Athletic Performance · Taranaki
Aaron Zimmerman spent sixteen years in professional sport, most of it in NRL strength and conditioning. Now he coaches every session on the floor himself, ten minutes from New Plymouth. This is how a professional environment works, and who it is for.
Professional sport in Australia
Strength and conditioning, 2015 to 2024
Elite coach accreditation
Athletes on the floor, maximum
The difference
In professional sport nobody trains on a guess. Every athlete is assessed first, programmed for where they are at, coached on every rep and retested at the end of the block. The plan follows the data and the calendar, not the mood of the day.
That is the model here: a private floor in Taranaki, a maximum of six athletes, and the coach who did this at NRL level watching every set.
Same method, different reasons
At 14
Growing bodies learn patterns fast. Get them right now and every season after is built on solid ground.
At 17
Trials, first XV, rep squads. Knowing you are stronger and faster than last term changes how you compete.
The coach
Aaron coached strength and conditioning at the Wests Tigers from 2015 to 2024, after Cronulla Sharks and Australian Rugby's Sevens and XVs pathways. ASCA Level 3 Elite coach, Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science, UTS masters mentor. Husband, dad to three boys, home in New Zealand since 2024.
The method
01
Movement screen, baseline strength and speed numbers, and a proper conversation about your sport, season and history. Nothing gets programmed before this.
02
Written for the block and the season ahead, for the athlete in front of him. Not a template.
03
Aaron coaches every session on the floor in person. Technique corrected on the rep, loads adjusted on the day, no guesswork.
04
Same tests, same conditions, end of block. The numbers tell us what worked and what the next block needs to do.
The framework
Strength, speed, mechanics and durability. The physical base everything else sits on.
Mindset, resilience and confidence under pressure. Built in the room, carried onto the field.
Nervous system regulation, recovery and presence. The skill of switching off.
Habits, routines, sleep and purpose. The hours outside the gym that decide the ones inside.
From the parents
It's clear your business model is shaping young people into stronger and more confident athletes. We're very grateful for the positive impact you have on our son. The experience and professionalism you bring to sport makes a real difference.
Parent of a 16 year old
J has gone from strength to strength with you in his corner and we are so grateful. Thank you for the genuine care, support and professionalism you have given not only to J but us as parents. How lucky are we to have you in New Plymouth!
Parent of a 17 year old
Thanks so much for what you have done for S this year! We have seen such a change in him and despite his mumbling grunting ways we know he has enormous respect for you. (He will never admit that)
Parent of a 17 year old
Choose your pathway
Ages 12 to 18
Small groups of six, two sessions a week, $80 a week. Blocks run to school terms and summer holidays in New Plymouth.
Adults and competitive athletes
Goal led, tested and retested. In person at $92 a session, remote programming from $50 a week, or a hybrid of both.
Questions
Assess, programme, coach, retest. Every athlete is assessed first, follows a programme written for them, is coached in person, then retested so progress is measured rather than guessed. Youth blocks run to school terms and summer holidays. Adult blocks are goal led.
Never more than six on the floor. Youth groups are capped at six and adult coaching is one to one.
The same cycle used in professional sport: testing, individual programming, in person coaching and retesting. Aaron coached NRL strength and conditioning at the Cronulla Sharks and Wests Tigers between 2011 and 2024, and now runs the same approach on a private 110 square metre floor in New Plymouth.
Call or send an enquiry and he will point you to the right place: a youth group, one to one coaching, or a Return to Performance plan. Straight answers about where you or your young athlete are at.
