By Rebecca Drew
MEET the British mum-to-be who is still in training for her first powerlifting competition despite being 38-weeks pregnant.
Samantha Dane (30) from Newcastle, UK was a crossfit enthusiast until she started powerlifting with her fiancé Lee twelve months ago. After discovering she was pregnant, Samantha stopped crossfit training and focussed only on powerlifting, which promotes skeletal health and builds strength in the legs, back and upper body.
Incredible video footage shows Samantha, who is 38-weeks pregnant in the gym. She tries to train three to five times a week but has now cut down to working out twice a week and credits powerlifting for keeping her pregnancy weight gain at a minimum and relieving her from painful sciatica.
“Like any sport or training, there are always going to be some risks, but they stay the same if you are pregnant or not,” said Samantha.
“I was advised to carry on training as I had done before but to listen to my body and if I felt fatigued or uncomfortable I should stop.
“Actually, training throughout my pregnancy has helped me keep my weight gain to a minimum, even though my bump is huge, and has helped keep me healthy.
“I find when I’m not training and taking time off, my body reacts to this and I get sciatica along with some muscle tightness.”
Samantha works as a restaurant manager and can deadlift an impressive 140-kilograms, squat with 105-kilograms and bench lift 65-kilograms. She hopes to compete in the UK open at the beginning of 2018 and hopes to become a coach to inspire others.
“I’m lucky that I have an amazing support system around when it comes to my training, I train with my partner and very close friends,” she said.
“However, not everyone thinks I should be powerlifting while pregnant, I’ve had negative comments from people who unfortunately just don’t understand how big a part of my life training is and how good it is for me.
“People don’t believe I should be lifting weights and that I am going to harm the baby or make myself go into labour early.
“For me personally, it has helped me stay focussed in the gym on those days when you just want to go home and not do anything.
“I can see where my results are going as I follow a specific programme to get me there.
“It has helped massively with my own self imagine and made me realise strength is beautiful and I don’t need to look like someone else.”
Samantha says that anyone looking to get into powerlifting should do their research before they start.
“The first thing I would say is to find a gym that offers powerlifting classes or research and YouTube everything,” she added.
“There are some amazing channels out there that help break down the movements and show you how lifts should look.
“I had lifted before so knew what I was doing but I am still learning and changing my technique through research and watching others, for me it has taught me so much.”
For more information see www.instagram.com/powerlifting_mammy_to_be
