The Year 1997 – After many years of powerlifting behind them, Steve Thompson, Steven King and Kevin Strachan were looking for a change in their training. They started adopting some of the Westside training methods.
Original Getstrength Logo
The major problem they had was that speciality bars and equipment were not available in NZ and very very expensive to import from the US.
Getstrength was born, Originally is an educational and training concept with 5 participants, bringing functional training to the mainstream. Along with Getstrength, the need for equipment was also born.
Getstrength was started in a garage in West Auckland
Kevin had many years of motor racing behind him and had been building his own race equipment since his early teens. Turning into a corner at 200 plus kms on something he made himself made him very aware of how strong things have to be. Something that is still at the heart of everything the Getstrength makes today.
Starting with simple designs like thick bars from 50 mm to the behemoth 90 mm which is still in use in the Getstrength gym today
More than a hobby
The year 2000 – Only 2 of the original participants have now involved Steve Thompson and Kevin Strachan and with a design philosophy of their own the demand for more varied equipment meant that nights and weekends were not enough to keep up with demand
The year 2002- By 2002 Kevin was working full time from his home workshop
The Year 2003 – just not enough space for the ever-increasing workload the move to the 1st Neilson street Onehunga premises.
By this time Getstrength was designing a huge array speciality strength training equipment. Their ability to design sports specific training equipment meant that their products were being exported all over the world. Designing and perfecting the Front squat harness was a highlight with more than 10000 being sold. Like many of their designs, they are now being copied in China and else where.
Getstrength Onehunga Factory
The Year 2005 MORE EXPANSION
More staff, they had grown to 10 and generation one of the Getstrength gym, very existing times. more space!
Getstrength Gym Generation one
Generation one – The gym very well equipped but ahead of its time, an absolute dream to train in. John Strachan joins the team
The Year 2007 – Getstrength Sponsor the Auckland Blues Super Rugby
The Year 2008 – Not a good year like the rest of the world Getstrength struggled and moved to its present site in Neilson street 385b were
manufacturing continued and they still had room for a private Gym in the factory.
The retail business grows and continued innovation See’s manufacturing grows with it.
The Year 2014 – 2014 see’s manufacturing and logistic’s shift the Waiuku factory and the Neilson Street site becoming the Getstrength Gym
Generation 2 this time not ahead of its time and still going from strength to strength. Producing many champions all the way to the international level but still maintaining it’s down to earth roots. Run by John Strachan multinational and international powerlifting Champion
The Year 2017- Getstrength gym continues as a great place to train for all of its members, with 28 taking part at The Auckland Powerlifting Associations Championships this year out of an entry of 102
Strengthband.com grows month by month showing that great price and excellent products still mean something