A PROFESSIONAL golfer who coaches in York has branched out to open a new gym in his home town of Pocklington.

Inspired by the latest fitness success story, Michael Dennington, 29, has opened CrossFit YO4 on Pocklington Industrial Estate, teaming up with his wife and fellow CrossFit enthusiast, Jennifer, 26, to convert a former industrial unit on Hampden Road into a gym.

A keen sportsman at Woldgate School in Pocklington, Michael played for the town’s rugby and football clubs before concentrating on golf as a sport, then a career.

Starting out locally at the KP Club at Kilnwick Percy he went on to play on the professional circuit, and now owns The York Golf Academy in Wigginton Road, giving golf lessons and analysis while still playing some PGA tournaments.

He has always been keen on personal fitness, and tried several approaches before discovering CrossFit with his brother, Chris, a few years ago, and quickly becoming hooked.

It also had a far-reaching effect on his personal life, meeting his future wife, Jennifer, at a York gym. Jennifer’s first sporting interest was gymnastics at Joseph Rowntree School in York before she also became a CrossFit devotee. Michael said: “Having had experience at many conventional gyms, it was clear as soon as we started CrossFit it was what we wanted to do. Learning new skills and working hard with others really makes all the difference.

“Jennifer and I met through a love of CrossFit, together we can’t wait to create for others what we’ve been fortunate to experience ourselves.”

Conceived in California in the 1990s, CrossFit is now one of the world’s fastest growing fitness programs.

Michael added: “CrossFit’s the sport of fitness but it really is for anyone, scaled in intensity to allow everyone to train in the same enjoyable atmosphere. It allows you to exercise together unlike any other gym you’ve ever been to, learning all styles of functional movement that make a genuine difference.”