The Best Powerlifting Gyms in Brisbane!
Powerlifting has grown rapidly across Australia in recent years, and Brisbane is no exception.
More people are discovering the sport of the squat, bench press, and deadlift - whether to compete or simply to get stronger.
But if you’re serious about powerlifting progress, the environment you train in matters more than you might think!
Not every gym is designed for strength athletes. In fact, many commercial gyms make proper powerlifting training unnecessarily difficult due to their lack of competition-grade equipment and similar minded people.
There’s also a few different federations of powerlifting with different rules and events (eg: APL, APA, CAPO, GPC…), and some gyms are more closely aligned with certain federations than others!
If you’re searching for the best powerlifting gym in Brisbane, have a good look at this list to learn more:
STRONG BRISBANE
The newest powerlifting AND strongman gym in Brisbane arrived earlier in 2026, and it’s already making a name for itself.
Strong Brisbane is the third gym in the Strong franchise (following Strong Geelong and Strong Jervis Bay), and it’s set in a huge, freshly renovated warehouse in Rocklea.
The owners and coaches have hit the ground running, frequently holding open events like ‘Strongman Saturdays’ every Saturday for their members to come down for free and learn new movements like log press, yoke walks and atlas stones. Their focus is on providing the highest quality of coaching and support they can, so that anyone can improve within the gym - whether that’s complete newbies or seasoned lifters.
They have an incredible array of powerlifting equipment as well like Goliath Squat, Power and Deadlift bars, calibrated metal plates, combo racks, a monolift and so much more, while also having coaches on hand that specialise in injury rehab and performance.
It’s cheaper than most other powerlifting gyms in Brisbane at only $30/week, and it also comes with access to their app which has over 50 pre-made programs written by professional Strongman/Powerlifting coaches.
For lifters who want to experience elite level coaching in a brand new gym full of some of Brisbane’s strongest athletes, Strong Brisbane is definitely the best choice.
Strong Brisbane’s website: https://www.strongbrisbane.com/
ZeroW Brisbane / ZeroW Southside
One of the most recognisable powerlifting franchises in Australia is ZeroW, located on both Brisbane’s northside (ZeroW Brisbane) and southside (ZeroW Southside in Mt Gravatt).
ZeroW focuses heavily on strength sports including powerlifting, but also offers some general athletic performance development. They also offer structured programming in their membership fees and have a good amount of coaches to help lifters improve their squat, bench press, and deadlift.
It’s a little bit more expensive than Strong Brisbane at $35/week, and doesn’t have any of the Strongman equipment… but another cool perk about ZeroW is that a membership at either Brisbane location will also grant you access to their other locations in Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Mackay, Cairns, Geelong, Melbourne, Christchurch (NZ) and Wales (UK).
Many athletes are drawn to ZeroW because it combines:
Competition-quality powerlifting equipment
Structured coaching programs
A strong community of strength athletes
For lifters who want guidance and programming rather than just a place to train, gyms like ZeroW can be a great option.
ZeroW Brisbane’s website: https://brisbane.zerow.com.au/
ZeroW Southside’s website: https://southside.zerow.com.au/
Brisbane North Barbell
Another highly respected strength gym that has been well established in Brisbane since 2014 is Brisbane North Barbell.
Located in Brendale, this gym is heavily focused on powerlifting and strongman training, offering multiple power racks, bench presses, and a large range of strongman equipment.
Owned and operated by competitive strongman/powerlifter Dave Napper, the gym has built a reputation for its supportive community and results-focused training environment, and at it’s price point of $25/week, it certainly helps do just that.
Many lifters appreciate that the facility prioritises:
Technique development
Heavy barbell training
A strong training culture
For athletes who want a more traditional strength gym atmosphere, but are located more in the north of Brisbane, Brisbane North Barbell is often recommended.
Brisbane North Barbell’s website: https://www.brisbanenorthbarbell.com/
The Bar Brisbane
The Bar Brisbane is another gym designed specifically for strength athletes.
The facility, which has recently moved to Virginia in north Brisbane, includes competition-style racks, calibrated plates, and specialised bars such as deadlift bars and safety squat bars, along with attachments like monolifts and reverse hypers.
The gym is open 24/7 and frequently hosts novice powerlifting competitions and events, making it popular among lifters preparing for their first competition… funnily enough The Bar Brisbane was where I did my first ever novice competition in 2021 so Jordan (the owner) and the gym holds a special place in my heart!
For people who want a gym designed purely around barbell training, and at an affordable price of $22.5/week, The Bar Brisbane offers a dedicated strength environment.
The Bar Brisbane’s website: https://www.thebarbrisbane.com/
Valhalla Strength
Located on Brisbane’s northside, Valhalla Strength is another highly regarded strength facility, mainly due to it’s long-standing history and its production line of self-titled competition-grade equipment.
The gym focuses on powerlifting, strongman training, and performance development, with professional equipment and a capped membership model designed to maintain a high-performance environment. This results in the accumulation of some big names training here like Lily Riley.
Many members are drawn to Valhalla because it balances serious training with a strong community atmosphere, and they frequently hold competitions as well to help encourage new people to join the sports.
Valhalla Strength’s website: https://valhallastrength.com.au/
Panthers Powerlifting
For lifters wanting a dedicated strength training environment, Panthers Powerlifting is another option frequently recommended by the local lifting community.
Owned by competitive lifter and coach, Colin Webb, the gym specialises in powerlifting and strongman training and has developed a reputation for its supportive atmosphere and experienced coaching staff. Members regularly highlight the quality equipment and community environment that helps lifters push their personal bests. It’s also got that old school strength vibe to it as well, adding to the experience.
Much like many of the powerlifting gym’s in Brisbane’s southside are around the $30/week mark.
Panther’s Powerlifting website: https://pantherspowerlifting.com.au/
