01
Foundations
For a first barbell, or a first one in years. We build squat, hinge, press and carry from the floor up, with enough repetition that the pattern sticks when you're tired.
WhoNew or starting over Format1:1, studio Length60 min
Third Ward · strength & conditioning studio
Strength that holds up outside the gym.
One coach, one floor, and a plan written around the week you actually have. Barbell work, honest conditioning, and sessions that leave you able to use what you built.
The coach
Who you'd be training with
I'm Rowan, and I run Third Ward Strength on my own. That means the person who writes your programme is the person counting your reps, so nothing gets lost between a plan and a session.
Most of the people I coach are beginners, returners after a long gap, or desk-bound lifters who want to stop guessing. We spend the first weeks earning positions before we chase weight, and we keep a written record so progress is something you can read rather than something you hope for.
I coach technique out loud and in plain language. If a cue doesn't land, that's mine to fix, not yours.
How sessions run
- Session length
- 45 to 75 minutes, depending on the track.
- Programming
- Written in blocks, reviewed with you before the next one starts.
- Record keeping
- Loads, sets and notes logged every session in your own sheet.
- Floor size
- Never more than a small group on the floor at one time.
- Technique first
- Load only moves when the position holds for the whole set.
Training tracks
Four ways in
Pick the track that matches where you are now, not where you'd like to be. People move between them as the year changes, and you can hold two at once if the week allows it.
02
Barbell Strength
For lifters who already own the positions and want heavier. Programmed in blocks with planned lighter weeks, so the loading goes somewhere instead of circling.
WhoExperienced lifters Format1:1 or pairs Length75 min
03
Street Conditioning
Hills, stairs, sled and loaded carries around the neighbourhood. Built for people who want wind and legs for long days, not for a scoreboard.
WhoAny level FormatSmall group, outdoor Length45 min
04
Remote Programming
For people who train elsewhere or travel through. You get the written block, video review of your main lifts, and a check-in before the next block is set.
WhoTraining off-site FormatWritten block LengthMonthly cycle
Weekly schedule
When the floor is open
Most enquiries come down to whether the hours fit. Here is the standing week, so you can check before you write to me.
Monday
- Foundations, 1:1
- Barbell Strength, 1:1
- Barbell Strength, pairs
Tuesday
- Street Conditioning, group
- Foundations, 1:1
- Open strength floor, supervised
Wednesday
- Barbell Strength, 1:1
- Foundations, 1:1
- Street Conditioning, group
Thursday
- Barbell Strength, pairs
- Foundations, 1:1
- Technique clinic, drop-in
Friday
- Street Conditioning, group
- Barbell Strength, 1:1
- Open strength floor, supervised
Saturday
- Foundations, 1:1
- Barbell Strength, pairs
- Street Conditioning, group
Sunday the studio is closed. Remote check-ins sent over the weekend are answered by Sunday evening, so your week starts with the block already written.
Where you train
Two environments
Strength work happens on the studio floor. Conditioning happens outside, on the hills and stairs around the neighbourhood.
The studio floor
A single room, daylight on one side, and no queue for the thing you need next.
- Lifting platforms with bars you can actually set down
- Dumbbells and kettlebells through a useful range
- Rack, bench, rings and a pull-up bar
- Chalk, belts and straps kept on the floor
- Changing space and a kettle that stays on
The route outside
Conditioning runs from the studio door, so no session is lost to travel time.
- A long rise for tempo and hill repeats
- Stair sets for step-ups and carries
- Sled track on the flat behind the building
- Shaded loop for easy aerobic work
- Wet-weather plan that moves the session indoors
Getting started
How the first six weeks run
Everyone starts the same way, whichever track they end up in. Nothing here needs a decision from you beyond showing up.
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Before week one
Consult and movement check
We talk through history, injuries and the week you can realistically give. Then I watch you move through the basic patterns with no load on the bar.
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Weeks one and two
Baseline block
Light, repeatable work to set positions and find honest starting loads. You leave each session with something left in the tank.
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Weeks three and four
Loading block
Weight starts moving on the main lifts while the accessory work holds the positions together. Conditioning gets a fixed slot in the week.
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Weeks five and six
Review and re-plan
We read the log together, keep what worked, and write the next block around what the last six weeks actually showed.
Fit check
Is this the right studio for you?
Better to know now than three weeks in. If the right-hand column sounds more like you, I'd rather point you somewhere that suits.
A good fit if
- You want a coach on the floor, not a plan sent to your phone alone
- You can commit to a fixed slot most weeks for a block at a time
- You're happy to spend early sessions on positions before load
- You want your training written down and reviewed out loud
- You're coming back after time away and want a careful ramp
Not the right fit if
- You want a fast transformation on a fixed deadline
- You're after nutrition or medical advice, which I don't give
- You need a staffed gym open all day for your own sessions
- You'd rather train in a large class than a small group
- You're rehabilitating an acute injury without clinical guidance
Good to know
Answers before you write
I have an old injury. Can I still train here?
Usually, yes. Bring whatever guidance you've been given and we'll work inside it. I coach around restrictions and pick variations that let you load safely, but I'm a coach rather than a clinician, so anything acute or undiagnosed needs a professional first.
What should I bring to a first session?
Flat shoes you can stand firmly in, clothes you can squat in, and a bottle. Chalk, belts and straps are on the floor already. If you keep a training log, bring it so we don't start your history from scratch.
How far ahead do I book, and what happens if I cancel?
Slots are held by block, so your time is the same each week once we start. Life happens, so give me as much notice as you can and we'll move the session within the same week where the schedule allows.
Can I train with a partner?
Yes. Barbell Strength runs as semi-private pairs on several slots. It works best when both of you have the basic patterns already and keep a similar schedule, since you'll share the platform and the clock.
Does remote programming work on its own?
It works well if you've trained before and have reliable equipment. You send video of the main lifts, I review and adjust, and we talk before each new block. If you're brand new to lifting, start with Foundations in person and move remote later.
How quickly will the weights go up?
Faster than you expect at the start, slower than you'd like after that. Load moves when the position holds for a full set, not on a calendar. That's the whole reason we keep a written log.
Request a consult
Start with a conversation
Tell me what you're working towards and when you can train. I'll come back with two consult times that fit the current schedule.