Celine and Samantha, who befriended each other at the gym, have moved on from being shy and passive girls at the gym. Both strut in confidently and have no qualms working out alongside male gym goers.

However, they admit they still get a lot of attention in the gym. Both agreed that guys often look at them while they work out.

“I think they’re just admiring me instead!” joked Samantha.

Samantha, whose clients are mostly young women who are keen to improve their physique, added: “As of now, I only have female clients. It is probably the guys’ mindset; they may deem female trainers as inferior to male trainers.”

But these gender perceptions and challenges do not put them off. Instead, Celine and Samantha are inspired to encourage more women to pick up weightlifting.

Celine said: “It is time to move past the stereotype that weightlifting is meant for men. It is also a misconception that lifting weights tends to make girls, especially those with smaller frames, look bulky and too muscular.”

That is not the case for Celine and Samantha, who prove that lifting weights can help to tone the body without ending up looking too ‘manly’.

For those keen to follow in their footsteps, Celine provided a tip: “Incorporate 30 minutes of weightlifting exercises into your weekly exercise routine of jogging three times a week. That would actually supplement and speed up your weight loss process.”

Samantha offered: “I advise girls to give weightlifting a try. Set a time with me and I’ll plan a workout for you and I’ll be there to guide you. I can even tell you more about weightlifting as we train together!”