Our story — Meet Rob
I grew up in Footscray, Melbourne, in a family where hard work was the norm. My parents migrated from Lebanon in the 1970s and set up a small grocery shop. Dad worked nights at the docks, and Mum ran the shop during the day. After school, I’d help stock shelves, weigh out rice and flour in 5-kilo bags, and listen to their stories about how life back home revolved around people making things themselves—food, tools, furniture. That mindset of making do and using what you’ve got stuck with me.
Before starting Vital Strength Co, I was working as a fitter and turner at a workshop in Dandenong. The hours were long, but I liked the work—precision, problem-solving, and the satisfaction of making something solid. On weekends, I was at the gym with mates, lifting weights and trying to max out our deadlifts. It was during one of those sessions in 2016 that I started thinking about gym gear. One of my mates had torn the stitching on his lifting straps, and it got me wondering why most of the stuff we were using seemed cheap and flimsy.
I decided to have a crack at making something better. I borrowed Dad’s old industrial sewing machine and picked up some heavy-duty webbing from a supplier in Thomastown. After a few prototypes—and a lot of trial and error—I came up with the first version of our PowerGrip Lifting Straps. I gave a few pairs to the guys at the gym, and they loved them. From there, I started selling them online, making everything myself out of the spare room at home. By 2018, demand had grown so much that I moved into a workshop here in Maleny.
These days, Vital Strength Co has grown beyond lifting straps. We’ve got a small team and work with local suppliers wherever we can. Everything is still designed and tested here in Maleny. The focus is the same as it was in the beginning: making gear that lasts and does the job properly.
— Thanks for supporting something real — Rob, Rob Willing
Journal
What Lifting Straps Have to Do With Olive Oil
A story about our supplier, some old Lebanese trees, and why strength means more than just numbers in the gym.
My dad grew up in a little mountain village in Lebanon, surrounded by olive trees that were older than anyone alive. He’d tell stories about climbing them as a kid, helping his dad with the harvest, and the smell of freshly pressed oil filling the house. These trees weren’t planted in straight orchard lines but grew where they pleased, gnarled and stubborn. When we started Vital Strength Co, those trees, and the way they’ve endured, stuck with me.
One of our earliest suppliers was a family from the same region, now settled in NSW’s Hunter Valley. They still grow olives, but they also produce leather — and that’s where our PowerGrip Lifting Straps come from. The leather’s vegetable-tanned using olive waste, a nice full-circle moment. It’s durable enough to last years of heavy lifts but still soft on the skin. These straps aren’t flashy; they’re there to do the job, like those old trees.
The process is fascinating. They collect offcuts and pulp from the olive mills, mix it with natural tannins, and use it to treat the hides. This method takes longer than the chrome-tanning you see in mass production — two weeks instead of two days — but it’s less harsh on the leather, and the result is stronger. Every strap we make with it feels like a small nod to a way of doing things that isn’t about speed but about longevity.
Honestly, it feels good to know we’re connected to something bigger. We could’ve gone with synthetic straps, probably for half the cost, but the idea of my dad’s trees kept coming back to me. I remember walking with him through their property in 2017, touching the bark and asking how long they’d been there. "Hundreds of years," he said, "and they’re still giving." That’s the kind of legacy we’re interested in.
It’s funny to think something as simple as lifting straps can carry so much weight — figuratively, I mean. But then again, strength has always been about more than just what you can lift. It’s about roots, connections, endurance. That’s what we’re trying to channel here.
Training in Autumn: Why I Use Adjustable Dumbbells
Autumn in Queensland means crisp mornings and shorter gym sessions — here’s how I train smarter, not longer.
Autumn up here in Maleny isn’t as dramatic as down south, but you still feel it. Mornings are cooler, and there’s this golden light that makes the gym feel a bit calmer. Around this time of year, my workouts shift. I lean into shorter, more efficient sessions because, let’s be honest, it’s harder to drag yourself out after work when it’s dark by 5:30pm.
The ProForm Adjustable Dumbbells have been my go-to for seasons like this. They sit in the corner of the garage, barely taking up any space, but they’re an entire rack in one. You can go from 5 to 40 kilos in seconds, which is perfect if you’re alternating between bench presses and Bulgarian split squats. No faffing around changing plates or hunting for the right weight.
One of the best things about them is how versatile they are for supersets. I’ll do a quick ladder circuit — 8 reps of chest presses, straight into 8 bent-over rows, no rest — then drop the weight for goblet squats. By the end, you’re cooked, but it’s only 30 minutes. It’s the kind of efficient training that suits this time of year, when you’d rather be watching the sun set behind the Glass House Mountains than stuck in a gym.
A lot of people assume you need a full gym setup to get results, but I’d argue that having less forces you to be creative. I’ve hit PBs in my garage with just these dumbbells and a basic bench. Plus, they’re quiet — no loud plates clanking around — which is a bonus when the kids are trying to do homework in the next room.
If you’re feeling that autumn slowdown too, give yourself permission to adjust. Train smarter, not harder, and enjoy the season while it lasts. Winter’s coming soon enough, and we all know that’s bulking season.
How We Stress-Test the Titanium Protein Shaker
Titanium isn’t just marketing fluff; here’s why this shaker’s built to survive gym bags, car floors, and everything else.
Some people think we’re over the top with how we test our Titanium Protein Shakers. I reckon they’d change their minds if they saw what my original plastic ones looked like after six months. Cracks, dents, that weird smell that never quite washes out. So when we started designing our own, the bar was high. It wasn’t just about looking good — the shaker had to survive real life.
