Athlete Case Studies
“I had a knee operation a few years ago and lost a lot of strength from all of the inactivity that followed.
Initially I was just aiming to get back to the average level of strength I had before, but with Katie’s help I very quickly surpassed that and started to love strength training for its own sake. It wasn’t long before I did my first powerlifting meet, took up boxing, and have since been making steady progress in all of the big lifts – latest PRs are 170/125/220, and I’m expecting to increase them all further and do another meet soon.
Would highly recommend Katie’s coaching to anyone looking to come back from an injury, compete in powerlifting, or just get stronger and enjoy lifting weights!”
— Oli, Competitive Powerlifter (British Powerlifting)
“I started training with Katie in January 2024. My deadlift and bench weights have more than doubled and rising since I started training with her […] she has worked with me to help correct my lifting technique which has helped me increase my strength as well as avoid injuries.
We don’t live near each other […] So we have one session together in person and I follow a structured and tailored programme she gives me that I use when I train at my local gym […]
I did not intend to compete in powerlifting competitions. But over time I decided to give it a go. My strongest lift is bench press so I decided to compete in bench-only events […] My first competition was in February 2025 and Katie created a training programme for me which focussed on building training volume and I increased the number of times I train from 3 to 4 times per week. On competition day, I achieved a personal best and qualified for the national competition at first my attempt. I was very happy with that result! I competed in my second divisional competition in June 2025. I achieved another personal best through Katie’s training programme where I again qualified for the national competition next year […] and I feel I still have a lot more to give.
If you’re looking to get fitter and stronger with your lifts, try Katie. If you want to compete and are looking for good, sensible competition preparation and focus, try Katie. If you want to see your numbers increase, try Katie.”
— Theresa McGouran, National-level M4 bench presser (BDFPA)
“Before I signed up for strength coaching with Katie I was in a lot of pain and collapsing a lot (I have fibromyalgia and suspected functional neurological disorder) and felt weak and frustrated with my body. Katie was approachable and friendly and, although I was scared of damaging my body or ruining my energy levels, I felt I would be okay with her looking after me and supporting me in getting stronger in a controlled environment. After a few months I was collapsing less and getting back up quicker due to my stronger body and now it’s been over a month since I’ve collapsed at all!
I can now also deadlift more than my bodyweight for multiple sets. I could barely do a bodyweight half-squat when I met Katie and now I can squat to powerlifting depth […] Katie is very knowledgeable and has the right balance of respecting my physical and emotional barriers and also knowing when it is safe to encourage me and get me out of my head. I’d recommend her as she gets results and is really friendly.”
— Karen Precious
“Katie’s good at what she does. I’m impressed how she understands the anxiety and mental health side of things, the science behind fitness and removing barriers to enjoying exercise. I was always feeling rubbish from doing too much or too little exercise and the gradual plan means no feeling awful after a workout, I feel clear headed.”
— Denise Burrows
“Katie gave me really useful feedback about my big three lifts. She gave precise comments and explanations making it clear both how I needed to change my body position and timing, and moreover why it was important for me to do so. This was during the pandemic, when access to facilities and coaching were very limited, but Katie’s insightful remarks on the crummy phone videos I sent her became a resource that I kept referring back to. Her advice was all offered with kind words of encouragement, and the whole thing was a very positive experience for me.”
— Harry P.
