When you look up the dictionary definition of “strong,” it’s pretty straightforward:
“Having the power to move heavy weights or perform other physically demanding tasks.”
Example: “She cut through the water with her strong arms.”

But in the real world, strength is a lot more complicated — and personal — than that.

Every week, people walk into the gym and tell me they want to get stronger. And I always ask them, “What does that mean to you?”

For some, it’s about independence — being able to do something without asking for help. One of the most common examples? Changing the big water container at work. That might not sound like a big deal, but to them, it’s a milestone that means they can handle life’s demands on their own terms.

For others, strength is about injury resistance. They want a body that doesn’t break down every time life gets busy or a sport picks up intensity. They want to build a strong foundation that keeps them active and pain-free — at work, at home, and on the field.

Some people think of strength as work capacity — the ability to keep going when others would need to stop. It’s about not getting tired too quickly, being able to tackle that extra set of stairs, the big gardening project, or a tough day on the job site. It’s about endurance and the mental grit to push through.

In our Developing Athletes Program (DAP), the word strong takes on a whole new meaning. For many young athletes, “strong” is the tool they see as leveling the playing field — their way of bridging the gap when their personal development doesn’t keep pace with their peers. It’s their way of feeling like they can compete out there on the field, no matter what.

Ask a runner, and they might tell you that strength means running hills without losing (too much) speed — the kind of strength that powers every step, no matter the gradient.

Ask a cyclist, and they’ll often define strength as the ability to not just climb one hill but to tackle hill after hill after hill. (5 Dams? Here we come!)

And let’s not forget the emotional side of strength — the resilience to handle stress, setbacks, and unexpected life events. It’s about getting up when life knocks you down, and showing up again and again, even when you don’t feel like it.

Personally, I’ve been pretty lucky when it comes to strength. Even though there were no gyms around when I was growing up (I’ve blogged about this before), I somehow found ways to build it. I had this old athletics training manual from the 1960s — probably an Arthur Lydiard classic — that had me doing hill sprints and dumbbell exercises from about age 11.

One session even had me sprinting up hills, then climbing straight into bed with the blankets on for 40 minutes before heading out to finish the session. That was supposed to help with recovery — a kind of old-school heat therapy. Of course, no one would EVER do that now, but in the 1980s, we just did what we could. No iPhones. No YouTube videos telling us the “best way” to train. And in Perth, we only had three TV stations — so there wasn’t much else to do except give it a go!

And here’s another story I’ve told before that still makes me smile: I remember saving up money from delivering newspapers/catalogues etc and finally buying those dumbbells from K-Mart at Kardinya Shopping Centre. I was so keen to get started that I carried them home — all the way to 14 Aleppo Drive, Kardinya. Turns out, Google Maps tells me in 2025 that’s about 0.85 km — but in my head at the time, it felt like at least three miles! Looking back, I really should have taken the dumbbells out of the box and screwed the plates onto the handles (they were the old-school threaded ones) before carrying them home rather than lugging them home in a box…but hey, the benefits of experience!

The point is: Strength means different things to different people.

At the gym, we absolutely train the physical side of strength. That’s the easy part to measure — how much weight you can lift, how many reps you can do. But we also talk about the strength that doesn’t show up on a scorecard. The strength to keep coming back, even when you’re tired. The strength to ask for help when you need it. The strength to take that first step toward a healthier life.

Because here’s the truth: Being strong is about so much more than muscles.

It’s about building the confidence and resilience to tackle whatever life throws your way — whether that’s a 20kg kettlebell, a long work shift, a steep climb, or an unexpected challenge.

Finding Your Strength at Round 1

At Round 1, we’ve built a range of classes to suit all those different definitions of strength:
💪 Fully Loaded: A dedicated strength program where adding muscle is the #1 (and only) priority. If you want to build serious strength and size, this is where you want to be.
💪 Functional Fitness: Every class includes a strength block — some training blocks lean more heavily on strength, others on conditioning. Our next block (starting tomorrow!) is unique in its focus on building strength — it’s a great time to jump in!
💪 Hyrox POWER: Focused on strength endurance — lighter weights, higher reps, and the kind of engine that keeps you going when others are gasping for air.
💪 BoxPLUS: 20-30% strength elements, designed for all-around fitness with a strength approach that’s more similar to Hyrox POWER rather than Functional or Fully Loaded.

Ready to define what strength means for you?
Whether you’re an existing member looking to reset your goals or someone new considering a start at Round 1, the Free Consultation process is the BEST way to make it happen. Let’s talk about where you’re at, where you want to go, and how we can help you build the strength you need — inside and out.

👉 Book your Free Consult here: Round 1 Fitness Free Consultation

That’s the kind of strength we’re here to build — together.