Just a reminder that STRENGTH SCHOOL is open for enrollment for one more week! The program kicks off on Monday, October 9th, so grab your spot right now by clicking the button below!
I’ve trained and coached literally hundreds of women over the past ten year in the fitness industry. The majority of those women did not want to strength train- they were afraid because they didn’t know what they were doing, the weight room was intimidating, and they would have rather done what’s comfortable and hang out on the cardio equipment. And I get that! So if you’re in that category, I put together this post for you.
Here we have 17 women who hit the weights- and hit them hard. They were all beginnings at one point, too, but they pushed past their fears and self-imposed limitations in the name of health, fitness and let’s face it- physique change.
These ages of these women range from 26-70. Some have been lifting for a year or two and others more than five years. The time to start is NOW. It’s never, ever, too late and you’re never too behind to get yourself going.
Take it away, ladies!
“When I started my fitness journey, I was regretfully terrified of the weight room. The various weights, the loud grunts, the people!? How does anyone know what they’re doing? Will they think I’m weak or uneducated if I do something the wrong way? All of these questions fluttered through my head as I grabbed my first pair of 12lb weights. I started doing the classic bicep curl, because at the time, that was the only weight lifting exercise I had known. Little by little I began to become stronger and with each passing day I grew more confident in my abilities. Only until recently did I reflect back on my earlier inexperience in the weight room. What was I so afraid of? I was there to better myself for myself. The only person I should have been nervous about proving anything to was myself. Gaining new strength physically and mentally in the gym has provided me with the confidence I have always dreamed of having. If it weren’t for my willingness to learn and the kindness of others I would still be doing bicep curls every day.” Brittany
“I love lifting because it makes me feel empowered! I know I am pushing my body to limits that I wouldn’t without lifting. I also love that I feel stronger in everyday life – my elevator is broken so carrying groceries and laundry up 4 flights of stairs makes me super thankful for lifting. It doesn’t hurt when I notice I am stronger and have more endurance than the guys in my life!” Krista
“Lifting keeps me lean and toned, and feeling like I can conquer the world! I love that I can deadlift – it’s my favorite lift! I love adding to the bar with every set.” Susan
“I love to heavy lift because at 58 I get stronger every year-defying the stats of aging!!! I also experienced, while on vacation with family, that even though I haven’t ridden my bike in a year I was as strong as my brother on the hills who rides every day. Strong is awesome!” Maura
“As I approach 71, I lift with all the confidence that Lauren has instilled in me. I do not need help bringing in all the groceries. I play football and basketball with my 10 year old grandson. I carry in my neighbors’ case of water for her. I am the strong one in my group of friends. I am proud to wear sleeveless shirts. My weight has gone down 32 pounds this year with Lauren’s nutritional advice. But my happiness lives in the ability to feel every muscle move, to know the strength my body is capable of, to know there is no end to this as my body grows stronger and stronger. I now have a weight bench and assorted weights at home that I use when I am unable to get to the gym. There are days that I just say to myself “don’t go to the gym, stay home” but I know that when I leave the gym feeling amazingly strong that I will continue to lift FOREVER!” Claire
“I have spent years at the gym going thru the motions, hours and hours of mindless cardio. After all my work I never saw any physical changes in my body. I always wanted to lift weights and looked at the people who did with envy. I was intimidated by the people and the equipment in the weight room. I didn’t know how to use any of the equipment and I didn’t feel like I belonged there. I always thought people are going to wonder what I am doing in there, she doesn’t know what she is doing… It couldn’t be further from the truth. I quickly learned nobody is looking at me everyone is so focused on their own workout. Hitting the weight room and training with Lauren is my favorite part of the week. Weight lifting is great for my mind. If I am stressed or anxious my favorite thing to do is hit the weight room. It is the best medicine! Physically my body has changed so much since I started lifting a year ago. I love my shoulders! Conquering my fear of the weight room with Lauren’s help has been the best thing I have done for myself both mentally and physically.” BT
“It’s taken me a long while to understand that I can get the physical results I want without doing hours of cardio. I love to get a good sweat in and when I lift heavier weights, I’m sweating and burning calories instantly. I used to be so afraid of bulking up but when I got heavier weights, look what happened!! Not to mention, when I do some cardio, I’m so much better at it! I can jump higher in kickboxing, crank the resistance up more in spin, and sprint faster. Not to mention what it does for your confidence to be able to lift heavier… carry my own bags, groceries, etc. and just being able to set and crush goals every week/month… I’m glad I figured this out and want to keep going. I’m looking forward to STRENGTH SCHOOL!” Missy
“I love to lift because it give me arms and shoulders that look strong and athletic. I can’t do any impact workouts so I love that I can lift and get muscle definition.” Barbara
