Aroha Ngata
Strength lead · co-founder
Service · ChoiceUpliftLane, Hamilton
Strength and conditioning
in 8-week blocks
Progressive barbell blocks at ChoiceUpliftLane — three coached sessions a week, every weight written down, tested at the start and retested at the end. This is how people stop plateauing.
01 / The offer
A program that goes somewhere on purpose
Random workouts produce random results. Our blocks run eight weeks: weeks one to three build volume, four to six build intensity, seven backs off, eight tests. Squat, hinge, press and pull — each tracked on your card.
- Test week at both ends — numbers on paper, not vibes.
- Three coached sessions weekly, 75 minutes each.
- Program scales: beginners and advanced lifters share the block.
- Miss a session and the app has the workout to run solo.
Start this week
Blocks start the first Monday of each month. Next intake is open now — trial week is free if you want to test the pace before committing.
- Free trial session to test the fit
- No joining fee, no lock-in contract
- Cancel or switch with a week's notice
02 / In detail
What a block actually fixes
Most gym-goers repeat the same week forever and wonder why nothing changes. A block forces progression: the weight, the reps or the difficulty climbs every session by design, so your body never gets comfortable enough to coast.
Conditioning work sits inside the same block — sled pushes, carries and intervals that build the engine without wrecking the lifting. Coaches time it so the hard conditioning days never land the day before heavy squats.
Our promise
Finish a full block — every test, at least 80% of sessions — and if your total hasn't moved, the next block is on us. Two people have claimed it in seven years.
0
blocks completed since 2019
0
weeks per block
0
minutes per session
0
% finishers who hit a PR
Block results tracked on program cards; finishers = members completing test week.
03 / Pricing
What strength blocks costs
All prices NZD with GST already in. Memberships and packs sit side by side so you can compare like for like — the full club price list is on the prices page.
Block membership
Three coached sessions a week for the 8 weeks, plus test days. The full program.
$39/week · $312/block
Single session
Drop into one block session to try the format — if the group fits, roll into the next block.
$28/session
Block + Open Floor
Block sessions plus full gym access for extra volume work. The serious-lifter combo.
$55/week
All Access members add a block for $25/week. Blocks are capped at 16 lifters per intake.
04 / The process
How strength blocks works
Eight weeks, one arc. Here's the shape of a block from test day to test day — same structure every intake, different numbers for every lifter.
Test week
We find your working numbers — squat, deadlift, press, a conditioning benchmark. Everything else in the block keys off these.
Weeks 1–3: build volume
Moderate weights, higher reps. The boring-but-crucial part — this is where the base gets poured.
Weeks 4–6: build intensity
Weight climbs, reps drop. The sessions get shorter and heavier, and the coaching gets louder.
Week 7: deload
Half weights, full technique work. Feels like a holiday, sets up the test.
Week 8: test week
Same tests as week one, side by side on your card. Most people put 5–15% on their total in a single block.
Debrief and next block
Coach sits down with your numbers, you decide the next goal, the next block starts the first Monday of the month.
05 / Combine it
Pairs well with
Most members mix two or three services in a week. These are the combos we see working best.
Personal training
Group classes
Strength & conditioning
Nutrition coaching
Recovery & mobility
Open gym access
Block + Recovery & mobility — heavy weeks land softer when you book the stretch sessions too.
Block + Nutrition coaching — strength blocks run on protein and sleep, and Emma makes both easier.
06 / On the floor
Life inside a block
Eight weeks of chalk, numbers and the occasional war cry. This is what the block actually looks like.
07 / Your coach
Who runs strength blocks
Aroha runs the strength blocks — she's a national-level powerlifter and the reason half our members can finally squat to depth. Josh assists on max days, Daniel programs the waves.
Meet the full crew
Josh Tane
Powerlifting coach
Daniel Mercer
Programming
08 / Compare
All six services side by side
Where strength blocks sits in the lineup. Casual entry price vs. what members pay weekly.
| Service | Casual price | Best for | Session length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal training | from $79/session | Specific goals, fast feedback | 45–60 min |
| Group classes | from $22/class | Motivation, routine, people | 50–60 min |
| Strength & conditioning | $39/week per block | Progressive barbell work | 3 × 75 min/wk |
| Nutrition coaching | from $149/month | Food habits that stick | Weekly check-ins |
| Recovery & mobility | from $18/session | Stiff joints, sore bodies | 30–45 min |
| Open gym access | from $15/day | Self-programmed lifters | All staffed hours |
09 / Questions
Block questions, answered
More questions? Call +64 7 839 5612 or send a message on the contacts page.
Yes — about a third of every block is people in their first year of lifting. The percentages scale off your own test numbers, so the program fits whatever you walk in with.
The workout posts to the app that morning — run it solo in open gym, or skip and move on. One missed session won't break a block; three in a row might.
If you can squat an empty bar with decent form, you're ready. If you can't yet, a few PT sessions first gets you there faster than waiting.
First Monday of every month, capped at 16 lifters. Waitlist opens two weeks out — the January and July intakes fill fastest.
They replace your lifting week, not your whole life. Most people drop other lifting during a block and keep light cardio — your coach will map it at intake.
Book strength blocks
Next block starts soon
Sixteen spots per intake and the first Monday isn't far away. Book a trial week, test the pace, then claim a platform for the full eight weeks.