About
Everyone is built to last, even you
Hey, I’m Karl and I established Groundwork Fitness because strength training changed my life.
I was born with cerebral palsy and, to improve my movement, I started strength training at a gym located in a tin shed. I was just 14, and what followed was a lifelong passion for my 5am training sessions.
Over time, curious friends began asking me to train them, so they could stay healthy and active. My method worked for them – and this was proof that strength training works for anyone of any age or ability.
So that’s why I opened Groundwork Fitness. It’s the kind of place I’ve always wanted to train at: a strength club that is welcoming, hygienically clean and full of interesting people. While I didn’t mind the rough-and-ready tin shed when I was a teenager, I now prefer a few creature comforts, the fit out completed with my father (and mother), a coffee machine, plus top-quality equipment – and that’s the experience we deliver at Groundwork.
Lifting big weights isn’t just for the young , so come and try our method. You’ll be amazed what you can do with the right guidance and programs.
Karl
Certified Strength Coach
Why strength training?
Let’s get one thing straight: you won’t find any body builders staring at themselves in a mirror here. Sure we lift big weights, but we go at your own pace in safe, monitored training sessions.
We want more people to try strength training, because we know that walking and running isn’t enough to keep you in peak physical health (that’s why the Australian Physical Activity Guidelines recommend strength training at least twice a week for all adults).
By lifting weights, you’ll experience a whole range of health benefits, including:
- Better mobility and balance for everyday activities
- Improved bone and joint health
- Reduced risk of developing lifestyle diseases
- Better musculoskeletal health
Plus, unlike a face cream, exercise really does slow down the ageing process. So while we can’t help with those wrinkles, strength training will build up the muscle mass you need to delay the frailty, aches and pains of old age (see the research on that here).
But, be warned: challenging yourself to reach new PBs is addictive…