Strength Training Awareness Day returns to raise awareness of benefits of strength

By Kate Harding, Strategic Lead for Health Inequalities (GM Moving) | 04 April 2025 | TAGS: Strength Training

Last year, the first ever awareness day for strength training, saw GM Moving team up with University of Salford researcher Dr Ashley Gluchowski to raise the profile of strength training.

This included sharing new guidelines for strength training messaging and new strength-training images on our Resource Hub. You can get involved and share how you’re bringing strength training into your activities, use #STAD2025.

This year, our Strategic Lead for Health, Kate Harding, shares her strength-training journey:

After months of the gym treadmill with no impact, Neil Ashton suggested I try a Les Mills Body Pump class, and it changed my world.

This was the start of my love of strength and Les Mills - even taking me to a filming of a live class in Auckland.

I kept up classes throughout my pregnancy with twins and it meant I was strong enough to cope with a twin pregnancy, two babies and carrying two toddlers when needed.

Life, pregnancies, and lockdowns meant I couldn't always get to an in-person class so I started home strength training with Joe Wicks on YouTube during lockdown, with body weight exercises like squats and lunges to start rebuilding up my strength. As we were at home the kids all joined in!

I invested in some starter weights and started doing online workouts with weights at home. It was always a brilliant way to lower my stress levels – particularly when home schooling two 5-year-olds and looking after a 2-year-old.

In more recent years, I’ve invested in heavier weights to be able to progress and lift heavier loads. I love the feeling of being strong, and role modelling to my kids that women in their 40s can lift heavy weights.

The extra benefits to me have been huge.

I have joint hyper mobility and have never been able to run. Thanks to strength training I’m running further and more often than I’ve ever been able to (and it’s been pain free).

Strength training allowed me to run my first half marathon in 2024.

Last year, through my work at GM Moving, I became aware of Ashley’s strength training research. I completed a survey about my experiences and was asked to be part of a session exploring strength training messaging with other GM residents.

It was great and, off the back of this, took part in a photo shoot at home, alongside my children, so there’s greater availability of strength training imagery available on our Resource Hub (example above).

I’m so happy Strength Training Awareness Day gives us time to raise awareness of the strength training and the many amazing benefits. Happy #STAD2025!

Tickets are now live for the GM Moving Conference. Join us for a day of learning, leading and moving, with inspiring discussions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. Get your tickets now.