The world of weightlifting with Katie Mancer

Habit Health personal trainer Katie Mancer lives and breathes fitness. Whether she’s personal training at Habit or powerlifting competitively - she always gives it her all. With a recent win under her belt (and two wins for her clients too!) we had to get Katie to share more about these two important parts of her life.

Why did you start powerlifting?
I started powerlifting to confront and conquer the obstacles that came up during a challenging period in my life to allow me to regain a sense of strength and resilience. It also helped me with rebuilding muscle, building confidence and becoming more of myself after having lost 70kgs.  

What do you appreciate most about powerlifting?
It’s definitely the inclusive and supportive nature of the community, along with the empowering feeling of strength I get from it.

As a trainer what areas do you specialise in?
I specialise in a few areas that I’m passionate about:

• Menopause and training around the menstrual cycle, including hormonal disorders like PCOS and endometriosis  
• Body recomposition or fat loss and muscle gain
• Athletic performance and sport-specific training including cardiovascular conditioning, powerlifting, and biomechanical performance analysis
• Pre-habilitation or injury prevention. 

Tell us more about your recent competition
A few months back I travelled to the Hawkes Bay with two of my clients to compete in the Central Districts Regional Powerlifting Championships. It was an awesome experience, where we each won  gold medals in our respective categories  It was great to see my clients’ hard work and dedication pay off. They also claimed the titles of Best Overall Male and Bench Overall Female Bench Press.

It's always inspiring to see athletes achieving their goals and pushing themselves to new heights. As a coach, it is incredibly rewarding to see your clients excel. It's not often that an athlete wins a gold medal, let alone two clients winning gold medals as well. I’m so proud of them for their hard work. 

Why would you recommend powerlifting or weightlifting? 
Powerlifting and weightlifting are both forms of strength training that have a wide range of benefits for individuals of all ages and fitness levels. It has so many benefits, including increased strength, muscle mass, and improved bone health, metabolic health, cardiovascular health and mental health. 

Powerlifting and weightlifting can also help people feel more empowered and confident. I find that setting and achieving new goals, and also seeing the results is life changing.

Any tips for beginners?

1. Start with the basics: Before you start lifting heavy weights, make sure you have mastered the basic movements, such as the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Focus on getting the form right before you start adding weight.
2. Use proper technique: Correct form is essential for lifting safely and effectively. Make sure you understand the proper technique for each lift and don't be afraid to ask for help from a trainer or experienced lifter if you're unsure.
3. Warm up properly: Before you start lifting, warm up your muscles and joints with some light cardio and dynamic stretching. This will help prevent injury and improve your performance.
4. Progress gradually: Don't try to lift heavy weights right away. Start with lighter weights and gradually increase the weight over time as you get stronger.
5. Rest and recover: Weightlifting places a lot of stress on your muscles, so it's important to give them time to rest and recover. Make sure you take at least one or two rest days per week and get plenty of sleep and proper nutrition.
6. Consider hiring a personal trainer: If you're new to weightlifting or want to improve your technique, consider hiring a personal trainer. They can help you design a workout program that's tailored to your goals and abilities and provide you with feedback on your form and technique.

Weightlifting can be an incredibly rewarding and effective way to build strength and muscle mass, and maintain bone density but it's important to approach it safely and gradually. By following these tips and seeking out the guidance of experienced lifters and trainers, you can achieve your fitness goals and avoid injury. We look forward to seeing more members of the fitness club take up weightlifting and achieve their own personal bests!

How can you book in with Katie?
Katie is available for personal training, click the button below to book or click here to enquire.

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