Strength Training: A Personal Journey to Resilience

Thirteen years ago, I found myself at a crossroads. A mysterious illness, combined with high stress and unresolved trauma, left me burnt out and 30 kilograms heavier at the age of 32. Despite the chaos in my life, one thing remained constant—lifting weights. Having started at 16, it now became more than a physical activity. It was my lifeline, gradually restoring not just my body but also my mental resilience.

This transformation was profound. It sparked a desire to align my career with my values and experiences, leading me to become a personal trainer and systemic coach.  Now, I help others harness the transformative power of training to enhance their quality of life, just as it did for me.

Training with weights often gets labeled as a way to lose weight or build muscle, and while those are valid goals, its impact goes much deeper. As I learned during my journey, the benefits are holistic, touching on every aspect of well-being. Let me take you through some of the most compelling reasons why this approach is so powerful, supported by real-life stories and cutting-edge research.

Take Oliver, one of my clients. At 55, he lived with chronic back pain and had never touched weights before. With consistent training, everything changed. Almost six years later, Oliver can lift up to 85 kilograms in a Romanian deadlift and hasn’t experienced serious back pain since. Now 60, his overall health and mental well-being are the best they’ve been in decades. His story reflects what research consistently shows: strength training can alleviate muscular and joint pain. A 2022 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Resistance Training on Quality of Life confirmed these findings.

The mental health benefits are just as transformative. Studies, such as a 2018 meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry, show that regular resistance training can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, sometimes matching the effectiveness of aerobic exercise. Fedor, another client, is a good example. He came to me struggling with crippling depression and anxiety, which had led to a 30-kilogram weight gain. Within three months of starting his sessions, he stopped his antidepressant use, and two years later, with his doctor’s guidance, he discontinued his anti-anxiety medication entirely. The strength he gained also translated into mental resilience, proving that this approach is as much about the mind as it is about the body.

Weighlifting isn’t just for young people, though. On the contrary, it plays a vital role in maintaining independence and cognitive health as we age. For example, it combats sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle, as shown in a 2021 study in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. It improves balance and reduces fall risk, as highlighted by a 2022 study in Frontiers in Physiology. It even supports cognitive health, lowering the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a 2023 study in Frontiers.

Despite its benefits, many people feel intimidated by strength training. Beginners often fear they’ll look incompetent or feel overwhelmed by the complexity of exercises like deadlifts or squats. That’s where my role comes in. I design training plans that are simple, effective, and tailored to each client. By focusing on foundational exercises and gradual progression, I help clients build confidence and see measurable results. I use a professional personal training app that allows clients to track their progress, view instructional videos, and celebrate milestones. This structure keeps them motivated without feeling overwhelmed. Beyond the physical, I use systemic coaching to help clients transfer success stories from other areas of their lives—be it their career, family, or personal challenges—into their fitness journey. It’s about showing them they’re capable of more than they ever thought possible.

Strength training is so much more than lifting weights. It’s a journey that transforms pain into strength, angst into confidence and stagnation into growth. Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, mental health struggles, or the challenges of aging, strength training offers a path to a stronger, healthier, and more resilient you.