Meet Kristopher Herbert | Kris Herbert | Founder & Strength Coach, The Gym Venice

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristopher Herbert and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristopher, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
At The Gym Venice, our impact extends far beyond exercise. We help adults over 40 reclaim confidence, strength, and independence at a stage of life when many people are told to expect decline. Through personalized strength training, we help our clients move better, reduce pain, improve bone density, maintain muscle mass, and continue doing the activities they love for decades to come.

What often surprises people is that the greatest transformation is not physical. It is psychological.

Strength training gives people tangible evidence that they are still capable of growth. In a world that constantly reminds us of our limitations, the weight room reminds us of our potential. We see clients walk through our doors carrying stress, self doubt, grief, loneliness, and the accumulated weight of life’s challenges. Then something remarkable happens. They move. They lift. They accomplish something difficult. Their posture changes. Their energy changes. Their outlook changes.

One of my clients in his 70s often arrives feeling emotionally worn down by the isolation that can come with aging. Within a few sets, I can literally watch him come back to life. The conversation changes. His energy changes. He leaves standing taller than when he arrived. I’ve witnessed this transformation hundreds of times, and it never gets old.

We have intentionally created a welcoming environment for people who may feel intimidated by traditional gyms. Many of our members are beginners who have never worked with weights before. By teaching strength as a skill and providing expert guidance in a supportive setting, we help people discover what their bodies and minds are still capable of.

We also invest in our local community through free educational workshops, youth strength programs, women’s strength training classes, and community events such as our Venice Fest dead hang challenge, which encouraged people of all ages to test their grip strength and learn about the importance of physical capability.

The greatest gift this business has given me is the opportunity to witness these changes in real time. To watch someone arrive discouraged and leave hopeful. To see confidence return. To see people realize they are stronger than they thought. Those moments make every challenge of building this business worthwhile.

Our mission is simple: to help people stay strong enough to fully participate in their lives. Because when people become physically stronger, they often become mentally stronger as well. Stronger individuals create stronger families, stronger communities, and ultimately a healthier world.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The Gym Venice is a private strength training facility built specifically for adults over 40. What sets us apart is that we don’t sell fitness. We teach strength.

Many people walk into our gym believing they’re behind. They think they’ve waited too long, that they’re too old, too out of shape, or too inexperienced to start. Our job is to show them that none of that is true. We help people build strength safely, systematically, and with purpose so they can continue living active, capable lives for decades to come.

What I’m most proud of isn’t the gym itself. It’s the people. It’s the client who thought they were too old to start lifting weights. It’s the person who no longer fears getting down on the floor because they know they can get back up. It’s the grandparent who can pick up their grandchild without pain. Those victories matter far more to me than any business milestone.

Professionally, my path was anything but easy. Before becoming a business owner, I spent years pursuing strength at a high level myself. I learned firsthand that physical strength doesn’t automatically solve life’s problems. What it can do is teach resilience, discipline, and the confidence to face challenges. Those lessons became the foundation of how I coach and eventually how I built this business.

When I opened The Gym Venice, there was no guarantee it would succeed. Like many small business owners, I faced financial uncertainty, long hours, self doubt, and countless obstacles that no one sees from the outside. There were periods when survival felt like the goal. What carried me through was a simple belief: if we could genuinely improve people’s lives, the business would eventually find its footing.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that success is rarely the result of a single breakthrough. It’s usually the result of showing up consistently, doing ordinary things well, and continuing when the outcome is uncertain. The same principle that builds strength in the gym builds businesses, relationships, and meaningful lives.

What I want people to know about our brand is that we’re not preparing people for the gym. We’re preparing them for life. Strength is not about looking a certain way. It’s about maintaining the ability to do the things that matter most to you. We believe getting older should not mean becoming less capable. In many ways, your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond can be your strongest years yet.

If there’s a thread that runs through my story and the story of The Gym Venice, it’s this: people are capable of far more than they think. Sometimes they just need someone to help them see it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a week to show a friend the best of Los Angeles, I’d probably spend most of it on the Westside.

For dinner, we’d start at Irori Sushi. It’s one of my favorite places for quality sushi and a great introduction to the area. Another must visit is Market Restaurant & Bar for incredible cocktails, the famous .72 Special, and some of the best pasta I’ve had anywhere.

For outdoor adventures, I’d take them on the hike to Solstice Canyon. The entire trail is beautiful, but my favorite spot is at the end where you can look through the remains of the kitchen window of the old house that burned down and see the waterfall framed perfectly in the distance. It’s one of those views that stays with you.

If we’re trying to really impress someone, we’d head to El Matador State Beach. The rock formations, cliffs, and ocean views are about as iconic as Southern California gets.

One evening we’d catch the sunset from the rooftop at The Huntley Hotel. Watching the sun disappear into the Pacific while overlooking the coastline never gets old.

After that, we’d spend a night at The Comedy Store. Few things are more fun than seeing great comedians in one of the most legendary comedy clubs in the world.

The next morning we’d recover with breakfast at Killer Shrimp before deciding what adventure comes next.

What I love most about Los Angeles is that you can spend the morning hiking in the mountains, the afternoon on the beach, the evening watching a world class sunset, and the night laughing at a comedy club. There aren’t many places in the world that offer that kind of variety in a single day.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There isn’t one person I can point to because The Gym Venice was built on the support of many people over many years.

First and foremost, my family deserves tremendous credit. Building a business is demanding, and there were plenty of times when the outcome was uncertain. Their belief in me, their patience, and their willingness to support the vision made this possible.

I’d also like to recognize the clients who trusted me long before The Gym Venice became what it is today. Many of them took a chance on me when there wasn’t much more than a belief that strength training could change lives. They showed up, did the work, referred their friends and family, and helped create the community that exists today.

Most of all, I want to give credit to the people who walk through our doors every day and choose to do something difficult. They inspire me constantly. We live in a culture that often tells people that getting older means becoming weaker, slower, and less capable. Every day I get to watch people reject that idea. I see people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond discover that they are still capable of getting stronger.

Those moments are what keep me going. Watching someone who walked in feeling defeated leave standing taller, moving better, and believing in themselves again is one of the greatest privileges of my life. If The Gym Venice has accomplished anything meaningful, it’s because thousands of people trusted us enough to begin that journey.

Website: https://www.thegymvenice.com

Instagram: @thegymvenice

Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/kris-herbert-803829194

Facebook: @thegymvenice