LIFT Performance Academy

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LIFT Performance Academy

Strong, not fragile. Strength & Performance for young athletes & girls. Kick RED-S & ACL injuries out of sport.
⬇ Free Strong Knees Guide

17/03/2026

Adding the final finishing touches to tomorrows talk with Durham County FA

Are you coming?

If you are, I look forward to meeting you!

03/03/2026

Right now, there's an epidemic in female youth sports. I call it "fuelophobia."

This is the fear many girls have about eating properly for their sport.

* They’re afraid of carbs or sugary sports foods (drinks, gels, bars) even when sessions are hard or long.

* They worry that eating enough food to match their training will automatically cause weight or fat gain.

* And they choose “clean” or low‑energy options when the body actually needs quick, high-energy fuel.

Girls have absorbed so many messages telling them that low-calorie is better and that sugar is bad, that they’re scared of the very fuel that keeps them performing at their best.

That’s why we’re seeing players who start strong in the first half running on empty by the final third.

And why girls are spending more time on the sidelines with niggles and injuries.

You’ve probably noticed how difficult it is to keep girls engaged.

One week they’re full of energy and enthusiasm, and the next they can barely make it through a warm up without flagging.
And many decide to quit altogether without so much as a reason why.

Our Fueling Female Athletes workshops show girls the right way to fuel for their sport so they can last the full game and perform at their best right up to the final whistle.

And we debunk the misinformation about nutrition that leaves so many girls confused, underfueled and afraid of food.

These engaging 90-minute in-person sessions can be delivered at your club or school at a time convenient for you and your players.

Interested?

Drop us a DM with the word ‘FUEL’ and we’ll send you the details.

23/01/2026

Thanks to everyone who turned out for the Fuelling Female Athletes workshop last night at Durham County FA

The weather outside was cold and dull, but inside the atmosphere was electric.

We covered:
👉 How the menstrual cycle impacts energy and performance
👉 How to fuel for lasting energy and stamina
👉 The Fuel Your Game blueprint

Understanding girls’ and women’s health in sport is vital — and it was brilliant to see so many committed coaches investing their time to better support the players in their care.

If you have a team you’d like us to support, drop us a DM with the word FUEL.

05/10/2025

A huge well done to Amelia, Sorcha and Nina for completing their Strong Girls Level 1 💪🏼

An extra mention to Amelia, who also achieved her Level 2 Pull-Up Award with her first official unassisted pull-up.

(She actually did 3.5) 😳

Girls, you should be incredibly proud of yourselves.

It’s not just about the strength you’re building in the gym — it’s the confidence, resilience and belief that will carry you everywhere in life. 💜

Drop us a DM with the word ‘STRONG’ for details on our Strong Girls program.

01/10/2025

The future of women’s football is strong. And it starts here. 💪🦁

Let’s be honest… girls deserve better than being told “you’re too young for the gym” or “just stick to cardio.”

That thinking is outdated…

And it’s why so many young players end up sidelined with preventable injuries.

Last Friday, the Beamish Lionesses came in for their first strength session at LIFT.

We talked about the real reasons strength matters:

👉 Fewer injuries holding them back
👉 Sprinting faster when it counts
👉 Stronger on the ball (no more being pushed around)
👉 Striking further, harder, and with confidence

The girls smashed their first session…

We covered warm-ups, power, and strength foundations.

This is about building athletes who don’t just play the game… they change it. 🔥⚽

👀 Got a girls’ team that wants to be faster, stronger, and harder to break down?

Drop us a comment with the word ‘STRONG’ and let’s get your players started with their first strength session.

23/09/2025

Do you have a daughter in sport? ⚽🏑🏃‍♀️

Girls are up to 6x more likely to suffer ACL injuries than boys — not because they’re weaker, but because they’re not being trained properly.

That’s why we run Strong Girls™ in Durham — strength & conditioning designed for girls aged 9–15 to build strength, boost performance, and protect against injuries.

📍 All the details are on the flyer below — drop us a message if you’d like to know more.

22/09/2025

Girls don’t need more cardio. They need more strength.

Too many coaches still believe the answer to girls’ performance is running them ragged with “fitness drills.”

It’s lazy. And it’s wrong.

The #1 risk for girls in sport? ACL injuries.
And you don’t prevent them with endless laps or burpees.

You prevent them by teaching girls how to land. How to absorb force. How to be STRONG.

Every rep of controlled jumping and landing isn’t just training...

It’s protection.
It’s confidence.
It’s power.

If you’re still stuck in the “make them sweat” era, you’re putting girls at risk.

We’re building athletes, not just tired kids.

👉 Comment STRONG below and I’ll send you our FREE guide: 5 Reasons Your Daughter Struggles With Knee Pain (and how to fix it).

18/09/2025

Girls don’t need more fitness, they need more strength.

That’s why the split squat is a game-changer for female athletes:

✅ Builds single-leg strength that transfers to sport
✅ Balances out left vs right leg
✅ Protects knees by teaching knee alignment
✅ Reduces ACL injury risk (up to 6x higher in girls than boys)

But here’s the catch 👉 most people butcher it.

Knees collapsing in (valgus), knees out of line, pushing through the toes… all of it turns a great exercise into an injury rehearsal.

🎥 In this video, I’ll show you the most common mistakes girls make in the split squat — and exactly how to fix them.

📥 Plus, if you want to go deeper, we’ve put together a FREE guide:

5 Reasons Your Daughter Struggles With Knee Pain - And How to Fix It Fast!

Comment “STRONG” and we’ll send you the link.

14/09/2025

Who said girls can’t be strong?

This is Leah… deadlifting 5 reps at 60kg like it’s nothing.

She’s a footballer with dreams of going pro… and she’s already ahead of the game.

Why? Because while most girls are told to ‘get fitter’ or ‘be careful,’ Leah is getting STRONG.

And that strength isn’t just for the gym…

it’s for the pitch, for her confidence, and for her future.

At Strong Girls™, this is exactly what we’re about: helping girls discover just how powerful they really are.

Want your daughter to build strength, confidence + stay injury-free?

Drop ‘STRONG’ below and I’ll send you our free guide

13/09/2025

Too often, “women’s hormones” gets thrown around like an insult.

“She’s hormonal.”�
“It’s just her hormones.”
"It's her time of the month"

But here’s the thing,

Hormones are not a weakness.

They’re the goddess of effort, energy, and action.
They’re what power strength, resilience, and performance.

So the next time someone says you’re “hormonal”…

Take it as a compliment ladies 💪✨

🎥 Watch this clip with Dr Nicky Keay for a fresh perspective on women’s health — and follow her for more empowering insights.

12/09/2025

💊 “The pill regulates periods.”

That’s what most girls (and parents) are told when things get messy during the teenage years.

But here’s the truth 👇

The pill doesn’t regulate anything.
�It stops periods.�It flattens hormones.�It switches off the natural “dress rehearsal” that girls’ bodies actually need to go through.

Yes, it might ease symptoms short-term…
But at what cost long-term?

Our daughters don’t always need quick fixes.

They need support, care, exercise, hydration, and reassurance that their bodies are simply learning how to find rhythm.

This clip explains the truth in a way every parent should hear.

Follow Dr Nicky Keay for expert insights on female health and performance.

11/09/2025

Ever eaten a bag of crisps and thought, “That’s it… I’ve blown my diet”?

Here’s why you shouldn’t feel guilty…

Food is just energy.

🍏 An apple = ~80 calories
🍫 A Snickers = ~280 calories
🍔 Five Guys burger + fries = ~1500 calories

Doritos? About 174 calories. That’s less than 9% of a typical daily intake.

You don’t need to feel guilty.
You don’t need to “start again.”
You just need to zoom out and look at the bigger picture.

I use the 80/20 approach:

80% = whole foods (protein, fibre, nutrients)

20% = the foods you actually enjoy (crisps, chocolate, biscuits).

That’s balance. That’s sustainable. And that’s how you enjoy life without the guilt trip.

So next time you grab a bag of crisps — remember: you’re human, not broken. It’s just energy.

Address

Unit 1 Harelaw Ind Est
Stanley

Telephone

+447810602001

Website

https://bit.ly/Strong-Knees-Guide

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