JESSE MOORE knows there are no shortcuts in elite gymnastics. Behind every routine are thousands of repetitions. Every skill requires countless hours to master. And every gain – however marginal – matters. It’s why the 23-year-old True Protein athlete prioritises ticking off all the one percenters.
It’s a mindset that has served him well. With the Commonwealth Games in his sights, Moore believes he’s entering the strongest period of his career. “I’m very confident in my ability at the moment,” he tells Men’s Health. “Coming off the world championships last year where I finished 11th in the all-around, I’m motivated more than ever to push my ability and see what I can do. The goal is to bring back a medal. Hopefully gold.”
That confidence is the result of years spent refining every aspect of his performance. Moore’s journey been almost life-long. At six years old, he was identified through a talent identification program in Adelaide and invited to train at a high-performance centre.
At the time, he was simply happy to find something he could funnel his limitless energy into. The Olympics weren’t on his mind. “I was probably around nine or ten when I first started thinking about that,” he says. “I was training with Sam Offord, who is a Commonwealth Games gold medallist. He was one of my idols, and I thought, ‘I want to do that too.’”
In 2024, Moore realised that dream by competing at his first Olympic Games. He made the final and finished 21st overall. He downplays the result, insisting he was capable of better. But he admits the experience did reshape his perspective. “I think a lot of athletes forget to take the time to enjoy that kind of thing,” he says. “This is the pinnacle. It’s the top of the sport. It didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, but to be there amongst it was an amazing experience.”
He now heads to the Commonwealth Games with a chance at Australia’s first men’s gymnastics gold medal since Offord’s in 2010. He knows what he’s capable of, and his self-belief is backed by the work he’s putting in behind the scenes.
Gymnastics demands extraordinary strength, but Moore says structured weight training only became a major part of his routine after relocating to Australia’s National Training Centre in Canberra in 2021. “I didn’t touch the gym until I moved to Canberra,” he says. “Now I’ve got a few S&C coaches who have put together a program for me.”
His focus now is developing strength to remove any limitations or weakness in his skillset. “I’m really trying to push myself in the gym because rings is my weakest event, so I know to become world class I need to get stronger.”
Gymnasts are increasingly supplementing technical training with resistance work to improve force production while maintaining mobility and body control. Moore’s training reflects that, as well as the specific demands of gymnastics. “It’s pretty much my whole upper body,” he explains. “When I’m in those positions, I’m squeezing everything. Shoulders, chest, core – you need to be strong in all areas.”
Nutrition is just as important as time spent in the gym. For Moore, convenience plays a big role in staying consistent. “I’m in the gym a lot and I have long training days, so being able to just grab something that’s quick and convenient and has all the protein I need is great,” he says.
After multiple daily training sessions, preparing elaborate meals isn’t always realistic. “After a big training session, sometimes I don’t want to have to cook a meal or stand around shaking a protein shake. So I really enjoy True Protein bars and shakes.”
Moore’s approach is consistency over perfection. “It’s easy to skip the one percenters, but True Protein makes it easy to stay on top of my nutrition, protein intake and fuel.”
For athletes at the elite level, those one per cent improvements often separate finalists from medallists. Moore heads into his next phase believing both his body and mindset are exactly where they need to be. Combined with his renewed focus on strength, recovery and nutrition, Moore feels ready to challenge the world’s best.
Gymnastics-inspired upper body and core workout
Want to build strength like Jesse Moore? Try the below workout and you’ll be on your way to unlocking immense functional strength.
Upper body
Pull-ups – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
Dips – 4 sets of 6-8 reps
Ring (or parallel bar) holds – 4 sets of 20-30 seconds
Pike push-ups – 4 sets of 6-10 reps
Single-arm dumbbell rows – 3 sets of 10 each side
Decline (feet-elevated) push-ups – 3 sets of 12
Face pulls – 3 sets of 15
Core
Hollow body hold – 30-45 seconds
Hanging leg raises – 10-12 reps
L-sit hold – 15-30 seconds
Side plank – 30 seconds each side