The first round of prototypes went through hell. We dropped them from two meters onto concrete, left them in cars for days in January heat, and even froze water in them overnight to test expansion. Of the 10 we started with, six cracked at the seal, two warped, and one straight-up exploded when we overfilled it before freezing. The sole survivor is the base for what we sell now.
Titanium’s lightweight but tough, which is why we went with it. It doesn’t leach flavors or smells like plastic, and it’s easier to clean. The lid’s silicone gasket was another hard-won detail. We tried five materials before landing on one that didn’t shrink in heat or go brittle after a few dishwasher runs. It’s small details like this that make me sleep better at night, knowing we’re not putting something flimsy out there.
The strangest test we did was probably pulling one around a gravel driveway tied to the back of my ute. It scratched up the outside, sure, but the seal held. My dad thought I’d lost the plot, but he also kept stealing the prototypes for his worksite lunches, so maybe it worked. He still uses one of our first batches — a bit dented now, but still functional.
At the end of the day, a shaker’s just a tool. But it should be one you can count on, no matter where you’re using it. Whether it’s holding pre-workout or soup, it shouldn’t let you down. That’s the promise, and we test to make sure we keep it.
Building the Heavy Duty Power Rack: April Update
We’re making tweaks to our power rack design this month — here’s what’s changing and why it matters for home gyms.
This month, we’ve been knee-deep in redesigning the Heavy Duty Power Rack. The current version’s been solid for a while, but there are always little improvements to make. One thing we’ve been focusing on is the j-hooks. The original design holds up fine, but I’ve noticed more wear over time when people use specialty bars with aggressive knurling. So we’re trying a new material blend: high-density polyethene reinforced with a steel core. It should hold up better without scratching the powder coat of the bar.
Another tweak is the spacing on the uprights. The old version has 50mm hole spacing, which works for most setups, but we’ve had a few requests for Westside spacing (25mm around the bench area). It’s more precise for lifters who want that extra bit of control. It’s a small detail, but I know how much difference it makes when you’re chasing a bench PB.
We’re also testing a modular add-on system. Everyone’s space is different, especially in home gyms, so the goal is to design attachments you can add or remove as needed. So far, we’ve mocked up a dip station, a landmine attachment, and even a small storage rack for plates. It’s early days, but it’s looking promising. Anything that makes life easier for people training at home is worth pursuing.
Prototyping’s always an interesting mix of frustration and excitement. This month alone, we’ve gone through three iterations of the j-hooks. One batch had sharp edges that tore through straps on the first test. Another batch looked fine but couldn’t handle a drop test with 150kg. The third held up — just — but we’re still tweaking the finish to make them smoother to the touch. It’s not glamorous, but it’s where the good stuff happens.
We’re hoping to have these updates ready by mid-year, but no promises. I’d rather get it right than rush it out. In the meantime, the old rack’s still holding its own, and that’s something to be proud of too. Tools that last, and all that.
Customer reviews
James B. — Fitzroy, VIC — 2024-02-15 — 5/5
Great for my home gym
Ordered the Heavy Duty Power Rack and it’s been a game changer for my workouts. Solid construction and easy to assemble. Delivery was quicker than I expected too.
Angela T. — Manly, NSW — 2024-05-03 — 4/5
Almost perfect yoga mat
The Eco-friendly Yoga Mat is fantastic to use and doesn’t slip. My only issue is the slight rubber smell when it first arrived, but it faded after airing it out.
Liam S. — Newtown, NSW — 2025-01-08 — 5/5
Love the dumbbells
The ProForm Adjustable Dumbbells save so much space in my small apartment. Adjusting the weight is smooth and simple. Arrived in perfect condition.
Emma W. — Hobart, TAS — 2024-11-22 — 5/5
Best lifting straps I’ve used
The PowerGrip Lifting Straps have made such a difference to my deadlifts. Robust and comfortable with no slipping. Highly recommend to anyone serious about lifting.
Daniel H. — Paddington, QLD — 2024-09-14 — 4/5
Great product, but delivery hiccup
Bought the Titanium Protein Shaker and it’s excellent – no leaks, easy to clean, and looks sleek. There was a slight delay in delivery, but customer service was helpful.
Rebecca M. — Norwood, SA — 2024-12-02 — 5/5
Really happy with my rack
The Heavy Duty Power Rack feels like gym-grade quality. It’s stable and takes all the weights I throw at it. Well worth the investment.
Chris D. — Cottesloe, WA — 2024-06-18 — 5/5
Perfect for on-the-go
The Titanium Protein Shaker is lightweight and keeps my shakes cold for hours. The lid is secure, so I don’t worry about spills. Very happy with it.
Sophia R. — West End, QLD — 2025-03-10 — 4/5
Solid dumbbells
The ProForm Adjustable Dumbbells are sturdy and exactly as advertised. My only suggestion would be clearer instructions for adjusting the weights.
Returns
We offer a 30-day return policy in line with Australian Consumer Law. If you’re not satisfied with your purchase, you can return it for a refund or exchange, as long as it’s unused, in original condition, and includes all packaging.
Exclusions apply for gift cards, sale items, and perishable goods. Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the buyer unless the product is defective or incorrect. Email info@vitalstrength.co to arrange your return.
Once we receive your return and it’s inspected, we’ll process your refund within 5-7 business days. Refunds are made to your original payment method. If there’s any issue with your return, we’ll let you know immediately.