Why I Started Strength Unfiltered

I almost didn't start this blog because I wasn't sure if my experiences were worth sharing. But I keep thinking about how I felt when I first walked into the gym - out of place, unsure, and like I didn't quite belong.

I've always felt a bit disconnected in mainstream gyms. I never fit the "skinny girl" image that seemed to be everywhere, and for a long time, that really got to me. It made me question whether I was doing things right, or even if I should be there at all. But over time, I started to realise something important: we don't all have to look the same to belong in the gym. Strength doesn't have one image - and it definitely doesn't have one path. I think if I'd read something like this when I was starting out, it would have made the whole experience feel a lot less intimidating. Especially stepping into something as male-dominated as strength training.

I didn't start out in Strongwoman. Like a lot of people I started in a mainstream gym, going along with a family member and doing what I thought I was supposed to do. For me, that meant cardio and machines, because in my head, that's what women did in the gym. We didn't lift heavy, and we definitely didn't train like the men. For a while I stayed in that lane. it felt safe, even if it didn't feel like me.

I actually discovered Strongwoman in a completely different way - watching Worlds Strongest Man at Christmas every year. It had become a bit of a tradition in our household, and at some point I remember wondering if there was a womans version. Once I found it, that was it - I fell in love with the sport almost immediately. But what really made me stay wasn't just the events or the training - it was the people.

For the first time, I felt like I was part of something. The Strongman/Strongwoman community is genuinely one of the most welcoming and supportive spaces I've experienced. Even when you're lifting lighter weights, or you're new to the sport, people you've only met once or twice are suddenly you're biggest cheerleaders. That kind of support is hard to find, and it completely changed how I saw training.

But as much as I found something I loved, I also started to see a new side of the gym.

When I began lifting heavier, I felt like I didn't quite fit anywhere. I was too "different" from what people expected. I felt judged by both sides: by women because I wasn't in the gym to look pretty and get thinner, and by the men because I was stepping in to what felt like 'their world'. It put me in my own head more than I'd like to admit. I started overthinking everything - how I looked, what I was lifting, whether I should even be there. And I don't think people talk about that enough. The mental side of the gym can be just as challenging as the physical side.

But over time, I've realised something that would have saved me a lot of stress in the beginning: most people aren't paying attention to you in the way you think they are. And when you find the right environment, people really don't care what you're doing - they just respect that you're showing up. I've also learned that there is no such thing as a perfect session. Some days feel strong, others don't. Some days you hit a lift, and some days you don't. And that's all part of it.

I wish someone had told me earlier that its okay to fail - and that failing in front of people isn't something to be embarrassed about. I remember being genuinely scared to increase the weight, not because I couldn't lift it, but because I was afraid of failing in front of others. Looking back now, that fear held me back more than the weight ever did. And that's why I am starting this blog.

I want this to be a safe space for people who are just starting out, and for those who have been going for a while but maybe still struggle with the mental side of it all. Because that part doesn't just disappear. I want people to feel safe here. To feel understood. To know that if they've ever felt out of place, judged, or unsure - they're not the only one.

This isn't a blog about perfect routines or constant motivation. It's about real experiences - the good, the bad, and everything in between. Because at the end of the day, strength isn't just about what you lift. It's about showing up, learning as you go, and realising that none of us have it completely figured out.

This is a work in progress, and I'm just getting started.