Studio 99 Fitness · East Brisbane
Three days a week - barbell, kettlebell and bodyweight. A small group of eight men, coached by Sam Barker.
The beast never left.
Apply for a spotYour week - three days
Kettlebell work - two-hand swings and Turkish get-ups, building to Simple & Sinister.
The three big lifts - deadlift, Zercher squat and military press - built to a heavy 3RM.
Bodyweight strength - push-ups, pull-ups and squats - full-body connection and control.
The program
Same three days every week - bell, barbell, bodyweight. The load climbs week on week, so you finish stronger than you started. No guesswork - Sam programs every session.
Week 1 · Phase One
Learn the lifts and set your starting numbers.
Week 2 · Phase Two
Recap the foundations, then put them into practice.
Weeks 3-7 · Phase Three
The program proper - a little more each week.
Week 8 · Finish
Retest your week-one numbers and see the progress.
Progress means an increase in form, weight, volume or movement progression.
The trainer
One of the original coaches at Studio 99 Fitness.
Sam is 46, born and raised in Grey Lynn, Auckland. He's been in and around gyms since he was 15 - he knew early that this was his calling, doing work experience through his last year of school across the YMCA, Les Mills and Big Top Recreation Centre. He's worked in the industry since 2006, starting at Fitness First Brisbane CBD, with experience across bodybuilding, CrossFit, hardstyle kettlebells, boxing and strength training. A former rugby league player, he knows how to keep training through the niggles.
I designed this program for men in my own age bracket, as I feel we're at our peak: career, raising a family, parents now needing our help (or no longer with us), the work around the house still needs doing... and amongst all this, trying to fit in some time to train and hang out with mates.
Enter The Beast Inside: the place you turn up first for yourself, and next for your brother. A small group of men who want to still turn up and have a safe place to express themselves with no judgement - a place where you can make noise, push hard, and still have a brother to lean on.
Sam Barker
Where it's at
The commitment
Eight men. Eight weeks. Three days a week. This works because everyone shows up - so know what you're signing up for before you put your name down.
Barbell, kettlebell and bodyweight - the same three days, every week for the full eight.
The plan only works as a block. You commit to the whole run, from week one to test week.
No ego, no excuses. Bring the effort and Sam handles the coaching and the programming.
What you get
You bring the effort three days a week. Here's what's waiting for you when you do.
Sam programs and coaches every session. Your lifts are set to you - not a printout.
Barbell strength, kettlebell power, bodyweight control - strength that carries into real life.
Baseline in week one, retest in week eight. Watch the numbers move - no guessing.
Eight blokes in the same fight - and you'll be buddied with one of them for the full eight weeks.
Straight answers
The questions men your age actually ask before they start.
Yes. Week one baselines every lift to you, and the loads are yours - set by Sam, not a printout. You build from where you are, three days a week.
Tell Sam in the form. He scales movements and coaches around niggles so you get stronger without breaking. (If something's a serious injury, see your doctor or physio first - Studio 99 has those on site too.)
No. It's built for men getting back into it or starting fresh. Turn up three days a week and the program does the rest.
Three sessions - barbell, kettlebell, bodyweight - about 30 minutes each. Same three days every week; the load climbs as you do.
Life happens. The block has room - it's eight weeks of showing up that count, not a perfect record. Tell Sam and he'll adjust.
$800 upfront, or $125 a week. Next intake starts 3 August 2026. Sam confirms everything when you enquire - leave your name below and he'll be in touch.
Get started
Tell Sam a bit about you and he'll be in touch about the next intake.