Check out Lis Saunders

Lis, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today in business.
I moved to Atlanta after finishing college at University of Georgia. I’ve been here for 16 years and I have so much love for this city. I am grateful for all the awesome people who live here. And I am humbled each time a new client hires me and trusts me to help them get stronger.

I love being strong. I hate being told that lifting weights is not feminine. I have never liked being reduced to just one label or put into a box. And I love working with people who feel the same way, helping them get stronger inside the gym. In turn, that helps us be stronger for life.

In 2010, I became a CrossFit coach and personal trainer. I was frustrated with my past coaches who were impatient or disrespectful toward clients. So I decided to become a patient, respectful coach, and make training fun for my clients.

In 2012, I competed in my first powerlifting meet. I entered on a dare just 4 days before the competition. I barely knew what I was doing, but I won my weight class. I loved the experience, but I also noticed that female athletes made up only about 20% of the entire roster.

So I began working to increase access to strength training for females and other populations that don’t always get the opportunity to try lifting weights – due to geography, gender, sexuality, religion or other factors.

On Sundays I work with two groups – the Fantastic Beasts, Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ Powerlifting Club, and the Atlanta Womxn’s Barbell Club. We welcome brand new lifters and experienced athletes and teach them safe and proper lifting techniques. The cost is $5 to $20 (pay whatever you can afford). We are lucky to have local gyms like CrossFit Downtown Atlanta and AK CrossFit donate their space for us to train in.

During the rest of the week (Tuesday through Saturday), I work as strength coach and personal trainer with my own business – Team Lis Smash. I specialize in helping people get stronger for life, to prepare for competitions, and to recover from trauma, addiction or injury. I am also very lucky to be the powerlifting coach for Georgia Tech’s Barbell Club.

We’d love to hear more about your passion. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I help people get stronger and healthier. I enjoy helping people reach their goals. Some people come to me with hopes of competing, breaking state records or qualifying for a national meet. Some people ask for help balancing strength training with a healthy lifestyle. And others train with me to take back their bodies while recovering from abuse, trauma, addiction or injury.

What do you feel is the most pressing challenge facing your industry?
Strength training, or weight lifting, has this reputation for being a misogynist activity, with loud heavy metal music and big muscles. So many people are turned off by the “jock culture” – whether it’s adults who have bad memories from gym class in middle or high school, or people with anxiety issues who fear going to the gym and not knowing what to do.

For me, the family member who introduced me to lifting was also a bully who teased me about my appearance and abilities. It took me a long time as an adult before I wanted to pick up heavy stuff again. I had to work with a few sexist male coaches before realizing that’s not okay, or something I have to put up with.

I hope that more people discover the positive sides of strength training. And I want to increase diversity in the strength coaching and personal training industries, by helping more LGBTQ+ individuals and females start careers here.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Visit my website, TeamLisSmash.com or join one of our Sunday lifting sessions. We meet again on 12/30 and 1/6 at CrossFit Downtown Atlanta (check Instagram – @teamlissmash, @fantastic.beasts.atl or @atlwomxnsbarbell to RSVP). We welcome everyone, beginners or experienced lifters, to enjoy a safe space where you can learn good lifting technique and join a supportive community. The sessions are sliding scale fee based. In other words, pay whatcha can. Something between $5 to $20 is recommended, but $0 is also fine. We never want an empty wallet to keep you from getting stronger.