Ladies Who Lift is a unique 6-week weight training course, by women, for women.
Week by week you will master good technique and heavier weights in all the big lifts such as squat, bench press and deadlift.
The real difference with this course from anything you may have done before is that it takes place in the weight room, not in a studio with plastic weights. We want to learn to lift with actual iron, right in the lion’s den! There is safety in numbers and an experienced guide (yours truly, veteran of numerous ‘spit and sick bucket’ establishments) to help, so there is nothing to fear.
Confidence grows along with competence and the environment is quickly forgotten with the support of the women around you and the hard work you put in!
“Ladies Who Lift was a fantastic course and I’m really glad I went. Everyone in the group was supportive and encouraging”
Having run a couple of pilot workshops last year, we ran the first Ladies Who Lift courses in May and June 2011. Women came from all walks of life and training backgrounds. A few participants had had personal training in the past, others had never lifted before. The course is structured so that everyone can lift to their own level.
Each had their own motivations for wanting to learn to lift properly. The common thread was a desire to challenge oneself, to do something different and – let’s face it – unconventional for women. These ladies had got the memo that endless cardio isn’t the answer, either to health or fitness, but until now not had the opportunity to unlock their strength potential.
The foundation of this course is the squat: we squat every week, and vary the other exercises. In this way we can develop competence in this incredibly versatile movement which is surprisingly challenging for the 21st century urban human to execute well. Sitting for hours at a desk or in a car inhibits most of the muscles involved in the squat but, once re-learned, strength and mobility take a great leap forward.
A typical session will involve squatting and one other ‘heavy’ movement using strength protocols, then some lighter, circuit-style work to raise heart rates, build some muscular endurance and get those exercise endorphins flowing!
We gradually build the technique and the weight until in the last session we max out. This is scary but fun. It was truly inspiring to see the weights that everyone was able to achieve – we are talking bodyweight and above after only six weeks!
“Sally is a great teacher. I wouldn’t have reached the weights that I was using in the last week without her patience and without knowing that she believed in me.”
The atmosphere is friendly and cooperative, with everyone helping to change plates, adjust the rack and so on, but this is no mother’s meeting. We are there to work, to learn, to push ourselves a bit beyond what we thought we were capable of.
“Excellent course. I really enjoyed the motivation and support that I got from the trainer and from the group (I certainly never thought I’d be able to lift as much as I have!)”
By the end of the course, there was a real appetite among many to continue and so we have launched an intermediate course for those who want to build on their skills and strength.
For those who feel they are not ready for the intermediate level at this stage, the course leaves you with a variety of tools to enable you to carry on your training. There is a comprehensive course manual with pictures and technique tips for all the exercises, as well as nutritional guidance to help you reach your goals. Every participant is given an ongoing training programme based on the way we train in the course, so that you can carry on without missing a beat.
“The tips and techniques have been really useful; the best part of this is that I have been able to train on my own and have a better sense of my personal progress.”
What you learn here will stand you in good stead your whole training career and there is enough material to train progressively for up to a year before needing to add more sophistication to your programming.
Want a place on the next course? Click here for course dates and to book.
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