About us
Built by a competitor, for everyone
Wirral Strength & Fitness opened in April 2017 as Old Time Strength with one aim: a proper strongman gym on the Wirral where anyone could walk in and get strong.
Vinny's story
Founder Vinny Jones trained as a teacher before moving north to chase strongman full time. He went on to compete for 11 years at UK's Strongest Man level winning multiple titles such as North England's Strongest Man, 3 x Merseyside's Strongest Man, 2 x North Wale's Strongest Man, 4 x Cheshire's Strongest Man and has competed several times internationally.
He built the gym he always wanted to train in: competition-standard kit, coaches who compete, and a room where a first-timer and a national-level athlete share the same platform. He's also the inventor of the atlas stone tacky used by strongman athletes across the UK and the world's first tacky remover.
In 2019, Cerberus Strength made the partnership official with all Old Time Strength products being distributed and sold worldwide. Since then, our tacky is now sold in 5 grades for all weather and conditions; our smelling salts are the market leader and our muscle rub is the strongest on the market.
Vinny retired from competitive Strongman in 2022 following heart complications but is still very much part of the gym family overseeing the development of the members, coaches and supporting the local community with Mersey Mind Project & Safe Space Merseyside.
The story so far
Safe Space Merseyside
Our pledge
Wirral Strength & Fitness is committed to being a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. We proudly support Safe Space Merseyside and provide an inclusive, respectful space for all members, including LGBTQ+ and trans communities.
Discrimination, harassment or hate of any kind will not be tolerated in our gym. Ever.