Heeeelp, I’ve never done strength training. Where do I start?

Starting any new form of exercise can feel scary, but we’ve got you covered! In our new series, Begin with Strength, I’ll be guiding you through the basic movement patterns and common exercises starting from the very beginning, and we’ll take our time getting super comfortable with each and every movement before progressing session by session. The goal across this 14 part series is to create a strong foundation with both movement, and mindset, and the best part is, I’ll be guiding you through it the whole time, so you’ll never feel lost or rushed!

What are the most common barriers you see holding people back from strength training?

A lot of people just struggle with knowing what exercises to do, or whether they are doing them correctly. But we have a strong focus on teaching you the correct technique (you’ll receive form cues and tips along the way!) and making everything simple to follow – being able to watch me as you go will help you see what things should look like, and build your confidence and knowledge across the series.

Deadlifts, chest press, oh my… What lingo do I need to know before I start training?

In our begin with strength series, I’ll teach you everything you need to know (for now, at least!) – don’t be intimidated by fancy exercise names and complicated movements that you’ve seen around – we’re starting from the beginning and taking it one step at a time. I’ll talk you through the names of exercises, how to perform them, where you should feel it, and what it should ideally look like.

Strength training intimidates me, how do I flip my mindset?

Its easy to assume that strength training is always about heavy weights and big muscles, but that doesn’t have to be the case! Strength work is all about creating resistance, which you can do with one simple set of dumbbells, and it comes down to working within YOUR capabilities. So focus on being a better version of you – learning new things, challenging your body in different ways, working on your mind-muscle connection, and most importantly, having fun with it! It shouldn’t be scary or intimidating, and I hope that by completing this series together, you’ll see how enjoyable it can be!

What’s your biggest piece of advice for someone starting out?

My number one tip is don’t compare your journey to anyone else’s – it’s okay if other people are lifting heavier weights, or more advanced than you are, this is YOUR body, and your workout, and it pays to take your time with it. Focus on how things FEEL, what positives you get from working out (such as better energy, improved posture, higher quality sleep, feeling stronger etc) and set yourself small, achievable goals along the way to keep you motivated.

What do you love most about helping people fall in love with strength training?

My favourite thing is showing people what they are capable of – so often we (women, in particular) are scared to try new things because we haaate that awkward period between starting, and becoming good at something. There’s this weird little phase where it’s kind of uncomfortable, and we haven’t quite nailed it yet, but if you find a way to enjoy it, and stick with it for a little longer, reaching that point where you can say “wow, I did that!” is such an amazing, rewarding feeling. And strength training is the gift that keeps on giving in that way – there’s never an end point, because your ability to grow stronger is uncapped, so you can celebrate win after win every time you reach a new milestone – making yourself proud is the best feeling!