Unlocking Strength and Purpose for a Better Life. Live Strong, Live Purposefully: Join the Virtus Community
- The Daily Mirror Rppfm 98.7
- Aug 21
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 14
CHAT SESSION 122 with Lachlan Wallace
Topic- Better Every Day: The Story Behind Virtus, The Excellence Coach & A Life Worth Living
Monday 25th August 2025 1pm RPPFM - Your Peninsula Radio
Virtus Performance was built on a simple mission:
To bring high-quality performance coaching to the everyday athlete and regular human.
To show people that training doesn’t have to be a chore, it can be something you look forward to, something that connects you to others, and something that becomes the foundation for living, feeling, and performing better.
Not just training for the sake of it, but training with purpose, to move well, build confidence, increase capacity, and live a stronger, more capable life.
Since opening its doors in Mornington in 2015, Virtus has grown into one of the Peninsula’s leading strength & conditioning facilities, a home for individuals and athletes of all ages and abilities who want more than just a place to sweat.
Virtus isn’t just a gym. It’s a community. A third place. A performance-focused ecosystem built around one core idea. Better Every Day.
Where It All Began
The concept for Virtus was developed back in 2010. There was a clear gap in the fitness industry. While completing a university degree in exercise and sport science and playing VFL football, the idea started to take shape.
What if a gym wasn’t just about training, but about values? About what’s most important?
Growing up, the dream was football, that passion shaped routines, friendships, and years of life. After six seasons at Collingwood VFL and time immersed in elite environments, a seed was planted: what if this level of support and intent could be brought to everyday people?
Not just for the professional athlete, but for parents, professionals, juniors, and regular humans looking to feel, move, and live better.
From this idea, Virtus was born.
People. Family. Place.
Virtus isn’t just a gym in Mornington, it’s woven into the local fabric. Built from community, family, and a belief that people thrive when they’re supported, challenged, and connected.
The Wallace family, Lachie, his wife KP, and their daughters Lucy and Billie, are part of the heartbeat of Virtus. Whether it’s training on the gym floor, attending a run club, coaching, or simply being present, they remind everyone that strength is not just physical, it’s relational.
You’ll often find kids playing in the front room, mates catching up after training, and conversations that go far beyond sets and reps. It’s a space where everyone, from teenagers to retirees, can belong.
Virtus was created by people, for people. Anchored in Mornington but driven by values that extend far beyond the postcode.
The Meaning of Virtus
The name Virtus, Latin for Excellence, was chosen deliberately.Not to represent perfection, but to represent the pursuit of progress. Of showing up. Of doing your best. Of learning, adapting, and building strength that shows up beyond the gym floor, across life, family, work, sport, and everything in between.
This is the foundation that Virtus has been built upon ever since.
Built on Pillars That Matter
From day one, Virtus has been anchored by three foundational pillars:
Performance: Evidence-based training that improves strength, mobility, speed, resilience, sporting performance, and real-world function.
Education: Empowering members and the broader community to understand their own body, training, and lifestyle, so they can make informed decisions, build independence, and own their progress.
Community: A people-first culture where coaches and members support, challenge, and celebrate each other every step of the way.
These pillars aren’t slogans, they shape the decisions, systems, sessions, and standards that guide everything done at Virtus.
Personalised Coaching, Real-World Impact
At Virtus, no two programs or sessions are the same. Every member trains on an individualised plan tailored to their goals, needs, history, and capacity, delivered in a semi-private format that strikes the balance between autonomy and expert coaching.
Whether it’s a teenager preparing for their first football season, a new mum rebuilding strength and confidence, or a retiree working to improve mobility and bone density, Virtus coaches meet every person where they’re at, and guide them forward.
Members also have access to:
1:1 onboarding and assessments
Allied health support from world-class physiotherapists and osteopaths
Goal reviews and testing blocks
Weekly run clubs and community events
Educational workshops on training, nutrition, recovery, and lifestyle
It’s not just about being fit. It’s about being capable, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Virtus exists to help people build stronger bodies, clearer minds, and live more fulfilling lives, more capable lives.
More than just 4 walls and some equipment.
What makes Virtus truly special is the team behind it. A growing group of performance coaches, allied health professionals, and support staff bring their expertise, energy, and care to the floor every day.
Together, they deliver coaching experiences built around clear standards:
Making genuine connections with members
Directing progress with intent and accountability
Shaping the environment to be safe, challenging, and enjoyable
Demonstrating with presence and purpose
Understanding the person behind the program
At Virtus, people aren’t just numbers, they’re stories, individuals, and journeys.
Playing the long game
At its core, Virtus exists to raise the standard for what health and fitness can be.
The message is simple and clear: Everyone is an athlete, we all just have different events.
If you’re lifting a toddler, carrying groceries, chasing a ball, or handling the chaos of everyday life, you are an athlete in your own way. Whatever the activity, Virtus is here to help you perform better at it.
That’s why this gym attracts such a diverse range of people:
Parents chasing energy, health, and strength
Athletes preparing for elite competition
Professionals undoing years of sitting and stress
Teenagers building coordination, confidence, and resilience
Retirees committed to longevity, mobility, and movement
Everyone is welcome. Everyone is supported. Everyone is challenged to become a better version of themselves with the support of a welcoming team and community who want to see you win.
Virtus Performance was built for people who want more from their training, and more from themselves.
Whether you’re stuck, just getting started, or ready to level up, the invitation is simple:
Come in for an intro session. Meet the team. See what’s possible.
Because strength isn’t just about lifting heavy. It’s about living well. It’s about doing the things that matter, better, for longer, with confidence.
And it’s about building the community, capacity, and consistency to carry it all.
“Be excellent and be better every day” says Lachlan
Join Virtus Performance and discover how strength, purpose, and community can transform your life.
My hope is that when you’re looking at yourself in the
‘The Daily Mirror’
YOU SMILE
EMBRACE BEING YOU
AND FIND 10 MINUTES IN YOUR DAY TO NOURISH YOUR SOUL!
To get in touch with Cathy email smileinthedailymirror@gmail.com
'The Daily Mirror' acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.
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