STUDIO

My favourite exercise doing squats with a bar (on my shoulders)

I just wanted to be strong enough to do all the things in life that I want to do. Like lifting my grandchildren and being able to do work here in the ceramics area delivering clay. And I have actually been able to deliver 600 kg of clay, moving it 300 kg at a time.

I love body work on the floor. I like feeling how much stronger I’m getting when planking or doing push ups.

Now I love skipping. Everyone jokes about how much I do love skipping. But I can do that very easily now and just generally get about a lot more without the pains in my knees and other joints.

So since I’ve started strength training I’ve realised that my legs are definitely stronger because we’ve got such a steep slope in this hill – in this house. I can actually keep my balance a bit better and I’m chasing the dog and I can actually help my husband in the yard.

Recently helped my son move a whole shipping container of furniture and really, really heavy things. We were lifting a whole day. He was blown away by how strong I was and I didn’t even feel sore at the end of it. So it’s just amazing how much strength I have.

I’ve become stronger and I’m fitter and I’m more confident. And I’m happy to have a go at anything now, where before I’d go, Oh I can’t do that I’m too old or I’m not fit enough. So I do kayaking, I go bushwalking. I swim every week. So it’s just had a whole effect on my life.

It was not easy but the benefits became apparent within three months of hard work: I was almost pain free; Swelling of joints disappeared; I could move freely; I lost weight. The biggest gain was that I no longer needed a knee replacement. In fact painkillers became a thing of the past.