Anna is a midwife who came to Engine Room after major back surgery left her weak, unsure of her body and dreading the idea of a gym. Six months later, she's stronger than she's been in years, running up the escalators on the Tube and, in her own words, starting to become one of the people she used to be intimidated by.

Years of Long Shifts, Then a Long Road Back

Anna had lived with back pain since she started working as a midwife. Long shifts on her feet, with little time to look after herself, slowly took their toll.

Eventually it got to the point where she needed surgery. She was admitted to hospital and spent eight weeks unable to move. "At my worst point, I could only really stand for about 20 seconds," she says.

Coming home was its own challenge. She was weak, and even getting up the stairs took everything she had. She knew the road to recovery would be long.

Her physio kept encouraging her to start exercising, but Anna kept putting it off. Part of that was the gym itself. "I did used to go to the gym, but I felt really intimidated," she explains. If the machine she wanted was busy, she'd walk out and often not go back. "I just didn't really feel it was for me."

One Scroll That Changed Things

The turning point came while Anna was scrolling Instagram and an Engine Room ad popped up. She filled in the form, got a call back quickly, and booked in for the very next day.

Her first visit was a one-to-one consultation with Chris, who took the time to go through her full medical history before any training began. Anna says she was immediately impressed by his knowledge, and for the first time she felt she was in safe hands.

Recovery First, Strength Through Movement

In the early weeks, the focus was simple: build strength through movement without compromising her recovery. Every session was planned around where Anna's body was that day, not where a programme said it should be.

What made the difference was the coaching. Anna describes the team as knowledgeable and motivational, but above all, they listen. "I'm the expert in my body, and they listen to me," she says. If she raises an issue with an exercise, her coach gives her an alternative straight away. Training became a two-way conversation rather than something done to her.

The small-group setting removed the thing that had always put her off. No crowded gym floor, no waiting for machines, no guessing what to do. Just a coach, a plan and a group of people working alongside her.

Six Months On

Six months after her first session, the woman who could barely manage the stairs at home is now running up the escalators at the Tube station.

The change goes beyond the physical. Anna gets the endorphins she'd been missing, and she looks forward to training. "I actually want to come to my sessions," she says. Her goals have shifted too: she's no longer just recovering, she's building towards being a genuinely fit person.

Perhaps the biggest change is how she sees herself in a training space. The gym used to be somewhere she'd walk out of. Now, she says, she's starting to become one of the people she used to be intimidated by.

Anna's Advice: Do It Now

Asked what she'd say to anyone who's been putting it off, Anna doesn't hesitate. "Do it now. You're not going to regret it."

If you've been waiting for the right moment, whether you're coming back from injury, have never felt at home in a gym, or simply want to get stronger, this is it.

Start with our 7-Day Experience. You'll begin with a one-to-one onboarding with a coach, then train for a full week in our small, coach-led strength sessions near Regent's Park. Get started here.