Domestic violence survivors using strength training for trauma recovery

Healing Through Iron: How Domestic Violence Survivors Are Reclaiming Power with Strength Training

Across America, a quiet revolution is happening inside gyms and garages: thousands of domestic violence survivors are picking up barbells, kettlebells, and dumbbells — not just to get strong, but to rewrite the story trauma wrote on their bodies.

“I spent years being told I was weak, small, and helpless,” says Sarah M., a 34-year-old survivor from Ohio who asked that her full name not be used. “The first time I deadlifted 225 pounds — more than my ex ever weighed — I cried on the platform. Not from pain. From power.”

Sarah is far from alone. Programs specifically pairing strength training with trauma recovery have exploded nationwide in 2024–2025, backed by therapists, researchers, and even the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Science Behind the Barbell

Trauma lives in the body. Domestic violence survivors often suffer from chronic hypervigilance, frozen shoulder posture (literally making themselves smaller), and a dysregulated nervous system. Strength training attacks those symptoms directly:

• Reclaims agency: Every successful rep is proof the survivor — not the abuser — controls their body now.
• Regulates the nervous system: Heavy compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, presses) trigger a parasympathetic “rest-and-recover” response that lowers cortisol over time.
• Builds interoception: Learning to feel muscle activation helps survivors reconnect with a body they once dissociated from.
• Visible progress: Mirror gains and rising numbers on the bar provide concrete evidence of growth when emotions still feel chaotic.

A 2025 pilot study out of the University of Denver followed 42 female survivors in an 18-week barbell program. Results:

• 91% drop in PTSD hyperarousal symptoms
• 76% reduction in depression scores
• Average 62% increase in 1-rep-max across major lifts
• Zero participants rehospitalized for mental health crises (vs. 28% in the control group)

Programs Leading the Charge

1. Lift Like a Girl Project (National) – Free 12-week strength cohorts taught by trauma-informed coaches.
2. Iron Haven (California) – Survivor-only gym with sliding-scale memberships and on-site therapists.
3. Barbell Medicine + The Phoenix partnership – Sober-active communities now include DV-specific lifting classes.
4. Defend University (Texas) – Combines Krav Maga and powerlifting so survivors learn both how to fight and how strong they already are.
5. VA Medical Centers – Several locations added “Battle Buddy Barbell Clubs” for female veterans with MST (military sexual trauma) histories.

Real Stories, Real Iron

• Jasmine in Atlanta bench-pressed her body weight for the first time the same week she won full custody. “The judge saw a woman who looked unbreakable,” she laughs.
• Maria, 52, started training at 97 lbs after leaving a 30-year abusive marriage. One year later she competed in her first powerlifting meet and placed second in her age class.
• Trans survivor Alex (they/them) says overhead pressing helped them literally “lift their chest up” after years of binding to hide bruises.

How to Get Started Safely

Experts emphasize trauma-informed coaching is non-negotiable. Look for:

• Coaches certified in trauma-aware training (many through Girls Gone Strong or the Trauma-Conscious Strength Collective)
• Private or semi-private sessions at first
• “No yelling” environments
• Permission to modify or sit out any day without explanation

Resources (All Free or Low-Cost)

• National Domestic Violence Hotline partners with gyms in 38 states for free guest passes: 800-799-7233
• The Phoenix app – search “strength” + your zip code for survivor-friendly classes
• Lift for Liberation directory (liftforliberation.org) maps trauma-informed powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting coaches nationwide

For the first time in their lives, many survivors are walking into rooms where getting stronger is celebrated — and where the only person allowed to tell them “you can’t” is themselves on a bad day. And on those days, they rest, because recovery includes that too.

The bar doesn’t lie, and neither does the mirror. For thousands of women (and men) rebuilding after abuse, every plate added is another brick in a foundation their abuser can never again shake.

If you or someone you love is ready to start, text “STRENGTH” to 88788 for an immediate list of trauma-informed gyms in your area.

You are not broken. You are just getting started.