New gym boasts 'top shelf' machines and a 'huge free weight section'

Now, he has expanded the One Strength legacy to Bathurst.

The new gym officially opened in its home at 42 Hampden Park Road, Kelso, on Saturday, March 29.

Mr Davis and co-owner and wife, Chantelle Davis, have had their sights set on a Bathurst location for several years, first applying for a development application in 2021.

Though their plans fell through, the couple became more determined than ever to find a local home for One Strength in the years after.

Now, they have opened what is their third official location after expanding to Wollongong in 2024.

The reasons for the three locations were simple for the couple, who have ties to both the Central West and the Illawarra.

After growing up in Orange, Mr Davis moved to the coast to get a taste of life by the sea, but he soon learnt that his passion was helping others to reach their full potential.

It was something that he initially struggled with himself.

"For me, personally, I was a bit of a dirtbag when I was younger. I was one of those kids who was smart without trying," he said.

"So, the bad side of that was that you never really learn the value of hard work because you just cruise through, until eventually life's like 'hey!' and you don't get to cruise through anymore.

"The gym taught me the value of hard work, and somewhere along the way you go, 'I wonder If I applied that with the rest of my life, would my whole life be better?'."

He left his job as an electrician and decided to start his own gym.

Since then, he hasn't looked back. With One Strength Gym, Mr and Mrs Davis have built a foundation of connection and community.

This is something that they said they have found in spades in Bathurst in just the few days since opening.

"I love it here; it's mad. There's a very, very high sentiment in Bathurst to support local, and you can feel it straight away," Mr Davis said.

"I suppose it's just all about that sense of community and having a place to help change," Mrs Davis added.

This change is created by hiring informed staff and utilising the highest quality machinery and equipment to ensure a safe and effective space.

Currently, One Strength employs five full-time staff members, ranging from personal trainers to reception staff, with the goal of increasing staffing in the future.

"With us, we're very heavy on the staff, so if you're not sure what to do, you can always go and ask," Mr Davis said.

"We have a whole bunch of machines that look like spacecraft, so for us, it's really important to have staff on most of the time to be able to help people out."

In addition, the gym also offers instructional videos via QR codes on each piece of machinery as an additional method of safeguarding the premises and gym-goers.

The 996-square-metre facility boasts more than 150 machines, which have been carefully separated into designated areas specific to each exercise.

The machines range from those targeting specific muscle groups to cardio equipment and "a huge free weight section, with the biggest dumbbell rack this side of the mountains."

"The stuff we have, It's top shelf. It's the top shelf of the top shelf," Mr Davis said.

"We've got machines that were built in 1982 through to things that were built last year; they're the best machines for the exercise. They're designed to give you the best result."

As well as this, the gym boasts a class space, as well as a private area for those looking for more seclusion when training.

This is part of the upstairs expanse, separated from the weights section, to promote comfortability for all users.

Though the gym is open and ready for all users, the facility will host an Open Day soon, with Mr and Mrs Davis encouraging everybody to "watch this space."

The facility will also be hosting several classes of weightlifting competitions on Saturday, April 12, with the public invited to come along, all for a small donation.

Until then, the gym will be open 24/7 for members and Fitness Passport holders. Those curious to check it out can do so from 7am to 7pm for a walkthrough and a free session.

Those interested are encouraged to head to the website https://www.onestrength.com.au/ and fill in the consultation form.