When you think of a gym, what is it you picture? You ask anyone and most of the answers you receive will be quite a mixed bag. The ever-so-popular suburb of Merewether has recently welcomed a new fitness clinic to locals and it’s changing the way we think about exercise.

Brought to us by Newcastle-born and bred fitness guru, Michelle Bourne, On Point Performance is the culmination of a lifelong journey in the fitness industry. Launching in July 2020, the local gym has just celebrated its first birthday and has big plans to continue offering a variety of training methods that are suitable to all ages, lifestyles, and fitness levels.

Growing up within the ballet community, Michelle spent her early years pursuing a serious ballet career. For those that know a lot about ballet, they know the many injuries that can be involved, and for Michelle, that was what lead her towards pursuing a career in the fitness industry.

“I grew up doing ballet and it was everything to me; the absolute be all and end all. Unfortunately, I ended up with so many injuries and they really got the better of me, which lead me toward what I’m doing now. I always had that passion for movement but now, I am really focussed on injury prevention and longevity of health,” Michelle explained.

Completing her Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science and her Masters of Sport Science Strength & Conditioning via correspondence at Edith Cowan University, Michelle has been working across the industry for ten years and in 2020 pursued her biggest goal yet; bringing On Point Performance to life.

The Merewether-based fitness centre has a strong community hub with a focus on individual health, injury prevention, preventative health measures, pain management, and overall fitness education within its core offering.

“On Point Performance is a community with no judgement. It can be quite daunting for people to walk into a facility and not have any idea as to what to do and where to start. The most important thing for me is for people to just start.

“I want people to feel comfortable enough to come in here and have an enjoyable time. To work on themselves without any fear of judgement or criticism, instead, they are in a really supportive and positive environment.”

One step through the On Point Performance's front doors and that is exactly how you feel. Greeted with a friendly smile from Michelle herself, before getting a guided tour around the space, the gym oozes nothing short of great vibes.

The venue is open to anyone and everyone; that’s people of all shapes, sizes, ages, and anything and everything in-between. Offering a tailored approach to each and every client that comes through the door will find individuals work towards goals specific to their own needs.

“I have an amazing team of staff and we all specialise in different areas. It’s always tailored to the client themselves and what they need.”

The team comprises of four incredibly talented and highly qualified fitness gurus, which is part of the "On Point Experience" - the calibre of qualified staff. With Michelle at the helm, her right-hand-man, Dean Shedden, who brings more than 20 years experience to the team, Sam Johnson with his specific interest in speed and agility within sport-specific settings, and the newest member rounding out the team, Dakota Skewes; the On Point Performance coaches have all of your fitness needs covered.  

With a focus on small group personal training sessions, the fitness centre also offers sport-specific training, strength, and conditioning sessions, and of course, one-on-one training.

“We focus predominately on group personal training, with only 6 clients per session. Everyone is set up doing a different activity or exercise based on their specific requirements and goals. Having smaller groups allows our clients personalised attention without the extravagant costs often associated with personal trainers. We also offer one-on-one training sessions and sport-specific training. Basically, you name it, we cover it.”

The centre is decked out with all of the typical gear you’d be likely to find in any high-quality gym. From ellipticals, treadmills, stair climbers, and rowing machines, to the state-of-the-art Keizer spin bikes, and all your weight training equipment from dumbbells to power racks for your big heavy Olympic lifts. The venue also features equipment to aid in rehabilitation and specific resources to give the most scientifically proven benefits to clients. 

“I do a lot of rehabilitation work for clients. I work closely with Physiotherapists to ensure clients are progressing at an appropriate rate for their injury.”

Have we got you interested yet? Hear from Michelle on exactly what to expect when you pop into On Point Performance.

“First thing I will do, is to bring you into the office and ask what brought you through our doors. You are here for a reason, and our job is to find out what you’re here for and come up with a plan on how we can best help you.

“Whether it’s weight loss, osteoarthritis prevention, injury rehabilitation, pain management, fall prevention training, or sport-specific training. My team and I are aware that no one is the same and everyone has different health concerns so that’s why we have a tailored approach.”

So, whether you’re looking for a new fitness centre, or have a focus on one particular goal; it could be weight management, preventative health treatment, injury rehabilitation, or simply staying well, the team at On Point Performance are committed to providing you a safe and supervised environment to offer a multi-faceted approach to support your health, fitness, and well-being.