At 5ft3 and of “tiny” build, Imogen Overy said people “never believe” her when she tells them that she’s a champion wrestler for the Norwich-based World Association of Wrestling (WAW).
Imogen Overy, also known as WAW’s Bella Van der Velt, is helping women in Norwich overcome gym anxiety (Image: Submitted)
But for the former-Bellatrix British champion and personal trainer, it’s exactly this disbelief that drives her to keep pushing.
She said: “I lean into the unexpected. In this line of work, you can’t worry about if you meet the criteria for what people think a wrestler or personal trainer should be.
“If you want to do it, then you have to just do it.”
Ms Overy joined WAW – famous for launching the career of Fighting With My Family wrestler Paige – in 2016 and has been entertaining fans with her villainous alter ego Bella Van der Velt ever since.
Imogen Overy, also known as WAW’s Bella Van der Velt, is helping women in Norwich overcome gym anxiety (Image: Submitted)
But she said her true passion is her personal training business, where she works with her largely female client base to smash stereotypes about women’s fitness.
She said: “We’ve come a long way, but you can’t get away from the fact this is still a male dominated environment.
“I want to help my clients realise that being a strong powerful woman doesn’t necessarily mean just literal strength or being big and muscly.
Imogen Overy, also known as WAW’s Bella Van der Velt, is helping women in Norwich overcome gym anxiety (Image: Submitted)
“I’m leading by example. I’m this tiny woman who looks nothing like your typical gym person, but I’m still here all the time.
“I want people to know that if I can do it, there’s no reason they can’t do the same.”
Next month Ms Overy will join the team at female focused The Inspire Academy, in Norwich, which she said is the next step in her quest to reform women’s fitness.
She added: “I love the direction we’re going in. We’re moving away from women trying to get skinny and re-focusing on getting strong.”
https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23731628.waw-wrestling-villain-helping-women-norwich-smash-gym-anxiety/
