York College’s ‘Ladies Who Lift’ course empowers women in the gym

Apprehension and a few giggles at what they were going to achieve over that two-month period has been replaced by a new-found confidence due to the welcoming and supportive environment created for women of all fitness levels and abilities by York College tutor and Personal Trainer Lucy Rutter.

For many women, stepping into a gym, especially the weights section, can feel intimidating. 

Other people’s expectations, lack of experience, and concerns about technique or injury often act as barriers to participation. 

Ladies Who Lift seeks to break down these obstacles by offering a structured, training space where participants can learn skills, build strength and support one another without fear of judgment.

The popularity of the course speaks volumes about the demand for such spaces; it was fully booked in no time, reflecting the enthusiasm of women eager to explore the benefits of strength training. 

With a focus on education, technique and confidence-building, Lucy has launched more than just a fitness class, she has created a community where women uplift one another both physically and emotionally.

One such participant, York College staff member Eleanor Bennett, shared her journey of overcoming reservations and discovering the importance of strength training, particularly as she navigates the challenges of menopause. 

For Eleanor, and many others, the course has not only improved her physical health but also reshaped her attitudes towards exercise, shifting the focus from aesthetics to overall well-being and personal empowerment.

With a blend of expert guidance and a healthy dose of laughter, Ladies Who Lift is proving that strength training isn’t just for bodybuilders, it’s for every woman looking to feel stronger, healthier and more confident in her own skin.

Eleanor shared with us the importance she sees in strength training for women, particularly for those approaching or going through the menopause, saying:

“Strength training is really important when you reach a certain time in your life for both men and women, but for women in particular if they are menopausal. It’s really important to look after your muscles and your bone health. 

“I’ve never had the opportunity before for someone to guide me through weightlifting and I wouldn’t feel comfortable going into a gym not knowing what I was doing and risking injuring myself. I’ve been to a gym before, sat at a machine, used the lowest weights possible, gone through the motions, not really had any idea what I was doing and tried to run away as quickly as possible! I’ve never trained successfully or with any structure or meaning behind it.”

Eleanor added that she feels Lucy’s class has really highlighted to her that weightlifting can be fully inclusive and that she thrives in a setting where morale levels among the all-female group are so high. 

“I’ve felt a real sense of community attending Lucy’s classes and there’s always so much support,” she pointed out. “You feel like you’ve got someone watching you and helping you and it’s given me the confidence to now go to the gym by myself. 

“I’ve started coming to the gym after work and it’s been a healthier way of releasing things. It’s helped me to manage the way that I feel.

“The classes are incredibly supportive, it’s not competitive at all. We’re all starting at different points and there’s no judgement. 

“There’s certainly no issue that different people are lifting different weights. You can be the most unfit person, or you could be someone who’s already got experience who’s looking to improve. 

“It doesn’t matter, we’re all there to support each other and cheer each other on. If you walked past, you’d hear a lot of laughter and giggling.

“Nobody takes themselves too seriously. That’s what I think has been really good, it’s been a place to chat and make friends as well as get fitter.”

Eleanor spoke with us about the progress she has made in just eight weeks, not only with her physical health, but also with her commitment to allowing time for herself within the busy schedule of being a full-time working mum.

“It’s been important for me to prioritise my health,” she reasoned. “When you’re working full time it’s hard to make sure that you take some time for yourself, especially as a parent. Looking after yourself can be something that goes on the back burner.

“It’s been good to carve out some time to not only do the course, but add some additional nights to work out too. In general, it’s helped me to focus on looking after myself.

“I think with exercise there’s lots of stuff around women needing to exercise as a punishment for what they eat or it’s about needing to look a certain way. When you flip that on its head and you’re doing it for you and you alone, it’s very joyous and the endorphin rush is really good.

“A couple of people have commented that I’m looking slightly slimmer which is very nice but it’s not just about aesthetics, it’s about the way that I feel. I’m still out of breath when I walk to the third floor, but not quite as much as I was eight weeks ago!”

