About Us

The Team

Joe Pemberton

(BComm Accounting, Finance, Commercial Law), GradDipCA, Cert III & IV in Fitness, Level 1 Strength and Conditioning Coach, Level 1 Powerlifting Coach.

Joe Pemberton is a strength coach and owner of Hobart Strength Training and Sydney Strength Training. He was previously a Chartered Accountant, but in 2011 he decided to pursue his dream of coaching full-time.

Joe’s has always enjoyed being active. He has a background as a national level swimmer, a strongman competitor and has experience powerlifting. However, his passion lies in introducing people to strength training. He enjoys helping people get strong as he finds it incredibly fulfilling and rewarding. Joe takes pride in ensuring his clients understand the “why” behind his approach. He believes in giving them the knowledge they need to make a sustainable change they can maintain throughout their lives.

Joe started personal training in 2011 outdoors, which led him to set up a small gym in Glebe. This is where he became hooked on coaching strength training. He found his clients loved the process of getting strong, and he got a kick out of helping them unlock the immense health benefits.

In 2014, Joe opened Sydney Strength Training, a private gym in Annandale, Sydney. Two years later, he flew to the US to become accredited as Australia’s first Starting Strength Coach. Today, Joe works closely with Barbell Medicine as a strength coach.

After building up Sydney Strength Training for 7 years, Joe decided to return to his hometown of Hobart with his young family. He wanted his young son and daughter to be closer to his extended family. He brought everything he had learned in the US and Sydney back to Hobart to open Hobart Strength Training.

When Joe isn’t in the gym or coaching online, you’ll find him with his wife and three children, and if there’s any time left going for a mountain bike ride.

Follow Joe Pemberton on Instagram: @joe_barbellmedicine, or to book in a session with Joe, contact us.

Byron Brown

Cert III & IV in Fitness

Byron Brown is a thoughtful and dedicated coach who has been immersed in the Hobart Strength Training approach since 2023.

With a strong athletic background in competitive rowing and mountain bike riding, Byron brings a deep understanding of performance, resilience, and long-term physical development.

Following a life-threatening rowing accident in 2023, Byron experienced firsthand the physical and psychological impact of structured strength training. Through the training process, he not only rebuilt his body, but also his confidence, mindset, and overall wellbeing—an experience that continues to shape his coaching philosophy.

Outside the gym, Byron is a passionate mountain bike rider and can often be found riding in Maydena, Derby, or exploring Hobart’s local trail networks.

Follow Byron on Instagram @_byronbrown, or get in touch to book a session with him.