MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Motoring
  • Video
MensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex
  • Nutrition
  • Style
  • Weight Loss
  • Life
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Motoring
  • Video
Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

Busta Rhymes Shares A Workout That Helped Him Transform His Body

Busta Rhymes Shares A Workout That Helped Him Transform His Body

Lamar Odom Is Set to Fight Aaron Carter In A Celebrity Boxing Match

Lamar Odom Is Set to Fight Aaron Carter In A Celebrity Boxing Match

How Home And Away’s Ethan Browne Works Every Muscle Group

How Home And Away’s Ethan Browne Works Every Muscle Group

Vin Diesel Is Absolutely Shredded At 52, So Here Are His 5 Best Workout Tips

Vin Diesel Is Absolutely Shredded At 52, So Here Are His 5 Best Workout Tips

{headline}

{headline}

Meet The Man Behind Michael B. Jordan's Body Transformations

Meet The Man Behind Michael B. Jordan's Body Transformations

Zac Efron Rushed To Australia To Treat "Life-Or-Death" Medical Emergency

Zac Efron Rushed To Australia To Treat "Life-Or-Death" Medical Emergency

Conor McGregor Shows Off Ripped Body Transformation Ahead Of UFC Return

Conor McGregor Shows Off Ripped Body Transformation Ahead Of UFC Return

{headline}

{headline}

Jason Derulo Says His 'Cats' Bulge Was So Big It Got Edited Out

Jason Derulo Says His 'Cats' Bulge Was So Big It Got Edited Out

French Montana Is Straight In The Gym After Being Released From Intensive Care

French Montana Is Straight In The Gym After Being Released From Intensive Care

The 7 Guys You'll Meet Doing CrossFit

The 7 Guys You'll Meet Doing CrossFit

Paul Rudd Accidentally Exposed His Testicles To A Live Crowd

Paul Rudd Accidentally Exposed His Testicles To A Live Crowd

Why James Smith Is The "Gordon Ramsay Of The Fitness World"

Why James Smith Is The "Gordon Ramsay Of The Fitness World"

Comedian Kumail Nanjiani's Workout Routine Is No Joke

Comedian Kumail Nanjiani's Workout Routine Is No Joke

Christian Bale Says He'll 'Die" If He Keeps Undergoing Body Transformations For Roles

Christian Bale Says He'll 'Die" If He Keeps Undergoing Body Transformations For Roles

  1. Home
  2. Celebrity

The Owner Of An Iconic Aussie Gym Shares Stories Of His Young Celebrity Visitors

Working out with the likes of Arnie, Jane Fonda and Hugh Jackman. - by Nikolina Ilic
  • 01 Feb 2021
The Owner Of An Iconic Aussie Gym Shares Stories Of His Young Celebrity Visitors

Operating in the same location for over 40 years, Darlinghurst’s City Gym has a rich history in the Sydney fitness scene. The first Australian gym to go 24 hours, it opened in the late ‘70s to a burgeoning fitness and bodybuilding industry, quickly establishing itself as one of Sydney’s most famous social and cultural hubs.

The time was perfect: it was an auspicious year for the Australian community with the first Sydney Mardi Gras parade taking place, allowing founder Billy Moore to witness the LGBTQI community’s struggles first-hand and in effect endeavoured to create a haven that would become a meeting place for people of all cultures, sexualities, and gender identities. Affectionately nicknamed “the gay gym” in the late 70s, City Gym proudly held onto this label for the next 30 years.

From then on the gym became a mecca for the sporting elite, from Olympic champions and Hollywood superstars, to music industry legends and world class bodybuilders. A-listers such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Platz, Dorian Yates, Jane Fonda, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Hugh Jackman have all visited the space and shared moments with the gym’s owner.

Here, current owner Billy Kokkinis shares some of Moore’s best anecdotes.

Arnold Schwarzenegger & Billy Moore at City Gym

Arnold Schwarzenegger & Billy Moore at City Gym.

Supplied

Arnie

"World famous bodybuilder, actor, politician and celebrity Arnold Schwarzenegger became a frequent visitor to City Gym during and after his first trip to Australia in 1980. He was in Sydney that year competing at the Mr Olympia Body Building titles.

He spread the word about City Gym to his fellow elite bodybuilders, and the gym soon becoming THE destination for the who’s who of the body building world.

