Your Body Changes After 40.
Your Training Needs to Change With It.
Years of sitting create postural shifts you cannot ignore.
Shoulders roll forward. The lower back gets tight. Everything feels a bit stiffer.
This is normal, but it means your training must be different from what you did in your 20s.
If you follow workouts that push high volume, fast reps or impact-heavy movements, the body simply cannot recover the same way.
Most gyms and council centres lean heavily towards this style of training.
It works for younger bodies but not for most adults over 40.
Why Generic Gyms and Council Facilities Miss the Mark
Most commercial gyms and council fitness centres are designed to move large numbers of people through high-intensity classes, circuits and fast, repetitive sessions.
For adults over 40, this often leads to:
- More stiffness and tightness
- Poorer posture
- Overloaded joints
- Slow recovery
- Compensations that get worse
- Feeling rushed or lost in a crowded space
The environment is simply not built for longevity, posture work or controlled strength progression.
Over-40s need coaching, not chaos.
Meet the Team
Sam Roberts
Fitness Director
Sam lights up when he’s helping people with their health and fitness—whether you’re just starting out or you’re a seasoned gym veteran. He’s a nutritionist who’s been in health & fitness for 10 years, and has owned his own gym!
Woody Greene
Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach
With a background in behaviour coaching and support work, Woody brings a calm, patient, and uplifting energy to every session. He combines strength and cardio training to help you feel capable, confident, and clear on your goals – physically and mentally. His grounded, holistic style makes the journey feel approachable, sustainable, and genuinely empowering.
Anthony Masino
Functional Diagnostic Performance Coach
Anthony is a truly impressive wealth of knowledge and is dedicated to empowering you to understand and unlock your health. He’s clocked thousands of hours studying biomechanics and exercise, nutrition, mental health and counselling.
Tim Hewitt
Senior Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
Tim’s analytical approach to training and wellness will bust any misinformation you might have about health, while you seriously upgrade your movement skills! He loves teaching calisthenics and supporting people to better understand how their habits impact their outcomes.
Steph Flores-Tapia
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
With a degree in Exercise & Sports Science and an extensive background in allied health, Steph has used her knowledge to help turn fitness goals into realities since 2017. Her warm and supportive approach to training will unveil your bravery, patience, and persistence to achieve your goals.
Matt Hoo
Founder
With two decades in health and fitness, nothing brings more fulfilment to Matt than helping people to live a better quality of life. He’s the 5EW founder and is passionate about personal development, living better longer, and working smart.
Mehmood Reza
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
Reza’s background in mixed martial arts, powerlifting, stage preparation bodybuilding and sprinting has fostered a love of discipline and the power of consistency. But don’t be fooled, he’s got a big heart.
Ciaran Garland
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
With a Master’s in Strength & Conditioning and a passion for holistic approaches to recovery and overall health, Ciaran’s got the knowledge and skills to unlock your full athletic potential. His science-backed methods build both mental and physical resilience, and his positive approach means your transformation won’t just be in the gym – it’ll be the catalyst for a healthier and more empowered you!
Ally Bates
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
From Division I collegiate basketball to a Master's in Kinesiology and Health Promotion, Ally's diverse background fuels her holistic approach to fitness and wellness. She excels in strength and high-intensity training, guiding you to unlock your strongest self, all while helping you develop healthy habits that’ll serve you for years to come.
Emma Vanhala
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
With over a decade in health and fitness, Emma has knowledge in strength training, muscle building and gymnastics. Plus holistic health practices to support your nutrition and wellness journey.
Ollie Dyson
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
Basketball champion turned personal trainer, Ollie’s passion for moving well and recovering better are unmatched. With a bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science and extensive experience in holistic health, he’ll help you improve every facet of your exercise, stress management and sleep for optimal wellbeing.
James Henderson
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
James, a seasoned Senior Sports Trainer and ex-Division 1 basketball player, brings over seven years of experience to our team. His fun, challenging, and technique-focused sessions are paired with his passion for cultivating a positive mindset via holistic recovery, so you’ll not only reach your goals, but feel energised and nourished every step of the way.
Ethan Richards
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
A former teacher turned holistic coach, Ethan's approach to training is as much about the mind as it is about the body. With a national-level cross-country background, he brings precision, focus, and fun to his coaching that helps you go above and beyond with your fitness goals.
Guiseppe Di Mauro
Personal Trainer & Wellness Coach
Giuseppe transitioned from chef to personal trainer and brought his holistic perspective on health with him. His focus goes beyond just exercise, emphasising a healthier relationship with yourself, a balanced lifestyle, and nourishing food to transform how you look, move and feel.
How We Train Over-40s Safely and Effectively
A Comprehensive Movement Assessment
We start by checking posture, mobility, strength and long-term compensations from sitting, working and living life.
This gives us the blueprint for your program.
Strength That Undoes Imbalances
Over-40s do better with:
- Slower tempos
- Proper technique
- Controlled load
- Targeted posterior-chain training
Not high-impact circuits. Not fast, high-volume reps.
Just the right amount of strength work to rebuild stability and confidence.
Adjusted Training for Stress, Recovery and Hormones
We factor in stress, sleep, recovery, work demands and hormonal changes.
The work needs to feel good, not exhausting.
Optional Deeper Health Pathways
If you want more insight, we offer:
- Functional nutrition support
- Nutritional blood chemistry analysis
- Personalised reports that guide your energy, metabolism and recovery
These options help adults over 40 train smarter and stay healthier as they age.
Ongoing Reassessment
We update your program every 4 weeks based on your progress, scans and feedback.
This keeps your training effective and sustainable.
Data That Helps You Age Stronger
We use body scans to monitor changes that actually matter as you age:
- Bone density
- Visceral fat levels
- Lean muscle mass
- Metabolic markers
- Overall body composition
This gives clarity and confidence.
You know what is improving and what needs attention.
Real Member Stories
4.9 Rating | +300 Google Reviews
Late fifties. Stiff, sore and unsure where to start.
Six months later he was stronger, moving better and said he felt the healthiest he had been in years.
– Geoffrey
Sixty and nervous about lifting weights.
Now confident, mobile and energised with strength she never expected to gain.
– Melissa
Why Adults Over 40 Feel Safe at 5EW
- A calm studio designed for adults, not teenagers or high-intensity crowds
- No fast-paced classes that leave you wrecked for days
- A friendly community of people in their 40s, 50s and 60s
- Coaches who specialise in posture, longevity and strength for real life
- A pace and environment that supports your nervous system, not overstimulates it
This is a better alternative for adults who want to feel good long term and avoid the wear and tear that often comes from gyms and council facilities.
Find Us in Fitzroy North
5th Element Wellness is conveniently located in Fitzroy North and easily accessible from Clifton Hill, Collingwood, and nearby suburbs.
Visit our boutique studio and experience personal training designed around your goals, with expert coaching and a focus on long-term results.
Want to find out how
1:1 Personal Training
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