Fancy high altitude training? Gym could take your breath away

Company Air Locker Training wants to transform a Victory op shop into a high altitude training space where oxygen levels are lowered to force the body to work in different ways than it would at sea level.

The idea is to mimic altitudes of up to 3500 metres above sea level - or 3287 metres higher than Bendigo - to boost "body's efficiency, improving the way our heart and lung's function", as the company describes it on its website.

Air Locker Training wants to move into 110-114 Garsed Street, currently occupied by Victory Op Shop surrounded by a mix of commercial and residential properties.

Gym owners want approval for up to 20 patrons on site at one time, according to planning documents lodged with the City of Greater Bendigo.

The gym would open from Monday to Friday, 5am to 8pm and Saturday, 8am to 9am. Group classes would run for 45 minutes.

Gym owners have told the council they have thought carefully about noise that would come out of the gym, which would come complete with exercise equipment for cardio and free weights, along with an "altitude unit compressor".

Light music would be provided, however would not be louder than the instructor, who would not be using a microphone, the gym has told the council.

Air Locker Training has more than 25 locations across the country, including four in Melbourne and one in Mildura.

To change the facility from an op shop to a gym would cost $150,000, with no structural alterations to the exterior of the existing building according to the company's planning documents.

The gym would "contribute to promoting Bendigo City Centre as the highest order retail and commercial centre servicing northern and central Victoria," the documents said.

Gym backers said the project would enhance Bendigo's city centre by providing a recreation facility for use by the community.