HENCH

Like many, Simon first came across us on his daily commute. Through a bus window, the rows of power racks conjured images of a different place, and a different crowd, from what he later learned actually goes on inside.

Admittedly, the name probably didn’t help either. But thankfully, a lot of his friends were already training with us, and suggested he come along.

He did the hard part before ever walking in: having a good think about his reasons for building lifting into his lifestyle, doing his research on the benefits, as well as the considerations for an old injury. So, having never lifted a weight in his life, he booked a place on the intro programme and committed to giving it a go.

And three years on, with the coaching team in his corner every step of the way, he hasn’t looked back - discovering a third place he enjoys training in alongside his wife Katrina, as part of a community of like-minded members on the same path.

Check out his advice for anyone in the position he was three years ago - and the unexpected benefits he’s found along the way 🏗️

Before she started with us, Katrina was already putting in the work at the gym on the treadmill, clocking up the miles, ticking the box.

Like a lot of people, she'd never even considered the weights section, and was naturally a bit wary about taking the leap.

That changed after seeing the progress her husband Simon was making at HENCH, having joined a few months earlier. So she figured she'd give it a go.

The leap paid off. And two and a half years on having made the right call, then following through to build consistency she can now, officially, do bench, do squat, and a whole lot more.

Watch how Katrina’s outlook on training changed, how it feels to walk around stronger, with more energy, and her advice to anyone still side-eyeing the weights section.

With a background as an athlete, Jonathan was no stranger to strength training when he started with us last year.

Having originally gone to the gym solely to improve his game as a basketball player, he eventually fell in love with lifting.

But with the demands of running a company now, and everything that goes with it, he was naturally wary that adding strength coaching into the mix might be a bridge too far for his schedule.

By locking in his slots while staying flexible on exactly when he trained, that commitment has paid off massively.

Check out how Jonathan found that balance, the impact it’s had since, and his advice to anyone getting started for the first time.

Like a lot of people, Lauren was very much on the fence when initially weighing up whether integrating strength into her existing training routine and goals would be the right decision.

So, she decided to give it a month, see how it goes, and take it from there.

But as a passionate runner with marathons and half-marathons already under her belt, she needed a bit more than a generic plan.

She needed personalised coaching and programming that adapted to the changing demands of her sport, racing schedule, and life.

Now, 12 months later, the consistency has paid off. By working closely with the coaching team, she’s not only hitting all-time running PBs, she’s also taking on new fitness challenges, and feeling the impact of being stronger, fitter, and more capable in everyday life.

Paddy joined us in October with the aim of upping his game - both on the pitch and in life.

His goal was to rebuild after a challenging year and become the strongest, fittest version of himself to date, both physically and mentally.

Despite over a decade of gym experience already under his belt, he’s now blown past those original targets and entered new territory, making measurable progress every single week.

Bringing a growth mindset from the get-go, Paddy earned these results by treating his coaching sessions as non-negotiables, working closely with the coaching team, and committing to a personalised training programme that continues to evolve with him.

Rachel was 17 when she first came to HENCH, back when we were at College Street. Coach Damien gave her a few tips to get her on her strength journey, and she told us she’d be back in a few years when working with us properly was realistic.

True to her word, six years later Rachel started at HENCH. With a few extra reasons to get going that come with a career, and 18 months later she’s moving and feeling better than ever — having discovered a new relationship with exercise through her own hard work, with the coaching team in her corner.

Luke joined us almost a month to the day before shutting up shop for COVID.

The plan was to learn to train properly. To get the right programme, with the right support, to take on the challenge of building strength training into his lifestyle in order look and feel his best.

Unfortunate timing aside, he stayed the course and now years later is cruising along as OG with us - having worked with his coaches to overcome old sporting injuries and the increasing demands of a career as a professional - to integrate lifting into his lifestyle as as a thoroughly enjoyable part of it.