The Story of One Life
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment One Life began — because in many ways, the story started long before the name existed.
Back when I was 18, deep in the rabbit hole of Bodybuilding.com forums, I was just a kid obsessed with learning everything I could about training and nutrition. I didn’t know it then, but I was already coaching — not just myself, but friends, family, anyone who’d listen. I loved it. But even more than the training, what I really fell in love with was watching people change. Not just physically, but mentally. That moment when someone realizes they’re capable of more — that’s what hooked me.
Fast forward to late 2014, when I moved from the Kimberley to Perth to pursue my education in personal training. With zero money to my name, I worked at an airport from 3 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., Monday through Saturday, then attended the Australian Institute of Fitness from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It was a grind, but it was worth it. By 2015, I officially became a personal trainer under the name MRPT — Manu Roberts Personal Training.
Between 2015 and the COVID period, I balanced training clients and working full-time at a supplement store. My days were packed — I’d train clients before work, then put in 5 to 8 hours at the store, and return to the gym in the evening. It was non-stop, but it laid the foundation for what would eventually become One Life.
It wasn’t until the COVID period, when unfortunately the gym was closed down due to the lockdowns and everything that happened, that I realised building my own facility — like we have now — was the dream I wanted to bring to life.
One Life was born from that fire. I had no money to my name, so a member of MRPT and a dear friend, Ali, helped me purchase a van. That van became the lifeline during tough times, allowing me to run bootcamps in parks and PT sessions in people’s backyards. Whatever it took to keep the dream alive. That’s when “Mini Manu” was born (shoutout to anyone who remembers those days).
I hustled for gear. Garage sales, gym auctions, marketplace deals — my garage became a makeshift storage unit. My partner watched it all pile up with a raised eyebrow, but she always had my back.
While working at Roar, I knew I’d need a team if I wanted to grow. That’s when I reconnected with Shane, a guy I’d met 8 years earlier in the industry. After a random gym class run-in and a coffee catch-up, I told him everything. He said,
“Let’s get to work.”
And that’s exactly what we did. He helped me see the gaps — not in the passion, but in the systems. We started building something real.
Then I met Isaac. In our interview, he asked me straight up:
“What do you want me for?”
I told him: *“I need help building my dream.”
He was in from that day. Back then, I had a decent name in the fitness industry, especially within my circle at Roar, where I was known for training and mentoring other trainers. But I knew that to build a strong team, we needed a brand that had backing beyond just my personal name. We got to work building Isaac’s client base, his education, and guiding him through development as a coach and a person.
We worked side-by-side while still training clients out of Roar, all while continuing the hunt for our own space. We walked through over 20 locations — some way out of budget, others technically in budget but so rundown they might’ve collapsed during a burpee. I vividly remember mapping out imaginary floor plans in dusty warehouses, trying to picture how we could run classes, set up a lifting space, even where the whiteboard would go. Looking back, we were a bit naive. But it was all part of the process.
Then, the phone rang.
A space was available — but we had to move fast. It was over budget. Way over. But we found a way to make it happen. That’s when One Life’s first facility became real.
We painted the walls ourselves, installed the equipment ourselves, and got the doors open in just two weeks. Those were some sleepless nights, a lot of trial and error, and more than a few swear words learning how to use tools we’d never touched before. But we got it done.
We opened our doors and welcomed our first members, ready to build a community that was more than just a gym. It was the beginning of something special.
Fast forward to now — we’re 15 months in, at an all-time high member-wise, and we've just added our fifth staff member, including me. No signs of slowing down.
One Life has always meant more to me than just reps, sets, and gym walls. A phrase I’ve always loved is:
“It’s more than just a gym to me.”
When I hear that, I know we’re doing the right thing.
One of our core values came from a word I saw on a friend's gym wall years ago:
Shoshin — a Buddhist concept that roughly translates to “Beginner’s Mind.”
It stuck with me. Even before I understood the meaning, I was already living by it. In times of struggle, I’d remind myself: *always be a beginner*. Stay open. Stay curious.
That value now runs through everything we do. From how we coach our members to how we develop our team. It’s a reminder that no matter how much we grow, there’s always something new to learn.
---
Looking Ahead
The future of One Life? We’re just getting started. More locations are on the horizon — but more importantly, so is more impact. My goal is to create a space where members thrive, and where coaches can turn their passion into a real career.
We’ll continue to evolve. Continue to grow. But no matter how big we get, the heart stays the same.
One Life is built on belief — in people, in progress, and in the idea that we’ve only got one shot at this life. So we better make it count.
If you want to follow the journey or ever need support, reach out. We’re just getting started
The Story of One Life
