Primal MMA Academy

For Thomas Heffernan, a personal trainer and entrepreneur, Primal Movement is the result of a big dream — an 8,000-square-foot dream to be precise. Thomas’ love for sport began at an early age during his time as a track athlete. His recreational running led to coaching, and eventually personal training. He has now worked in the fitness and recreation industry for over a decade, and in that time he’s helped clients with fat loss, injury rehabilitation, muscle development and athletic conditioning.

After working at a big box gym for about three years, Thomas felt there was much to improve on. “In the big box gym, you have to motivate yourself, and at the end of the day that often leads to falling off. I wanted to create a gym where people really want to go. They want to be there because they’re going to see their friends and be motivated by the group”, he says.

Primal Movement is a three-part health and fitness centre. The first part is a spacious 5,000-square-foot freestyle/ training gym with advanced equipment like squat racks, Olympic lifting platforms, climbing ropes and much more. The second part is a studio on the lower level dedicated to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) training and instruction. Lastly, and most recently, a new clinic for massage therapy, nutritional consulting and naturopathic services has been introduced on the upper level.