Heather McLean

Heather first discovered CrossFit in 2015 while training for her college softball season — and it didn’t take long before she fell in love with the sport itself. She continued CrossFit after college, eventually competing in multiple events and stepping into coaching. After moving to Raleigh in 2024, Heather took a short break from competing, but soon found herself back where she thrives: coaching athletes at CrossFit SERVE.

Heather’s coaching style centers around one core belief: form is king. She focuses on the fundamentals and building strong, quality movement patterns, knowing that great reps done well pay off over time. Her ideal class playlist? A good rave vibe. And if she could add lasers and lights to the gym… she absolutely would.

In class, Heather keeps things fun while getting the work done. She loves helping athletes learn from her own trial‑and‑error experiences (especially with gymnastics), breaking down workouts, teaching pacing, and building confidence one small win at a time.

Her philosophy is simple: movement is medicine. And she never takes it lightly when an athlete chooses her class to chase their goals.

Heather’s favorite workouts include power cleans, sprint‑style metcons, and anything involving a heavy barbell. Outside the gym, you’ll usually find her caring for her two French bulldogs, Elouise and Olive, heading to music festivals, sneaking away to the beach in the offseason, or cheering on professional women’s sports.

Her current goals? Dialing back in for CrossFit shape, building some serious “boulder shoulders,” and mastering handstand walking. Dream trips include surfing in Puerto Rico or snowboarding in Vancouver. And the one thing you’ll always find in her gym bag? Knee sleeves — because in her opinion, they’re the biggest cheat code in CrossFit.

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