have met the community, built a habit, and know exactly what comes next.
Everything in the £169.
One payment. No hidden fees. No ongoing contract attached to the programme itself. Here is exactly what you get.
A one-to-one conversation with a coach. We talk about where you are, where you want to be, and what getting there looks like. This shapes everything that follows.
One session a week with a qualified coach who teaches you the foundational movements from scratch: squat, hinge, press and pull. Technique first, always.
1 to 2 classes a week in weeks 1 to 3, then 2 in week 4. Capped at 10 people, fully coached, and scaled to your level.
You do not need to be
fit to start.
- ✓Complete beginners. Never touched a barbell, never been to a CrossFit gym, starting from zero. You are exactly who this is for.
- ✓People returning after a long break. You trained once, years ago, and starting again feels daunting. The programme meets you where you are now.
- ✓Professionals who have struggled to make gym habits stick. You have had memberships you did not use. This is coached, structured and scheduled to remove the excuses.
- ✓People in their 40s and 50s. The programme is built around longevity and technique. Many of our members started here with no strength training background.
- ✓Anyone who finds regular gyms intimidating. Our culture has been built since 2014 to be the opposite of intimidating.
Already train regularly? You may prefer our 14-day trial for £39, credited back when you join.
"I was never a gym person. The coaches and experienced members of the 1864 family made us feel welcome from day one. They changed my perception. Highly recommended."
The things people say
before they start.
These are the real concerns people bring to their intro chat. Here is the honest answer to each one.
Members in their 50s and 60s have started here with no fitness background. We also run LIFE (Live Independently, Feel Energised) for members aged 50 and over, built around the strength that makes everyday life better. Age is not a barrier here. If anything, it is a reason to start sooner.
Every week starts with a one-to-one session, so you learn each movement privately before you try it in a class. In class, your coach already knows your level and scales everything for you. Our most experienced members are the ones who cheer beginners on most.
Most people who give up on fitness do not lack willpower. They lack an environment built to support them. The Beginners Programme gives you a coach, a community that notices when you are missing, and a plan you did not have to write yourself. Structure makes the difference, not motivation.
What you see online is elite competition. It is not a CrossFit 1864 class. You choose your intensity, and your coach scales every movement. The Beginners Programme is deliberately focused on technique and confidence, not on how hard you can push. Most people are surprised by how manageable it is.
CrossFit 1864 has been in Poplar since 2014. Our members include professionals, parents, and people in their 30s, 40s and 50s, many of whom arrived with exactly the same thought. You do not need to be a certain type of person to train here. You just need to show up.
Classes run at 6am, 7am, 12:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm and 7:30pm, Monday to Friday. Each class is 60 minutes, and your personal sessions are booked around your diary. The gym is 15 minutes' walk from Canary Wharf and 5 minutes from Blackwall DLR. See the timetable.
Investment
Start for
£169.
One payment. No hidden fees. The £169 covers four personal training sessions, up to eight group classes, your goal-setting call and a progress review. It is the lowest-risk, highest-support way to start strength training in East London.
After four weeks, your coach will walk you through the membership options that suit your goals and schedule. There is no obligation to join, but most people do, because by then they want to. See membership prices.
- Goal-setting call with a coach
- 4 personal training sessions (1 a week)
- Up to 8 group classes (capped at 10)
- Technique coaching every session
- Scaled to your current fitness level
- Progress review in week four
Start with a free 15-minute intro chat. No commitment and no payment until you are ready to begin.
From first chat to member.
The Beginners Programme is the start of something, not an end in itself. Here is what the journey looks like.
A 15-minute call with a coach. No sales pitch, no obligation. We will tell you honestly whether the Beginners Programme is right for you.
You set your goals, meet your coach in person and do your first personal training session. No fitness required.
One personal session a week to learn the squat, hinge, press and pull properly, plus 1 to 2 group classes a week to put it into practice.
Your final personal session, two classes and a progress review. Most people at this stage are not wondering whether they will continue. They are wondering how many days a week they can come.
Choose from 9 classes a month (£149), 13 classes (£169) or unlimited (£199). Your coach helps you pick what fits your schedule and goals. See membership prices.
What another year
of waiting costs.
There is no pressure here, and we mean that. But if you have been thinking about starting for a while, it is worth being honest about what staying where you are actually costs.
Another year of £40 to £60 a month at a gym you do not use consistently. That is £480 to £720 for a key fob and good intentions. The Beginners Programme is £169 with a coach, a plan and a community behind you.
Muscle mass and strength decline from your mid-30s without consistent training. The gap gets harder to close over time, not easier.
The hardest part of fitness is not the training. It is breaking the pattern of starting and stopping. The Beginners Programme is built to break that cycle.
The intro chat is free and takes 15 minutes. If it is not the right fit, we will tell you honestly and suggest something that is.
Book the Free Intro Chat
"I built the Beginners Programme because I kept watching people try to start on their own and give up, not because they were not capable, but because they had no one in their corner. The programme is what I wish every new member had from day one: a coach, a plan and a community before the pressure of a group class. I have been coaching here since 2014 and I still believe the first four weeks are the most important. Get those right and everything else follows."
They had the same doubts.
Here is what they say now.
Real reviews from CrossFit 1864 members. Read them all on Google.
"I made one of the best decisions of my life when I joined CrossFit 1864. I have made lovely friends and finally have a stimulus to exercise. I feel looked after. Great coaches. Amazing community."
"I joined about 2 weeks ago and already feel like part of the family. The coaches are knowledgeable, motivational and helpful, and the other members are friendly and encouraging."
"Coaches are fantastic and very welcoming to people of all skill levels. The workouts are varied and always challenging, but there are always scaled options. The community is extremely friendly."
"A brilliant CrossFit box. Such a lovely bunch of people, super inclusive for all abilities and ages, and they take great care of their members."
"Best gym in London. I have been a member of CrossFit 1864 for 4 years and I could not recommend it more. The coaches are amazing, very friendly people and great facilities. This place is for everyone."
"I feel very supported by all the coaches. It has changed my lifestyle and helps me mentally too. Good vibes and amazing people."
The first step is free
Book a free
intro chat.
A 15-minute call with a coach, no sales pitch and no pressure. We will talk about your goals, answer your questions honestly, and tell you whether the Beginners Programme is the right fit. If it is, we will set a start date. If it is not, we will point you somewhere better.