Before I joined Badger Athletic, I used to see people put insane numbers up on Squat, Bench, and Deadlift and wonder, “How do they even do that?”.

After increasing my total by 135kg in my first year training at Badger, I know how. Hard work, dedication and holding yourself and others to a higher standard.

If you want to mess around and skip workouts when you don’t feel like going, go to VA. If you want to be the best you possibly could be, join Badger Athletic.

Badgers is more than just a sports team to me , they are family and a great support.

With them I’ve learned more about my capabilities and limits .

They offer more support not just in the gym , but in our daily lives aswell .

I joined the Badger team in February 2026, feeling a bit hesitant and unsure of what to expect… but I went anyway.

The moment I walked in, I felt at home. At the same time, I won’t lie—I was intimidated.

What I saw was a room full of strong, dedicated, driven athletes.

Women, men, teenagers—people of all shapes and sizes, but all incredibly powerful. And wow… those women especially! 🔥

Very quickly, something shifted in my mind: this could be me too.

With an amazing coach who teaches proper technique, pushes you past your fears, and motivates like no one else, I started to believe in myself.

And the team? Absolutely unmatched. When you feel like you’ve got nothing left and 10+ people are shouting encouragement in your ear, you somehow find strength from a place you didn’t even know existed—and suddenly, that 12th rep is done… and it feels easy.

In just 2½ months, I’ve gone from a 30kg deadlift to 70kg.

I’ve regained mobility I haven’t had in years. To some, that might not seem like a big deal—but to me, it’s everything.

I’ve struggled with back problems and my health hasn’t been the best, but I already feel stronger—physically and emotionally—and I’m getting better every day.

I still have a long way to go before I’m anywhere near my teammates, but for the first time, I can truly see a bright future ahead.

I’ve never felt comfortable in a gym or group setting before, and I’ve always struggled with self-discipline when training alone. But now? I look forward to every session. I look forward to beating my own records. I look forward to feeling better.
Not for one second have I regretted my decision to join the Badger team. 💪

I joined Badger because I felt completely judged and overwhelmed in a commercial gym.

Being overweight and not knowing how or where to even start, I spend serious funds on personal trainers but not seeing any benefit.

I wanted more, not just for myself, but also for my daughter. I wanted a safe space where we could work on ourselves together, as neither of us is built thin or sleek.

I met up with Coach Martin, who invited me to a training session in his garage (I may add!) so I could check things out for myself. My gosh! I had never experienced anything like that.

I was sure I’d never go back. Those guys are all nuts! But I did go back, if only to make sure I didn’t want to go back.

That’s when I met the rest of the Badger team. Big, Strong guys standing two feet taller than me, benching my entire body weight and then some, with muscles in places I didn’t even know muscles could exist. They were all double my size, and I felt quite intimidated.

When it was my turn to bench, I didn’t know jack about it. I’d never done it before and didn’t even know how to hold the bar.
But none of that mattered to those Big, Strong guys. It didn’t matter that the bar was empty or that it was my very first time.
They all gathered around and poured pure energy into every attempt I made.
They made sure I knew I wasn’t alone, staying right there until the end encouraging me through every rep.

That is when I knew, This is where we belong.

I may never be the strongest Badger, but I have the Strongest team supporting me through every failed attempt, encouraging me to reach my own personal best. Not just in the gym, but in life as well, celebrating each other’s wins and supporting each other through losses.

Make no mistake, the Badgers are a bunch of wacked guys with seriously questionable mentalities. Yet, my daughter and I have found our safe space among them, I guess that makes our mentality a bit questionable, too. And that is okay with me.