He was so impressed with the facility, that he would go on to declare that City Gym had become his favourite training destination, stating, in his ever-famous words, 'I’ll be back, which indeed he certainly did!"

The Rock

"Dwayne Johnson, aka “The Rock” trained at City Gym on numerous visits to Sydney.

His stardom skyrocketed over the years, but it did not diminish his interest in training at City Gym during his regular visits to Australia. He always kept it real, and he knew from previous visits that we were absolutely the go-to gym for exactly that."

“Blood, sweat and respect” he was overheard saying during a training session, “First two you give; last one you earn".

Jane Fonda

"American actress, political activist, environmentalist & fitness queen Jane Fonda was another world-famous celebrity to grace our gym during her busy touring schedules.

Jane helped foster the growth of aerobics, one of our gym’s biggest group fitness drawcards of the '80s. Her visits here created an amazing buzz on the aerobics floor and in the gym as a whole. Attendances increased dramatically after her sojourns here."

Jane would share inspiration quotes to others in the space: “Stay curious, keep learning, and always strive to be more interested than interesting!”

Hugh Jackman

"Hugh’s first visit to City Gym was during the filming of his first Wolverine movie in 2009. His role required a total transformation of his physique. What better gym to achieve those results!

Staff and members remember Hugh to be polite and engaging, always finding the time to talk to fans and pose for photos."

"In life you don’t regret the things you do; you regret the things you don’t do!” he was overheard saying. 

  • Life
  • Celebrity
Nikolina Ilic
Nikolina Ilic
Nikolina is the new web-obsessed Digital Editor at Men's and Women's Health, responsible for all things social media and .com. A lover of boxing, she has a mean punch inside and out of the ring. She was previously a Digital Editor at GQ and Vogue magazine.

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Subscribe Now-

Subscribe Now
Subscribe Now

Recommended to you

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic
Watch 0:10

Bjornsson Deadlifted 1,026 pounds On The Elephant Bar To Win 2020 Arnold Classic

{headline}

{headline}

Busta Rhymes Shares A Workout That Helped Him Transform His Body

Busta Rhymes Shares A Workout That Helped Him Transform His Body

Lamar Odom Is Set to Fight Aaron Carter In A Celebrity Boxing Match

Lamar Odom Is Set to Fight Aaron Carter In A Celebrity Boxing Match

How Home And Away’s Ethan Browne Works Every Muscle Group

How Home And Away’s Ethan Browne Works Every Muscle Group

Vin Diesel Is Absolutely Shredded At 52, So Here Are His 5 Best Workout Tips

Vin Diesel Is Absolutely Shredded At 52, So Here Are His 5 Best Workout Tips

{headline}

{headline}

Meet The Man Behind Michael B. Jordan's Body Transformations

Meet The Man Behind Michael B. Jordan's Body Transformations

Zac Efron Rushed To Australia To Treat "Life-Or-Death" Medical Emergency

Zac Efron Rushed To Australia To Treat "Life-Or-Death" Medical Emergency

Conor McGregor Shows Off Ripped Body Transformation Ahead Of UFC Return

Conor McGregor Shows Off Ripped Body Transformation Ahead Of UFC Return

{headline}

{headline}

Jason Derulo Says His 'Cats' Bulge Was So Big It Got Edited Out

Jason Derulo Says His 'Cats' Bulge Was So Big It Got Edited Out

French Montana Is Straight In The Gym After Being Released From Intensive Care

French Montana Is Straight In The Gym After Being Released From Intensive Care

The 7 Guys You'll Meet Doing CrossFit

The 7 Guys You'll Meet Doing CrossFit

Paul Rudd Accidentally Exposed His Testicles To A Live Crowd

Paul Rudd Accidentally Exposed His Testicles To A Live Crowd

Why James Smith Is The "Gordon Ramsay Of The Fitness World"

Why James Smith Is The "Gordon Ramsay Of The Fitness World"

Comedian Kumail Nanjiani's Workout Routine Is No Joke

Comedian Kumail Nanjiani's Workout Routine Is No Joke

Christian Bale Says He'll 'Die" If He Keeps Undergoing Body Transformations For Roles

Christian Bale Says He'll 'Die" If He Keeps Undergoing Body Transformations For Roles

MensHealth
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Chris Hemsworth Hugo Boss
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Chris Hemsworth Hugo Boss
  • Terms
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

  • Women's Health

Our Network

  • Paragon Media Pty Ltd
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Men's Health

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe Now-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe Now