At the time, the sport was particularly male-dominated, “but now there are so many people taking part, and I often go to competitions where there are more girls than guys. It’s particularly great for me, a Sikh girl from a South Asian background, as often we don’t get the same opportunities as boys in more traditionally cultural families,” Bains says.

Now, her mission is to encourage more girls to get under the bar – but particularly with bench.

Should women bench press?

The clear answer is yes, but why is the exercise seen as something that’s particularly masculine – more so than other weight lifting moves? “I think a lot of women are nervous about injuries, particularly to the chest area,” says Bains. Indeed, there are rumours that benching will change your breast size – making them either bigger or smaller depending on who you talk to. That can be a pretty big worry for a lot of women, but don’t be nervous: breasts aren’t made of muscle, and their size can’t change from bench pressing alone.

Should women bench press? How to get comfortable with a barbell chest press