Michael Jones
Coach at CrossFit Outlaw North
- CrossFit Level 2
- Member, Education Council — Association of Fitness Judges (AFJ)
- Standard First Aid + CPR-C
- PhD in Medicinal Chemistry
Experience Coaching since 2023
Michael coaches general fitness and university athletes across CrossFit, university rugby, and high school rugby settings. He also served as VP of Education for the Vancouver Rugby Referees Society for three years.
Athletic Background
Michael competed across multiple sports at high levels:
-National U17 Men’s Rugby Player
-Canada Winter Games competitor in Squash
-Competitive volleyball, basketball, and soccer
-International rugby referee
Beyond competing, Michael has judged at elite CrossFit competitions including Wodapalooza Miami, World Fitness Project, and the NorCal Classic — giving him a perspective on athletic performance that very few coaches have.
Coaching Philosophy
“My job as a coach is to make people enjoy fitness and improve at least 1% every day.”
Michael’s outlook on health goes deeper than the physical. His core belief: movement isn’t just about the body. “When people become sedentary, there’s a trickle-down effect not just physically, but on cognition and mental health. In a gym with real community, those cognitive and mental health benefits can be just as rewarding — or more so — than the physical ones.”
His coaching mindset has also shifted with experience: “You don’t need to know everything or be perfect — that’s unrealistic. What you do need is a positive attitude and kindness in every correction and suggestion you give.”
The part of coaching he thinks about most: “The self-talk after a session. Was I concise? Did I actually make a change in that person? Did they get 1% better today?”
Background & Perspective
A PhD chemist by training, Michael brings scientific rigour to how he thinks about movement, health, and human performance. But what keeps him showing up to the gym isn’t complexity — it’s the opposite. “The programming is already done. I just need to show up and sweat.”
Michael moved to Hamilton in 2020 and found his people at Outlaw North almost immediately. “The friends I’ve made here — I’ve been to their weddings, travelled the world with them, supported them through hard times. They’ve become family.”
Sport gave Michael something he values deeply: “Self-confidence. I’ve learned and excelled at many sports throughout my life, and that’s built real confidence in me. As a gay man, that’s something I’m proud of — it’s not always common in our community.”