From Building Houses to Building Humans: The Story of The HIIT Squad

In our ninth year, Hit Squad has evolved from makeshift bootcamps using scaffold poles on a remote island to becoming one of Christchurch's most loved fitness communities. I started as a builder, but discovered my passion for fitness while working fly-in-fly-out in Nauru. What began organically with a few people joining my workouts grew into a community of 20-30 training regularly.

When I returned to Christchurch in 2016, I started running sessions at local gyms and officially launched Hit Squad on July 1st that year. Unlike franchise operations, we've developed our systems through experience, learning from our mistakes along the way.

Our approach differentiates us—we avoid barbells that might intimidate newcomers, focusing instead on creating a welcoming environment for all fitness levels. Our motto, "Building Better Humans," reflects our philosophy that fitness is a byproduct of what we do. The true value is in the community we've created.

Rather than expansion, we're focused on refining our existing operation and maintaining quality. We've weathered challenges like COVID-19 and increasing competition from budget gyms, but our emphasis on personal connection keeps members coming back.

I've learned that energy is infectious in a fitness environment—every trainer must refresh each member's membership daily through positive interactions and personalised attention. No matter what's happening outside, people come to us for an experience that leaves them feeling better than when they walked in.

The past nine years have been a whirlwind journey, but I'm grateful for every conversation and connection that's shaped our community, particularly that pivotal moment when someone asked me: "What's the worst that could happen if you started a gym?"