In a time before 24/7 gyms saturated the market, and the term ‘fitness influencer’ was yet to be born, Craig Ifould would hit the parks of the Northern Valleys — van loaded with equipment and enthusiasm, hoping someone would show up to his 6 am class at Lower Chittering Oval. This month, Craig, together with partner Justine McGregor, are celebrating ten years of Gener8 Fitness, and cultivating what Craig calls, “A community within a community.”
Craig, who also runs a successful glass company, was inspired to start offering fitness classes after moving to the area and noticing a glut in the market.
“Craig’s very much like that — one day he will go, ‘I wanna do this.’ And then he will. So, you strap in for the ride,” laughs Justine.
Craig says, “My passion is fitness — I’m not interested in your money. But if you bring the right attitude, I’ll work with that.
“When I first started out, for months I’d get just two ladies turn up. I kept at it, and then one morning I had six ladies. And then at the next class, there were 12. And when I brought the class to Bullsbrook, I had over 20 people!”
Gener8 Fitness now resides in a fixed location on Corvette Way in Bullsbrook and offers a range of classes. Justine says, “We don’t just want to be a CrossFit gym or just a boot camp gym. We want variety so if one class doesn’t suit someone, they’re getting a bit bored, or want a challenge, they’ve got another option.”
Beyond the burpees and barbells, what Craig and Justine are most proud of is the supportive and nurturing community of like-minded individuals that Gener8 has brought together.
“I know every single member in this gym. I know how many kids they’ve got. I know how long they’ve been a member. And that is what we wanted —- to feel that community, to be seen, to not be a number,” said Justine.
Craig acknowledges that while this type of set up is not for everyone – “We are definitely niche — a lot of people look from the outside and think it’s a bit of a cult!” — it has allowed Gener8 to leverage this point of difference, and really optimise that experience for those who seek it.
“We’re not in competition with anyone, and we are purely focused on what we do. We stay in our lane and that’s how we grow,” said Craig.
Craig and Justine are encouraging of anyone want to take their first steps on a fitness journey. “There’s never any judgement,” said Justine. “Whatever your age, ability, shape, size, whatever you are going through, I can guarantee someone has gone through it before you.”
With fitness, and not just physical fitness — “Exercise is the most unutilized antidepressant in the world,” said Craig — often taking a back seat when people adjust to becoming parents, being family-friendly has also been a priority for Gener8. Kids of all ages are welcome while mum and dad are training, and Craig says not to be discouraged by the thought of an unsettled child interrupting a class. “This is your time. It’s 45 minutes of your day. We can push a pram for an unsettled baby, or open a bag of chips for the older ones.”
“If you can’t come to classes, just come in any time — the board always has a workout on it. You’re always going to be able to do something.”
In a decade in business, there have been some challenges – whilst recovering from the hit that the pandemic dealt to the industry, Craig was diagnosed with cancer. The support he and Justine received from the Gener8 members — both in the practical form of ferrying Craig to treatment, and general encouragement — were invaluable. Justine says, “It was amazing. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without them. And I know if anything like that happened to anyone else here, they’d do it again.”
Reflecting on their ten-year anniversary, Justine says, “There’s been plenty of blood, sweat, tears to get where we are — and lots of laughs and happy times too. It’s really taken a village to grow the business.” Craig adds, “A lot of credit has to go to Justine, if it wasn’t for her, I’d still be a guy in the park with a van!”
