VAMOS expands to Brookvale 

Brookvale has given the Northern Beaches many gifts. The Sea Eagles. A brewery on every corner. The Warringah Mall car park, where time itself goes to die. From February it’s adding one more: a place for the over 40s of Brookie, Curly, Freshie and Dee Why to get properly, measurably strong.

VAMOS Strength Training, the Balgowlah-born outfit that’s spent the last couple of years quietly turning local mums, dads, tradies and retirees into people who deadlift, has signed on at 218 Harbord Road. The building used to be a brewery. Where once there were kegs, there’ll soon be kettlebells.

If you haven’t come across VAMOS, forget whatever you’re picturing. No intimidation, no doof doof, no bloke in a singlet guarding the squat rack.

Each athlete (that’s what they call you, and yes, you get used to it) trains in a private cube with their own rack and weights, following a personalised programme, with a coach on hand to keep the technique safe and effective.

The results keep turning heads. Athletes who train twice a week consistently get at least 30% stronger in their first year, and between Balgowlah and Mosman there are now more than 650 of them, plenty of whom had never touched a barbell before walking in.

Founder Scott Hood says the move north was no grand strategy, simply a response to demand.

“We’ve had athletes driving over the hill from Freshie, Curly and Dee Why since we opened Balgowlah, and Balgowlah’s been full for a while now,” he says. “So we’re coming to them with an even bigger VAMOS – 12 private cubes and our own dedicated car park out the front, which in Brookvale might be the most important thing of all!”

With over two decades in the fitness industry, Scott is the sort of bloke who can make a barbell sound like a retirement plan, and he may have a point.

“From around age 40 we naturally start to lose muscle – up to 5% per decade unless you regularly and effectively strength train,” he says. “It’s about your independence, your vitality, and doing all the things you love for your whole life. Most people over 40 know they should be lifting but don’t want to walk into a gym and feel like they don’t belong. That’s exactly who we built VAMOS for.”

The builders move in this month, with doors opening in February. As for the name, it’s officially VAMOS Brookvale, though Scott is relaxed about it.

“Call it VAMOS Brookie, Curly, Freshie or Dee Why – whichever one gets you strength training,” he says. “We’re here to get the whole neighbourhood ‘Stronger, for life’. Let’s go!”