Matt Elphick
ESSA-registered Accredited Exercise Scientist. Founder of Fortify Fitness and Fortify Movement & Health. Evidence-based coach delivering assessment-led, data-driven programming for strength, chronic disease, and persistent pain.
Exercise Scientist
Background & Story
Built on Curiosity,
Driven by Evidence
Matt Elphick founded Fortify Fitness out of a conviction that Australians deserve more than generic personal training — they deserve the rigour of clinical exercise science. As an ESSA-registered Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES), Matt holds the highest tier of non-medical exercise credentialing recognised in Australia.
His journey began with a genuine fascination for how the human body adapts to load and stress, which led him through a Bachelor of Exercise Science and into clinical and community practice. Along the way, he developed a deep interest in the why behind chronic pain, disease risk, and body composition — realising that movement is inseparable from metabolic health and mental wellbeing.
Matt co-founded Fortify Movement & Health — the clinical exercise facility that sits alongside Fortify Fitness — to create a space where evidence meets compassion. He believes every body deserves a program built on objective data, not assumptions.
Outside the facility, Matt stays current through continuing professional development, peer-reviewed research, and collaboration with medical and allied health practitioners across Melbourne's inner west.
Qualifications & Expertise
Credentials That
Matter
Bachelor of Exercise Science
Accredited Exercise Scientist (AES)
ESSA-Registered — the gold standard in Australian exercise science credentialing
AxIT Certified Practitioner
Force Plate & Dynamometer Testing
Objective strength and power assessment technology for data-driven programming
Strength & Conditioning
S&C Coach — competitive & general population
Periodised strength programming grounded in current sports science literature
Chronic Disease & Pain
Biopsychosocial exercise approach
Evidence-based management of persistent pain, metabolic disease, and neurodivergence
Coaching Philosophy
Why Matt's Approach Is Different
In an industry full of noise, Matt builds programs on four non-negotiable principles — each one designed to replace guesswork with certainty.
Assessment First
Every program begins with objective measurement — AxIT force plate and dynamometer testing, Tanita body composition scanning, and a thorough health and movement history. Guesswork doesn't belong here.
Data-Driven Progression
Progress is tracked, not guessed. Quantifiable testing benchmarks are set at baseline and retested regularly, so you can see exactly how your strength, power, and body composition are changing — and why.
Biopsychosocial by Default
Matt recognises that movement, health, and behaviour are deeply interconnected. Chronic pain, neurodivergence, metabolic conditions, and mental health are not dealt with in silos — they're addressed together.
Sustainable Over Extreme
Fad diets and punishing routines don't build lasting results. Matt coaches habit formation alongside physical training — because the best program is the one you actually stick to.
Areas of Practice
What Matt Specialises In
Breadth of practice backed by depth of expertise — Matt's clinical and coaching experience spans six interconnected specialisation areas.
Strength & Conditioning
Periodised programs for general population and competitive athletes. Grounded in load management, progressive overload, and objective strength benchmarks via AxIT testing.
Chronic Disease Prevention
Exercise is medicine. Matt designs targeted programs for cardiovascular risk, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and cancer recovery — in collaboration with medical teams.
Body Composition Coaching
Beyond the bathroom scale. Tanita body composition scanning drives data-informed nutrition and training adjustments — tracking muscle, fat, visceral fat, hydration, and more over time.
Neurodivergent-Inclusive Programming
Structured, predictable, and sensory-aware coaching for clients with ADHD, autism, or anxiety. Clear communication, flexible pacing, and genuine patience are standard, not optional.
Persistent Pain Management
Biopsychosocial pain coaching — recognising that persistent pain is never just physical. Matt builds safe, progressive programs that reduce fear of movement and restore function.
Sustainable Nutrition
No fad diets. Practical, evidence-based nutrition guidance that complements training — built around habit formation, food relationship, and long-term adherence.
Assessment Technology
Matt uses AxIT force plates and dynamometers for objective strength and power benchmarking, alongside Tanita medical-grade body composition scanning — the same technology used in clinical research settings. Every program is built on numbers, not impressions.
Online Booking
Book a Session with Matt
Ready to start your evidence-based fitness journey? Book directly with Matt below — your initial consultation includes a full assessment and program overview.
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Ready to Train with Matt?
Every journey begins with an assessment. Book your initial consultation with Matt and get a program built entirely on your data — no assumptions, no guesswork, just science.