ACCREDITED EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST, PERTH
Heart Health and Fitness is composed of nationally accredited exercise physiologists and accredited exercise scientists who will help you develop a tailored exercise and lifestyle program, which is based on your specific needs and goals.
our purpose
We make heart healthy living simple.
our mission
our values
our team
dr Nikky Gordon
Ph.D. (Exercise Physiology) – Murdoch University
BSc (Hons) in Exercise Physiology – Murdoch University
Part-time Lecturer at Murdoch University
Vice President of Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association (ACRA-WA)
Committee member of Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA WA)
Hi, I’m Nikky and I help people with heart conditions, who are ready to get back to exercise and regain their confidence and zest for life so that they can get back to playing with the kids and feeling themselves again. I do this through personalised heart healthy exercise programs that are safe, fun and effective.
I believe you can (and should) enjoy your exercise, and even miss it when you can’t do it! I empower my clients to live the best and fullest life possible through exercise and healthy lifestyle choices.
I have been working as an Exercise Physiologist since 2012 and I am so proud of how my work positively impacts the lives of my clients. Working with those who are feeling unsure about their health and fitness and helping them feel better, pain free and giving them a new lease of life is what I do best.
I love the wins my clients share with me. Things such as:
“Being able walk without getting breathless or tired”
“Being able to tie my shoelaces easily”
“Holding up my nephew so he can pick which ice cream flavour he wants”
“Actually missing going to classes if I can’t make it”
I have a Doctorate of Philosophy in Exercise Physiology from Murdoch University. I studied the effects of single-leg cycling on heart disease risk. Research is a strong passion of mine and I love combining my research with my clinic, to give everyone access to the most up-to-date, evidence-based care.
My strongest personal motivator is a keen desire to help others live their best lives. I set up Heart Health and Fitness in 2018 to help improve the cardiac rehabilitation services to patients living in Perth, Western Australia. I have recently added online access to increase the reach of my services so that I may improve the lives of more people living with heart disease and ultimately reduce the burden of this disease.
Whether I am teaching classes or doing one on one assessments and consultations, I base my achievements on the triumphs of others. I truly believe that “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.
Mr Paul Crabtree
BSc in Exercise Rehabilitation (Exercise Physiology) – Edith Cowan University
Secretary of Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA WA)
Committee Member of Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association (ACRA-WA)
Hi, I’m Paul and I truly believe that Exercise is Medicine.
The evidence for exercise improving health outcomes including chronic disease is constantly growing, but what I find thought-provoking is that it is not new. The concept can be traced back as early as 400BC.
I started university in a sports science degree but in my first year, after hearing from a very experienced exercise physiologist, I knew that being an exercise physiologist was what I wanted, and my career path was set. Now, 11 years later I have had some incredible jobs and experiences and worked with some truly amazing clients.
My true passion is cardiac rehab. I have worked in Royal Perth Hospital, Fiona Stanley Hospital and even helped setup a university-based cardiac rehab program at Edith Cowan University.
Working with a wide range of health conditions means you need to know what is important and understand how it has a bearing on your work. There is the continual need to stay updated and upskill in new areas so I’m always learning. I love reading and improving my knowledge and passing it on to my clients so they can be bettered informed about their health.
Interacting with so many different people with diverse personalities can be a challenge but when I get it right it is a really rewarding experience. It might be the same job each day, but each day is often totally different.
Over the last decade I have had clients tell me numerous good news stories. Comments such as “Why hasn’t someone told me about you before” and “I’ve learnt more about my heart condition in the last 30 minutes than the last 2 years.”
Seeing the improvements in quality of life after heart transplants and being told “your exercises have helped me get my life back and I can play with my son again now.”
Seeing the pain hip and knee replacements can leave my clients in and helping them to learn to walk effectively again and being told “you’ve been truly supportive, and I can walk around the shops again and pick up my grandkids.”
If I’m not improving the quality of my client’s life, then I’m not doing them justice.
Walt Disney once was quoted as saying “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them” I see my job as helping my clients find that courage.
Mrs Rachel Orbuck
BSc in Exercise and Health – University of Western Australia
GradDip of Education (Physical Education, Health and Science) – University of Western Australia
Hello Everyone!
My name is Rachel and I will be bringing my positive, bubbly energy to Heart Health and Fitness because I believe that exercise should not only be energizing and fulfilling, but it should be fun and enjoyable!
I love adventurous activities and have been involved with some amazing experiences in my past careers. Mountain biking 110km along the Munda Biddi trail and hiking sections of the Cape to Cape three years in a row were highlights of being a Physical Education Teacher. Leading tours for two years through the incredible limestone caves of the South West region, not to mention off-trail adventure caving, certainly made my role as Cave Tour Guide very memorable. Returning to Perth after living in the South West for five years, I have discovered Bouldering – rope-free rock climbing – and I love challenging myself to climb better each session.
At Heart Health and Fitness, I hope to inspire you to find your adventure.
To have the opportunity to empower someone to make positive lifestyle changes through exercise is what inspired me to return to my original area of study – Exercise Science. I am currently in my final year at Murdoch University, to become a Clinical Exercise Physiologist, so I can help people with a health condition or disability achieve goals that they thought were out of reach.
My high school teaching and tour guiding background has certainly helped me to sharpen my skills of taking complex science topics and breaking them down to explain them in a simplistic manner. I believe this is incredibly important when it comes to understanding why exercise is important for your body and your health condition.
I love hearing clients say:
“No-one has ever explained things like that to me before! That makes so much sense!”
I hope to provide you with the knowledge you need to understand how exercise can bring you strength, stamina and confidence to do the things you love each and every day.
Mr Cam Duffy
BSc in Sports Science and Exercise & Health – University of Western Australia
Hi, I’m Cameron and I’m driven by my passion to help others achieve their mental and physical best. I believe everyone can benefit from exercise and the ways in which it can be used to improve your health are almost limitless.
At university I completed a degree in Sport Science/Exercise & Health which helped me further my passion for helping others. My goal is to help clients achieve their personal exercise goals any way that I can. I have experience working with individuals of all abilities and ages from young kids struggling with movement skills all the way up to elite footballers.
In my free time I enjoy playing ultimate frisbee and spending time at the beach either swimming or relaxing. I love when clients tell me how much they enjoy a particular exercise or when I help them with their technique and they are surprised by how much more effective the movement feels.
I am now studying a masters in Exercise Physiology and am keen to incorporate all the new information I am taking in at university here at Heart Health and Fitness.