“I started lifting weights two years into my “journey”. I’d been exercising inconsistently for a while and I certainly didn’t enjoy it. I saw it as a means to an end — THIN. Then I hired a trainer and the first session he showed up with this pretty pink kettlebell but it was actually 8kg. I’m looking at him like “you want me to do WHAT with that?” I did it, and I carried on doing it until I had doubled the weight in 6 months of training. In those first 6 months I realized that any bias I had about lifting was BS and that in fact lifting weights didn’t just help me lose fat, it changed my FREAKING BODY! It’s been 5 years, and I’ve gone through ebbs and flows of training, as a coach I still get caught in trying to aim for perfection or match my peers but I know my nutrition is always and my workouts are a support of this lifestyle not the crutch. The only cardio I might do is sprints…and this would STILL be combined with weights.” Melanie
“I love lifting weights because of how it makes my body feel. I was having major shoulder pain from working a 9-5 at a desk, Monday through Friday and when I started targeting my strength training towards the areas that were in pain I was able to heal the areas that were bothering me! Plus heavy squats make my butt look a-mazing!” Elena
“For any woman any age thinking of lifting weights I have advice for you. Four years ago I entered the weight room and life has never been the same. My overall confidence has increased greatly. I love lifting and look forward to it. After the first few times going, I paid no attention to anyone around me because I had work to do. I gained muscle due to doing something I love to do. I’ve met like-minded women and frequently lift with a friend that I made at the gym. So, if you are interested in lifting please go for it!!” Mary
“I think a big part of lifting for me, especially lifting heavy is the confidence that has come with it! When I load weights onto a barbell or grab a heavy dumbbell, I often think to myself, “Damn, I’m a badass!” It’s also translated to channeling that confidence/feeling of badass-ness (new word) in other aspects of my life – nutrition, work, etc.” Serrie
“I started strength training with Lauren about three years ago and I fell in love with it. The biggest hurdle, after I learned the right techniques, was getting the confidence to actually go and lift on my own. The weight room can be an intimidating place for a newbie–lots of equipment and strong people who know what they’re doing, or at least seem to. But I found out it’s also an incredibly supportive place. The first time you get that impressed nod from across the room you start to feel like a “real” weightlifter, and it’s such a cool feeling! Ultimately, I found an amazing community–online and in real life. I’ve made good friends in lifting classes and groups, and met some cool weight room regulars. On the physical side, being strong is beautiful and cool. Once I got started, I began to see the kinds of physique changes I had been chasing on the treadmill (such a perfect metaphor)! Feeling strong gives me more confidence to try new things and push myself further. This year I had my first mini powerlifting competition, which was so much fun! I’ve got new goals all the time and now I can’t stay out of the gym. Try it, get addicted, get strong, have fun!” Nicki
“At the moment one of the things I’m most thankful for is the fact that I can lift my 80 lb dog without issue because he hasn’t been feeling very well.” Amy
“After my first marathon in October 2016, I could barely walk afterwards and developed a bad bout of tendonitis in my knee. When that got better, I continued to have injuries pop up and was told by a sports medicine physician that I needed to do some more strength training. I started going to Lauren’s High Intensity Interval Training Class once or twice a week. Not only was it a lot of fun, but my doctor noticed at appointments that my muscles were no longer so tight. I started to make strength training a regular part of my training. After my second marathon in May 2017, I was walking around the next day with no pain. I also ran a better time, and just found out that I secured a place in the 2018 Boston Marathon. A lot of people say runner’s are weak, and strength training has helped me prove that stereotype wrong. I credit Lauren with helping me become not only a better runner, but a better overall athlete.” Kate
“Strength training has made a huge difference in my life. Since starting to strength train, my posture has improved, I can run faster, my knees don’t hurt, I can open heavy fire doors easier, etc. I had been interested in learning but never knew how to start, and was nervous I wasn’t doing strength training “correctly.” I overcame my fear by signing up for a specific women’s strength program offered by Lauren that taught me correct form for basic movements and gave me a specific plan to follow. That plan and education gave me the confidence that what I was doing in the weight room was productive and safe. This also let me realize that everyone in the weight room is just working to improve themselves and not judging new beginners.” Lesley
“I was always intimidated to use the weight room, and stuck with body weight circuits and tabatas while in the gym. As time went on, I was wanting more. I was tired of doing the same type of exercises and felt like my body could handle something different. That’s when I found Lauren- I started working with her 4 years ago and from the beginning, she showed me how to be a confident, strong woman in the weight room. I feel mentally and physically stronger and have surprised myself with what I can do not only in the weight room, but also outside of the weight room. It is really not as scary as you think!” Nicole
So, what do you think? Are you ready to bring your fitness, mind and body to the next level? I hope that after reading those amazing stories that you are! If you don’t know where to start, STRENGTH SCHOOL is the perfect place! HERE Don’t forget to grab your spot before you click out of this page!