1) Who is Hannah Powell? (where are you from, what do you do, a bit about yourself (hobbies, etc)
I'm originally from Birmingham in the United Kingdom, but I now live in and compete for Wales. I train at HAWFC and my coach for the past 4.5 years has been Ray Williams. I have been lifting since I was 11, I graduated last year with a Sport Science degree and I now work as a Business Support Officer for Weightlifting Wales. I actually don't have any real hobbies as I spend most of my time either working, training or resting- but I live in a beautiful place so I also try and get outdoors at the weekend when there's a rare sunny day in Wales!
2) How many years have you been training?
I have been training for 13 years. I trained full time for about 18 months when I was 18, then reduced my training to combine it with working and studying again.
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've had a few set backs and injuries in my years of lifting. The most significant has got to be my elbow dislocation last year; as well as the dislocation there was some really serious damage to the joint and it was a potentially career ending injury. I had to have surgery to have any chance to return to Weightlifting. The timing also made it difficult to accept because it happened just 9 months before the Commonwealth Games so at that point I was facing missing my second Commonwealth Games due to injury. My priority was to get my arm working again with the aim to be able to lift again safely one day, it wasn't really until November that I started to realise I could possibly still make it to the Commonwealth Games. Although those 9 months were painful, sometimes disheartening and frustrating, I learnt a lot about myself and what I was capable of achieving, and also how much I appreciated all the help and support around me. Making the Games was amazing and it really hit me once I'd finished my final attempt. I have so much respect for others who have returned from major injuries because now I really know what it takes to do that, and it's inspiring to see those lifters come back to be better than ever. The key things for me were to stay positive and celebrate the small improvements, and also believe that there was light at the end of the tunnel.
4) What does your typical workout/diet routine look like?
I usually train 5 days a week for 2.5-3hrs. I train mostly in the evenings after work, I also recently started going to Pilates once a week. I'm always trying to put weight on or keep my weight up which has been a challenge for me for my whole lifting career! When I'm in full training I eat 6 meals a day easily, plus a shake after training usually with creatine. I have never had to cut weight!
5) What new knowledge have you learned over this past year regarding training, lifestyle and nutrition?
I have learned not to ignore flaws that can lead to major injuries! I have some issues that need working on technically as well as my strength, and that is now my priority. In terms of lifestyle... I have learnt about the importance of having balance. I finished my degree last year and got a 'proper job' - being organised and managing time is really important in order to get the most out of your day!
6) Whats your favourite cheat/Treat meal?
I'm a real chocoholic! And I love to eat out. I never cut weight so I don't have cheat meals really- I generally eat with performance in mind when I'm training. I actually enjoy not having to force myself to eat more than I want to when I'm being more relaxed!
7) Whats one supplement that you could not live without?
I don't take many supplements, but I take multi-vitamins and particularly Vitamin D. When in training I do use creatine as I find it helps me keep my weight up.
8) If you had to start your Journey from scratch with your health & physique what would you do differently and why?
I would spend much more time on building up my all round strength whilst building a solid technical foundation, because I would have suffered less injuries and maybe reached my potential sooner. I would also totally change the mindset I used to have, and remember that I lift because I love it!
9) Who do you look upto in the fitness industry and why?
I look up to a number of other lifters, particularly those who have worked really hard and overcome adversity to be successful. Gareth Evans is someone I admire as an athlete (as well as my partner!) because I know what he has worked through to achieve what he did in the Gold Coast and what that meant to him- 20 years of commitment alongside working and being a father... to becoming a Commonwealth Champion, he is an example of what you can do when you really want something so much and you're willing to put aside excuses and just work hard.
10) If you had to give one bit of advice to people starting out what would that be?
I would advise newcomers to enjoy the journey and the process, set goals that are realistic and work on your weaknesses- don't ignore them. Celebrate the good sessions and competitions! Try to find a balance between your life and Weightlifting, and accept your limitations - you can't train like a full time athlete if you're working 30+ hours a week, but that doesn't mean you can't still reach your potential, you just need to prioritise what you do in training to maximise the time you have.
11) What new goals do you have on the horizon?
For the rest of this year my aims are to get stronger and heavier and fully recover from last year's injury. Then in 2019 we can start thinking about performance in competition again! I am really excited about competing when fit, the 48kg category in the UK has been hotting up over the last year and there's nothing better than competition to bring the best out of everyone's lifting!
12) Where can people find you? (website, social media accounts)
IG @hannahpowell48
Twitter @hannahpowell92
