From stuck to strong: How a 42-year-old mother transformed her body, climbed Southeast Asia’s tallest peak, and took back her power with Root Fitness.

Tanya's story might feel familiar if you’re a busy professional or gym-goer who’s been training for a while but not seeing the results you want.

When Tanya first joined Root Fitness in September 2023, she was already working with another personal trainer. She was consistent and trained hard, but despite doing everything “right,” her progress had stalled.

What she needed wasn’t more random workouts. She needed clarity, purpose, and a strategy built for her goals.

That’s where our personal training in Singapore came in.

Setting a strength goal that meant something

From our first consultation, we aligned on a mission: Build muscle, improve strength, and feel more capable in and out of the gym.

Tanya quickly took to strength training, especially deadlifts. There was natural potential, and with proper programming, we watched her lift improve weekly.

By December 2023, just four months later, Tanya hit a huge milestone: A 95 kg deadlift, which was 1.5x her body weight at the time.

For someone who had plateaued for years, this wasn’t just a number, it was a turning point.

From the gym floor to the peak of Southeast Asia

At Root Fitness, we train bolder to achieve more than just aesthetics; we train for life and the experiences that make it unforgettable.

After her deadlift achievement, Tanya set a new goal: To climb Mount Kinabalu, Southeast Asia’s highest peak. This was our 2024 Experience—an annual test of physical and mental strength.

We pivoted her training to focus on muscular endurance and resilience while maintaining her strength base. We trained in Singapore nature parks like Fort Canning and Bukit Timah, mimicking the intensity of the climb.

And in April 2024, not without great personal difficulty, Tanya summited the mountain.

“That moment on the peak was everything and symbolised so much for me." – Tanya

Then came the hardest challenge yet

In October 2024, Tanya was diagnosed with cancer.

Understandably, she paused her training to process the news and digest what was happening with family and friends. But, true to form, she wouldn't stay down for long.

Tanya began researching how strength training could support her during chemotherapy. We worked together to build a personalised plan that respected her fatigue, treatment side-effects, and new ability level. Our focus shifted to muscle maintenance, functional strength, and keeping her body as strong as possible for her upcoming cancer surgery in April 2025.

"Even on the hardest days, Tanya showed up. She didn’t train to chase numbers, she trained to stay in control of her body through it all." – Root Fitness

Strength training that adapts to your life

Tanya’s story is extraordinary, but the core of it is something many of our clients share:

• Feeling stuck after inconsistent results.

• Wanting to break through a plateau.

• Needing accountability and expert guidance.

• Craving a reason to train beyond aesthetics.

Whether you’re a busy professional in Singapore looking for in-person training or someone seeking online coaching or nutrition support from anywhere in the world, we’re here to help you.

At Root Fitness, we specialise in strength training and hypertrophy, weight loss and weight management, sustainable habit building, personal training in Singapore, and online training and nutrition coaching (worldwide).

Ready to get unstuck?

If you're ready to finally build real strength, feel in control of your health again, or discover your "why", then we’d love to hear from you.

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Get stronger. Live bolder. Train with Root Fitness.