About Us - Glaivorn Nexus | Forge Your Ultimate Strength

Marcus Chen

Founder & Head Coach

How We Got Started

Look, I'll be straight with you. I didn't start Glaivorn Nexus 'cause I wanted to run another cookie-cutter gym. Spent over a decade competing in Olympic lifting and watching talented athletes get stuck in facilities that just didn't get it.

Back in 2018, I was training out of a cramped basement with three other lifters who were serious about performance. We'd finish sessions and just... talk. About what was missing. About how most gyms either went full bro-science or so corporate you felt like a number on a spreadsheet.

Fast forward to 2020, and we scraped together everything we had to open this place on Granville Street. The name? Yeah, it's weird. Glaivorn came from an inside joke about medieval weapons and nexus 'cause we wanted this to be where serious athletes connect.

We've grown from that crew of four to a community of over 300 members. But here's what hasn't changed - we still train alongside you. Still program based on real athletic science, not whatever's trending on Instagram. Still believe that strength isn't just physical.

Every person who walks through that door gets the same thing: honest coaching, zero BS, and a space that respects the work you're putting in.

What Drives Us

These aren't just words on a wall - they're how we operate every single day

Performance First

We measure success by your results, not our Instagram likes. Every program's designed around real athletic progression - the kind that shows up in your PRs and competition numbers.

Community Over Crowd

There's a difference between having members and building a crew. We keep our numbers manageable so coaches actually know your name, your goals, and what you're working through.

Evidence-Based Training

We geek out on sports science so you don't have to. Our programming pulls from actual research and decades of combined coaching experience - not whatever's viral this week.

Long-Term Thinking

Quick fixes are BS. We're building athletes who'll still be lifting strong in their 60s. That means proper progression, real recovery protocols, and knowing when to push vs. when to scale back.

The Facility

We gutted a 12,000 sq ft warehouse and built exactly what serious training needs. Rogue equipment throughout, 14-foot ceilings so you can actually do rope climbs properly, and competition-grade platforms.

There's dedicated zones for Olympic lifting, a functional training area that doesn't feel cramped, and yeah - we've got actual recovery space with good equipment, not just a sad foam roller in the corner.

The locker rooms? Cleaned twice daily 'cause nobody should deal with gross gym bathrooms. Parking's around back and there's bike storage if you're riding in.

Come by for a tour. Place speaks for itself better than I can describe it.

The Coaching Team

We don't hire weekend warriors with fresh certs. Our coaches have been in the trenches - competing, failing, learning, and coming back stronger.

Average 12+ Years Experience

Most of our coaches competed nationally or coached college athletes before joining us

Continuing Education

We budget for certifications, seminars, and keeping up with actual sports science research

Real Communication

You're not just getting cues during class - coaches are available for questions, form checks, and programming adjustments

They Actually Track Your Progress

Coaches maintain notes on every member's goals, injuries, and progressions - not just showing up to count reps

Our Story