Sam Henderson
Coach
REPS Level 2 Gym Instructor
REPS Level 3 Personal Training Diploma
I’ve been practising strength sports and weight lifting for 7 years and competed in national Powerlifting events pre-lockdown, winning a gold medal for my weight class in Scotland.
I live in Dundee with my Fiancee Maya and my two cats. In my spare time I love sailing and cycling alongside my powerlifting training, and I teach sailing and powerboating at the local sailing club as a nationally qualified instructor.
What does exile mean to me?
Weighing just 47kg at the age of 16, I was very skinny growing up and I was very self-concious about my appearance. I started going to the gym, taking part in circuit classes and doing push-ups and pull-ups at home trying to build some size and to combat the feeling of being weaker than seemingly everyone else my age. Though I started seeing definition and new strength in my muscles in the first year, it took me a long time to make real progress in gaining weight and improving my self-confidence. I became a fitness coach because I want to help people avoid the same mistakes that I made, and to show what can be achieved when you refuse to give up. 7 years after beginning my training, I’m 80kg and stronger than I ever could have imagined.