About Us - Obsidrix Valorium Fitness Center | Forge Your Ultimate Strength

How It All Started

Look, I'm not gonna feed you some polished corporate origin story. Back in 2018, I was training out of a cramped garage on Queen West with maybe 200 square feet and equipment I'd salvaged from a closed-down gym.

Started with just three clients - a hockey player rehabbing a knee injury, a firefighter who wanted to compete in powerlifting, and my buddy's wife who'd been told she was "too old" to learn Olympic lifting at 42. That last one really pissed me off, honestly.

Fast forward to 2020, we'd outgrown two locations already. People kept showing up because we weren't selling transformations or quick fixes - we were teaching folks how to actually get strong and move properly. No gimmicks, no Instagram BS.

- Marcus Thorne, Founder & Head Coach

The Journey

Seven years of building something real

18

2018 - Garage Days

Three clients, one barbell, and way too much ambition. Trained people before work, during lunch, after midnight sometimes. My neighbours definitely hated me.

19

First Real Space

Signed a lease on a 1,500 sq ft spot in Liberty Village. Twelve members turned into sixty within four months. Had to start running classes because there wasn't room for everyone to train at once.

"Marcus turned me from a cardio junkie who couldn't squat the bar into someone who pulled 315 lbs at their first meet. Still can't believe that's me now."

- Jenny R., Member since 2019

20

Pandemic Pivot

Yeah, that sucked. But we did parking lot sessions, shipped equipment to members' homes, ran online coaching. Lost some folks but the core crew stuck around. Actually brought us closer together.

22

Moving to Bloor West

Found this 6,000 sq ft space that used to be a manufacturing warehouse. Exposed brick, high ceilings, perfect for what we needed. Finally had room to breathe and build proper lifting platforms.

"I've trained at gyms across Canada for hockey. This place has the best coaching staff I've worked with, period. They actually know their stuff."

- Devon K., Professional Athlete

24

Building the Team

Brought on four additional coaches - all people I'd trained with or competed against. No fresh-outta-certification folks, everyone's got real platform time and coaching experience. Quality over quantity, always.

25

Today

Over 200 members, ranging from complete beginners to national-level competitors. We've coached folks to provincial records, helped rehab dozens of injuries, and watched people transform their relationship with strength training.

Still the same mission though - teach people to move well, lift heavy, and stop overthinking it.

What We Actually Believe

Consistency beats intensity every time

Form first, ego last - doesn't matter how much weight you think you should lift

Everyone's got different goals and that's cool - we don't force competition on anyone

Community matters but we're not gonna make you do team-building exercises

Real coaching means telling you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear

What People Are Saying

Real members, real results, no BS testimonials

"Joined thinking I'd do CrossFit classes forever. Ended up falling in love with Olympic lifting. Now I'm coaching others. This place changes you."

- Sarah M.

Member for 3 years

"I'm 56 and just hit a PR on my deadlift last week. The coaches here don't treat age as a limitation - they work with what you've got and build from there."

- Robert T.

Member for 2 years

"No judgment, no pressure to look a certain way. Just solid coaching and a crew that shows up to put in work. Exactly what I needed."

- Alex P.

Member for 18 months

"After two shoulder surgeries, I didn't think I'd lift again. Marcus and his team rebuilt my movement patterns from scratch. I'm stronger now than before the injuries."

- Michael D.

Member for 4 years

"Best investment I've made. The personal training here isn't just cookie-cutter programs - they actually customize everything based on how your body moves."

- Priya S.

Member for 1 year

"Competed in my first powerlifting meet at 44 years old. Never thought I'd do that. The coaching here makes impossible stuff feel doable."

- Tom L.

Member for 2.5 years

Meet The Coaching Team

We're not just trainers with weekend certifications. Every coach here has competed, failed, learned, and put in years on the platform or in competition.

We've dealt with injuries, plateaus, bad days, and all the stuff that happens in real training. That's what makes us good at this - we've been where you are.

Between us, we've got over 60 years of combined lifting experience, multiple national-level placements, and way too many early morning training sessions to count.

See Our Programs

Ready To Start?

Come check out the space, meet the coaches, see if it's a good fit. No pressure, no sales pitch.

Book A Free Intro View Membership Options