To mark International Women’s Day here at ION Strength and Conditioning, we are celebrating some of our strong and inspirational ION ladies who work hard both inside and outside of the gym.
There are many misconceptions around women and training not least the myth that strength and weight training will make you bulky and masculine. Most gyms can also be quite intimidating places, especially for women. Here at ION we ensure that our female members feel comfortable from day one with a range of beginners classes and female-only assault and CrossFit classes on our timetable – find out more about our ladies only classes here.
Our experienced and knowledgeable coaches will make sure that there are always options to scale movements and workouts so that all our members are catered for when starting out. In addition to this, our ION Community is one of the most welcoming environments to train in and many of our female members have found lifelong friends through the gym – there is nothing better than a sweaty partner WOD to build a lasting friendship!
We interviewed a few of our female members about their training and their time here at ION, here is what they said…
Amy Slocombe
Age: 33
Occupation: Purchasing and Logistics Manager
No. of years at ION: 4 Years
Typical training week:
Conditioning – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.
Crossfit – Thursday, Friday and Team WOD on a Saturday.
Favourite workout: DT
Favourite lift: Snatch
What do you like most about Training at ION?
The friendly atmosphere. Always someone there to make you smile 😊. I have been training at Ion for the last four years and have made some of the best friends during this time. There is always a friendly atmosphere at the gym and the coaching is some of the best I have come across. Training at Ion has helped my confidence grow in training and in everyday life. With a stressful job, it takes my mind off everyday stresses and enables me to focus on achieving my goals.
My daughter who is now 11 has seen me training for a number of years and when she was 9 she grew very interested in weightlifting. She is now competing in every weightlifting competition she can. This has grown her confidence massively, she is now a strong self-assured girl who believes in working hard to achieve her goals.
Ion has made a big impact on me and my family.
Sam Heighway
Age: 46
Occupation: Business Coach, Wife to Lee & Mum to Jess, Molly & Freddie
No. of years at ION: 6
Typical training week
3 x Powerlifting sessions &
3 x Conditioning or CrossFit sessions
Favourite workout
Loving all the conditioning classes at the moment!
Favourite lift
Back squat
What do you like most about Training at ION
When I walked into ION 6 years ago, I didn’t realise how much it was going to become such a big part of my life.
I was doing a fair amount of running at the time but I wanted to learn how lifting and building strength could support my training. Like trying anything new for the first time, it all felt a bit scary but I was made to feel welcome instantly and I’ve never looked back. Initially, it was like learning a new language and I remember only being able to lift very little but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because the people I was training with were becoming my friends and the coaches were focusing on technique, not how much I lifted.
The lifting paid off. I completed the London Marathon in 2015 without injury and then a short while later I did a couple of CrossFit competitions something I never would have thought I’d do! By then, I’d got the bug for lifting and I started Powerlifting in 2016.
With all the various challenges that life has thrown at me, ION has been the constant; it gives me the space to forget about everything else going on and to focus on training in a supportive, non-judgemental environment. The community spirit in the gym is incredible and I have new friendships that I cherish.
I’m not a great one for meditation but training at ION is the next best thing for me – it’s my version of mindfulness and for that I am truly grateful. I know that I am stronger for it, in more ways than one.
Katie Townley
Age: 29
Occupation: Senior Sustainability Consultant
No. of years at ION: 2 years
Typical training week
I usually attend 6 classes a week at ION, a mixture of conditioning workouts and WODs. The past 3 months I have also focused on weightlifting 2-3 times a week to build strength and increase performance during heavier barbell WODs.
Favourite workout:
Crossfit WOD called DT; 5 rounds of 12 deadlifts, 9 hang power cleans and 6 push jerks AND the Saturday morning Team WODs!
Favourite lift: Front squats
What do you like most about Training at ION?
The friendly and helpful environment and the challenges associated with learning new things and pushing you out of your comfort zone to progress and develop both physically and mentally.
What are your favourite workouts? What do you like most about training at ION? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter! Let’s celebrate ION’s Girl Power together! Happy International Women’s Day!