1) Who is Sarah Davies? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I am originally from Preston, Lancashire but I am now living in Leeds, West Yorkshire. I am a weightlifter for Great Britain and I co own a coaching company - Wisdom 4 Weightlifting, with Jack Oliver. We set up the company so that we can work for ourselves and work flexible hours in order to train as full time as possible as we do not receive any funding to train full time. These days I consider weightlifting to be my job and therefore I had to find a hobby away from this. My hobby is a little different to weightlifting. I actually also compete in pageants. I do this to put myself out there to show women that lifting weights doesn’t make you look manly.
2) How many years have you been training?
I have been lifting since September 2011.
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 think my biggest challenge was when I started lifting I really wanted to succeed but was told I was not good enough to be put through the talent programme. This just made me push harder to prove to those selecting the athletes for the talent programme that they were wrong.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?
My diet is nothing ground breaking, just good healthy food in large quantities to fuel my training. My training is 2 sessions a day. The morning session is technical work with exercises such as muscle snatch and snatch balance, with my afternoon session having more full lifting and strength based work.
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?
I think the biggest thing I have learnt is to prioritise competitions. I am pushing my body to the maximum and lifting almost double body weight above my head when I compete. Therefore it’s important that I do not do this too often as it can really take a strain on my body. And sometimes you also have to remember that rest is as important training.
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
Steak and chips!
7) one supplement that you could not live without?
Vitamin D – we get so little sunshine in England as it is and then I spend all my time in a gym it’s really important to supplement vitamin D to make sure I look after my bone density.
8) If you had to start out from scratch with your physique what would you do differently and why?
I wouldn’t go down a weight class. In 2016 I compete at the lighter weight class losing 7kg to get there and it certainly took it’s toll on my body.
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
I’ve never really been one to have a specific role model, I just aim for qualities I see in many others to try and portray myself. Such as confidence, determination and ambition.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
Find a good coach and trust their knowledge
11) What new goals are on the horizon?
To win a medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
Instagram: @sarahd_gb
Twitter: sarahdavies1908
Website: www.wisdom4weightlifting.co.uk
