1) Who is Holly Knowles? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I am a 21 year old 3rd year student studying strength and conditioning in york - however I’m Welsh born and bred and wales will forever be home to me. I’m currently writing my dissertation on the optimal time to intake caffeine prior to resistance training - pretty excited to be able to research around my sport!
I’ve recently been chosen to represent wales in Weightlifting at the commonwealth games in Australia after only having been competitive in the sport for the past 3 years after a background in athletics.
2) How many years have you been training?
So I have always been active and bounced from athletics (triple and log jump, 100m spring and high jump) to dancing, netball and now weightlifting. I’ve tried my hand at Crossfit but honestly... I’m rubbish (haha! I haven’t got the patience.) I’ve been in the sport of Olympic weightlifting for 3 years with no other strength background at all! I was one of the tallest and skinniest of all my friends when I started Weightlifting (5ft8 and 57kg). Honestly looking back I wonder how anyone believed I could achieve anything in this sport. I wasn’t graceful or strong - I was gangly like bambi on ice - and jumped a mile every time I cleaned or snatched! It’s genuinely made me realise that if you enjoy doing something and want to achieve great things you just have to persevere surround yourself with great people and work your ass off!
3) Whats been the most challenging/hardest part of your journey so far? and how have you overcome them (set backs, rejections, injuries, basically anything difficult that you have had to overcome)
I’d probably say being at university and so far away from my coach has been really difficult - especially when I just started in the sport. Olympic lifting is technical and without someone to point out flaws it’s hard to improve - unless you’re just brutally strong (which I wasn’t haha!)
On another hand because of the sport I’m in you tend to put on muscle mass (i would definitely say for the best in my case)
However having been signed to a modelling agency and having been turned down because my legs were to ‘big’ was quite frustrating especially when it was sports Brands - I’m a real athlete and I train hard, I don’t necessarily train to look this way but it doesn’t mean I’m any less proud of what I look like.
I can’t say I would loose weight to become a model - it’s just an added bonus (not the make of break by any means). At the end of the day I love Weightlifting, and the way I look comes with it. I’m healthy doing it and I genuinely think health and happiness comes before anything or anyone else.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?
I train on average 4/5 times a week (trying to fit it around university work can be tricky especially around exam period, but it still gets done!) each training session varies in duration (2/3hours). My favourite training sessions are with groups of people - surrounding yourself with likeminded people can quite literally turn your session around.
My diet.. it’s been here there and everywhere since starting Weightlifting. I started lifting as a 58kg lifter, a year after I then joined the 63kg category and up until recently was aiming to compete at the welsh seniors as a 69kg. However I was chosen to go to Austrailia as a 63kg and therefore needed to cut.
I personally find it hard to gain weight and need to constantly have a goal so I track macros to gain and cut weight. I don’t strictly eat ‘clean’ if I fancy a slice of cake and it fits my macros I’ll have one (life’s to short!!)
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?
To listen to my body! Only I am able to tell when I’ve overdone it. I know when to push through and when to stop pushing - it’s important to know your limits, it’s not worth risking injury.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
I don’t really have a specific cheat meal, but I do have a really sweet tooth - anything with sugar I’m there!
7) one supplement that you could not live without?
I don’t take supplements I’d rather get all my nutrients from what I eat. I do sometimes have a grenade bar, literally once in a blue moon.
8) If you had to start out from scratch with your physique what would you do differently and why?
Honestly if I could change myself I would be bigger (muscular). I think arms are too small in comparison to my legs but it’s something I work to change! Everyone has insecurities and we should most definitely embrace them.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
JESSICA ENNIS I know she doesn’t compete in Olympic weightlifting but she’s who I looked up to when I was a lot younger and still do to this day! She’s overcome a lot (child birth, injury) and come back to knock everyone’s socks off!
Lydia Valentin is someone who I more recently have started to appreciate and aspire to be like, she’s so humble and he work ethic is insane! I also believe that you should look up to yourself - you should be able to intrinsically motivate yourself, you’re so much more likely to stick at something if you can encourage yourself.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Just go for it! Seriously - even if you don’t want to compete it’s so much fun and benefits you in so many ways: daily life, health, confidence and patience the list goes on. It genuinely becomes addictive
11) What new goals are on the horizon?
The goals are endless - first and main one (for now) is to lift my best at the commonwealth games and enjoy the experience! I have numbers in mind that I want to hit - however as it is my first major competition - I want to take it all in, work hard and make everyone proud.
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
Instagram - hollyelizabethknowles
Facebook - Holly Elizabeth Knowles
