If you've ever driven down Stirling Highway in Nedlands, your eyes have surely been drawn to the hard-to-miss and iconic Tudor facade of Chris Wilson Fitness Studio. Swing the doors open and you’ll be welcomed to a luxury boutique training experience changing up the fitness scene one workout at a time. With a membership cap of 50 and only 8 people per class, Chris Wilson Fitness Studio quickly made headlines not just across Perth but nationwide, being named ‘Australia’s Most Exclusive Fitness Studio’.

At the helm of the studio is Chris Wilson with his deep-rooted expertise in fitness and an impressive resume to match. Together with wife Rosanna (owner of Bodyscape Yoga, Nedlands) they’re the ultimate powerhouse in the Perth fitness industry. But when they’re not at their respective studios, you’ll find them with their two boys, Hunter and Niko, soaking up their home suburb of Nedlands. We had a chat with Chris to talk all things fitness and why he loves calling Nedlands home.

Why did you start Chris Wilson Fitness Studio?

The studio was built of the foundations of demand for my personal training services. I had been training clients locally over the past 10 years at homes and in the parks and realised it was time to expand, reach more people and set up a private exclusive space here in Nedlands. As a Nedlands resident and local, I saw a huge gap for a boutique style studio that was high-end and exclusive. We are appointment only and are proud to be a 50-members only studio that offers Personal Training and Group Classes (capped at 8 people per session). When I hit capacity as a coach I knew it was the right time to open a studio, grow a team of coaches and be able to help more people with their training goals. We are now a team of 12 coaches and have studios in Nedlands and Highgate.

What is your purpose?

The purpose has always been to help people with their health and wellness goals. What we do is not only personal train people and make sure they are getting their weekly exercise done. We look at someone’s whole life balance and help people: fit in exercise, find better ways of eating, living and eliminate the excuses that come with not being able to workout. Prioritising exercise like it’s a doctors appointment is our approach. Our purpose is to make people feel good, want to exercise more and want to learn correct technique and how to constantly keep progressing!

What makes Chris Wilson Fitness Studio unique?

Our experience and our coaches makes us unique. Our clients and members love being part of our journey as we are a 50-members only studio. We really get to know you and your families and this helps improve the clients experience as to us you are not just another person or number in class. The service we offer allows us to help with lifestyle changes as well as improve relationships with food, exercise and family. We are proud to be named ‘Australia’s most exclusive fitness studio’ in Men’s Health. We have Perth’s only joint studio memberships with Bodyscape and Energy Cntr Yoga which allows our members to do yoga and meditation as part of their weekly routines and we support local clubs and the Waalitj Foundation through our memberships.

What question do you get asked the most?

How do I get rid of my back pain? We work with many people who have office jobs or spend a lot of time travelling or in front of the screen. We have expert coaches who specialise in lower back mobility programs and can show you daily routines to help loosen and strengthen back. We spend time on people’s posture and have a class called Lift & Row which helps strengthen the back muscles and makes people feel great again. We offer suggestions to make in day to day life to counteract poor posture.

How would you describe life in Nedlands?

Nedlands is a great suburb with so much to offer! We are fortunate to have fresh air and be located on the river with lots of great playgrounds and green spaces. Nedlands has a good mix of younger families and also doctors and lawyers who are well located close to the hospital and city. Our family enjoys walks and runs by the river, sessions at our studios (Chris Wilson Fitness Studio & Bodyscape) and we enjoy the local breakfast spots here in Nedlands.

What do you see for the future of Nedlands?

Nedlands is definitely changing. We are seeing a lot more townhouses being built and the council seems more active in making positive changes. We are starting to see more younger families move into the area and there is a good mix of luxury apartments and new businesses moving into Broadway. With big supermarkets and other attractions moving in, it brings excitement and also change which is positive for our kids futures and this will also help support our small business that we operate purely out of passion!

Local Loves

Favourite spot for date night? We love POST at COMO The Treasury. It’s a special place for us as we got married at the building and we love Italian food. Locally, we love the service and food quality at Chez Pierre.

Go-to place to pick up a coffee? I actually don’t drink coffee but we are big fans of Elixir. Our clients love their coffee and the community they have there.

Best park in Nedlands to take the kids? We love the Jo Wheatley All Abilities Play Space. It’s a huge park located on the river. It’s definitely a hidden gem and has so much for the kids to play with.

What does a typical Sunday look like for you in Nedlands? We love a slow Sunday in Nedlands. We often go for a walk along the river, hop into a kids play area and then either make a healthy breakfast or head to Common Bakery (Hunter loves a cinnamon scroll!). We enjoy family time on Sundays and love taking it easy in the suburb.

After diving deep into Chris's world, it's clear he's a force in the fitness scene. Stay tuned as we've got an exciting DUET x Chris Wilson Fitness Studio collaboration coming very soon. Keep an eye out—this one's going to be good.