The supportive atmosphere Lucy has created for the ladies has allowed the participants to work on their own goals in an environment where they feel they can share what they would like to take away from the sessions, with Eleanor adding:

“What’s really good is that Lucy understands our own individual goals and why we’ve come along. Her knowing our back stories really helps and she tailors what we need to learn to work towards our goals.

“You wouldn’t normally get that unless you could afford to have a personal trainer, but that’s not something that’s accessible to lots of people. So, actually being able to come along and gain experience, has made my confidence grow.”

Considering her own achievements and the boost in confidence she has seen from attending the weightlifting classes, Eleanor had this to say to others interested in attending:

“I think there are a lot of misconceptions about weightlifting. People can sometimes think that it will make you look like a body builder, but that’s not what it’s about at all. 

“It makes you feel incredibly strong and that feeling is very empowering. Being able to set yourself targets and achieve things is a really nice, quick measurable way of feeling confident.

“I 100% would absolutely recommend the class to others and I already have!”

Lucy spoke to us about her passion for supporting women in the gym environment and how she felt she needed to address the barriers facing women when it comes to fitness.

“For me, as a Personal Trainer, my area of interest is working with women to help them gain the confidence they need to go into a gym and use weights,” she said. “I noticed that I was doing lots of gym inductions for female staff members and then I never really saw them going to the gym after that. I thought we needed to start something to build up a bit of confidence.”

On the importance of strength training for women, Lucy explained:

“Strength training has a lot of benefits for our daily activities but, in particular, for women who are approaching menopause or going through menopause. We know that strength training can really help. 

“It can help boost our mood for example and make us feel better. It can also help to reduce things like osteoporosis, which is something you’re a lot more at risk of after menopause. It’s not just about mental health but the physical aspect of it as well.”

It's clear to see that the success of the class derives from Lucy’s ability to make it a welcoming space for the ladies in attendance. 

Each person has walked into the classes feeling supported and encouraged, regardless of where they are in their fitness journeys and, outlining the content of the sessions, Lucy explained:

“Everybody in the class has come with a different level of ability. Some maybe go to the gym but don’t have that confidence to go to the weights area and, in particular, where the barbells are. 

“Some come with no experience at all. The idea is to spend a few weeks building up their confidence and going through different types of techniques with regards to using dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells. 

“I’ve then been showing them how to make their own gym programmes that they can follow. The classes give them the knowledge so that they can hopefully, by the end of it, go to the gym and put everything into practice.

“I also see it as a bit of a community as well. Some people already knew each other when they came here, some didn’t. 

“It’s quite nice to see the friendships that have been built and that social aspect of the classes. We’ve got a rule in here, nobody feels daft and nobody is forced to do anything they don’t feel comfortable with. 

“The classes often start with me doing a demonstration. I then set them off with a really light weight so we can work on technique. 

“Because it’s a small group of ladies, there’s no embarrassment or anything like that. Once their technique is correct, and they feel confident, we start to add on a bit more weight. 

“We start off small, work on the techniques and then go from there. I hope my enthusiasm has passed on to them!”

Tremendous progress has been made during the eight-week programme. 

Reflecting on what the group have achieved since they initially walked through the doors, Lucy shared:

“At the start of the course, when I explained we’d be learning how to deadlift, bench-press, use barbells and incorporate squats, I saw some looks of fear and heard some giggles! They looked like they thought they’d never be able to do that. Now, everyone has had a go at all of those things. It’s also been great to see that a few people have come into the gym independently or gone to their own gym. I feel really proud of them.”

Lucy’s message to those who may have a fear of taking those first steps into a gym would be:

“I would say give it a go. It’s not as scary as you might think. 

“I know sometimes it can feel a bit intimidating because you’ve got a lot of people in gyms who look like they know what they’re doing but, at one point, they didn’t know what they were doing either!”