About Us

It feels as though my life so far has been preparation for the opening of this gym. About four years ago I fractured my T-12 vertebrae. According to my doctor, if I hadn’t been in such good shape at the time of the accident, I might well have been paralyzed. After a year of rehabilitation, I surprised the doctors by being able to do most of the things I had done before. I can’t tell you how much my appreciation for fitness changed and how committed I became to pursuing life long physical fitness!

Following my rehab, I was working at a job that I hated and was a highly unmotivated employee. Not surprisingly, I lost that job. I realized that I was at a crossroad. I could continue as I had in the past and just get another job, or I could take a risk and do something completely different. It was pointed out to me that to be a true success you have to have both the skill and the passion for what you do. The future became clear – take my natural ability to engage and coach people and match it with my passion for physical fitness. That’s when the light bulb went on and the real work began. I immediately jumped in and started my education, soaking up knowledge and fast as I could get it and applying it just as quickly. The learning curve was steep, and at times, challenging. My first career move was to become a certified personal trainer and gain employment at a big fitness corporation.

My experience at the big gym provided a good base, but it wasn’t until I took my first Kettlebell certification and was introduced to CrossFit that I got hooked on one methodology. CrossFit was it! Every additional certification that I completed led to more knowledge and improved results with my clients. As I worked at two different gyms, I took every opportunity to I learn as much as I could about CrossFit and the business side of running a CrossFit gym. It became clear that my goal was to own and operate my own CrossFit gym.

Now I am proud and pleased to be able to invite you to join us at Transition CrossFit and take your first steps in making the transition to that elite athlete or that healthy and energetic individual you strive to be.
Matthew Bennett
CrossFit Level 1 Coach
CrossFit Endurance Coach
CrossFit Kettlebell Instructor
TPI Golf Fitness Instructor

I began my search for fitness in high school. At the time, I didn’t really know what ‘fitness’ was; I had an idea but nothing that I could confidently speak on. I tended to think fitness was about looking big, like the bodybuilders you see in magazines, so I set out on that path. From grade 10 and on, I worked out conventionally. I went to a big box gym and did the usual ‘arm days leg days’, as my workout regimen. I found myself less and less motivated to go to the gym as it became repetitive and boring. So I stopped going but was still wasting my money.
It wasn’t until my third year of university that an acquaintance of mine turned me on to CrossFit. The feeling after that first workout was a mixture of sickness, pain, and exhilaration. From that point on I was hooked and CrossFit has since become my path to fitness. The sheer idea of doing something different everyday makes total sense to me. It has allowed me to understand what exactly fitness is. It is something I can stand behind; something that is tangible; something that I can live, outside of the gym.
As a trainer, I seek to teach CrossFit and all its components to anyone who is willing, but also to help build a community of like-minded individuals who are also on that path to finding their peak physical fitness.
Carlos Pareja
CrossFit Level 1 Coach
Ontario Weightlifting Coach

Much of my youth was focussed on athletics which ranged from figure skating to track to basketball and finally to rowing for the Canadian National team. I am an athlete at heart but lost sight of that after an injury sidelined me and I chose to focus on starting a family and building a career.
It was not until a very good friend of mine confided that she was going to do a triathlon that I felt a deep pang…an unfulfilled dream. Needless to say that within a week I was training and we proceeded to do try-a-try’s that summer and built up to sprint triathlons and then Olympic distance races. I know that it is like to start over again, when a 10min run seems daunting…but slowly that changes when limits are tested and pushed. After regaining some athletic confidence, I returned to competitive rowing at a masters’ level and was able to prove something to myself. I also quickly realized that I need variety and thus ventured into adventure racing for a couple of seasons. It was during that time that Matt introduced me to Crossfit and it all made sense.
Crossfit allowed me to engage in an ever changing variety of workouts while pushing my limits and allowing me to better compete in other sports, including Crossfit.
I believe in change and growth because without it, life stagnates. I believe that the only way to grow is to push your limits even when you are scared to try. I enjoy helping people discover new limits through Crossfit and watching them take that newly discovered confidence into other aspects of their lives. I also believe that it is never too late to start. Age is a number and it is up to you how you choose to live it.
Rita Toporowski
CrossFit Level 1 Coach
CrossFit Endurance

Fitness has always been an important part of my life. As a teenager I was involved in sports and lifeguarding. In my late teens I developed a blood clot in one of my deep veins. The clot caused significant damage to the veins in my left leg leaving me with extremely poor blood circulation. As years past I always felt defeated and limited in my abilities. I pushed myself to stay active, but was never satisfied. I desperately wanted to find something that would allow me to push myself, regardless of my physical limitations.

Finally, I found CrossFit.

Becoming involved in the CrossFit community changed my life forever. It provided me with the opportunity to push myself further than I ever thought possible. I have accomplished physical tasks that I never thought my condition would allow. I have found hope when I was in despair; I have found happiness when I have been in pain. There are many days when I still feel limited, but then I reflect and realize what I have achieved.
I believe that anyone can push themselves beyond their limits. We should not be tied down by what we think we cannot do. Instead we should keep pushing. The journey might be hard, but the outcome will be worth while. After all, “Nothing good comes without sacrifice and discomfort.”
Amy Clackett
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer