My first connection with the sport came with becoming friends with Tom and Naomi Sheppard, who basically devote their lives to training, participating and coaching the sport. Having a big interest and focus on photography through my motorsport work (www.rallygallery.com) they asked if I would shoot some video and photos for their coaching videos and content they were creating. Having adapted to shooting in the gym rather than a rally stage (it’s very different!), they then invited me to join them during their team training sessions. I would shoot images and videos of the team training together, we even did a few live stream training sessions. This led to joining Naomi, with Tom as her coach, as she competed in a Pro Powerlifting competition in Ireland.
Having spent so much time in the gym I didn’t have any desire to actually start lifting. I always thought it wasn’t for me or, if the truth be known, I wasn’t strong enough to take the sport up.
That all changed in February 2022 when my youngest son Josh said ‘come on Dad lets go training together at the gym and did some deadlifting’. I had spent many years with a Nuffield Gym membership running on a cross trainer and doing some work in the gym with free weights and using the machines. I enjoyed my time with Josh but realised that as I was in my ’40’s I should get some quick tips on making sure I am doing things right. A conversation with the Sheppard’s was ‘er no, you can start training properly. We have been waiting for you to start!’ The rest is history.
I knew from the very beginning that I would need a training partner which would motivate me to train even when I wanted to make up every excuse not to! I asked if I could join Imogen House who was a member of the Phoenix Performance Powerlifting Team and coached by Tom and she said yes. Imogen has an incredible back story to how and why she started powerlifting and she is a massive inspiration, dedicated and trains hard. We started training together and again the rest is history!
Some of the very first squat and deadlift sessions I did with the Phoenix Performance Powerlifting Team in March 2022.
Mark Sims
29th March 2025
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