WHO ARE WE?
We are a community of strength enthusiasts, dedicated to the art and science of powerlifting. Our gym stands as a beacon for individuals who are passionate about pushing their limits, embracing the discipline of powerlifting, and achieving personal excellence. We offer an environment that is both welcoming and challenging, designed to support lifters of all levels—from beginners to competitive athletes. Our facility is equipped with top of the range comp spec equipment, and our head coach brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, committed to guiding each member towards their strength goals. We believe in the transformative power of lifting, not just for physical strength but for building confidence, discipline, and a supportive community. If you want to be part of a movement that celebrates strength in all its forms this is the gym for you.
MEET OUR TEAM
Mark Derrick
Owner & Head Coach
Mark’s involvement in Strength and Conditioning as an athlete and a coach has spanned over 25 years. He trained in a National Level performance program with a specifically tailored strength and conditioning program in his early teens, which quickly helped him realise how effective progressive strength training can be, not only in making you strong but also in improving your overall health, mental wellbeing and a positive lifestyle.
Having always been competitive and participated in a variety of sports at a high-performance level, it is no surprise Mark quickly turned towards the sport of powerlifting. Mark coaches and competes in powerlifting under the Australian Powerlifting Alliance as part of the International Powerlifting Federation. As a coach, he has trained powerlifters from compete novices to the elite level.
However, his experience does not end there. Mark has over 15 years combined of martial arts training and instructing, been coached by some of the best trainers in the country, as well as having coaching experience across a number of different sporting disciplines.
Mark prides himself on the ability to make you stronger, improve your body composition and enhance your athletic performance on and off the platform. He strongly believes that creating the best possible training atmosphere is key to promoting growth and development and helping you to achieve your strength and performance goals.
Qualifications
Coaching Experience
Training Background
Lee-Ann Derrick
Owner / Manager
Lee-Ann was a competitive swimmer, triathlete and archer before she switched her focus to powerlifting. She began weight training in 2017 with the intention to lose weight and improve her body composition. Naturally, she soon realised that reducing the number on the scale was not as fulfilling as increasing the weight on the bar, and her focus quickly shifted to improving her strength. Lee-Ann has been competing in powerlifting since 2018 and won bronze in her weight class at the Australian Powerlifting Championships in 2019.
Lee-Ann is a VIT registered teacher and currently works as a leading teacher at a New Arrivals P-10 English Language school as the Student Wellbeing Coordinator. She was previously a Learning Specialist and also worked at the Department of Education and Training as an English as an Additional Language (EAL) specialist and Project Officer, as well as an EAL consultant for the NGV and VicTESOL.
In her spare time, she is a National level powerlifter and also manages the MD Strength team.
