Montell Douglas is training for Olympic weightlifting. As a Strictly Come Dancing alum and Gladiator, where she plays the role of Fire and serves as one of the show’s speedsters, using her explosive athleticism to challenge contestants, Douglas is no stranger to a disciplined lifestyle and hard work.

Not only that, but Douglas is also an Olympian who competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics in 2 different sports. The first sport is Athletics, for which she competed in Beijing in 2008. The second sport is Bobsleigh, which took place in Beijing in 2022.

Now, Douglas is expanding her athletic repertoire by training in Olympic weightlifting. Paraskevi Solomou, the conditioning and strength coach for Douglas, revealed to Women's Health the 5 workouts that Douglas practices “to not only be able to lift heavier weights, but also to build a body that remains strong, capable, athletic and injury-resilient long term.”

According to the article, the exercises are listed below.

Clean Pull

This is a vital movement that helps Douglas develop explosive power and posterior chain strength. Clean pulls also enhance athletic performance and coordination, strengthening the lower body.

According to the trainer, “For women specifically, powerful hip extension and posterior chain development are incredibly important for long-term strength, posture and reducing injury risk”.

According to the article, 2 to 5 reps with 3 to 5 sets of clean pulls will be beneficial.

Front Squats

Solomou said, “I use them with Montell not only to improve performance in the clean, but because they’re one of the most effective movements for developing functional lower-body strength and movement control.”

It encourages thoracic mobility, a good movement approach, and core engagement that support long-term joint health.

Performing 3 to 6 sets and 2 to 6 reps of this exercise will be beneficial.

Romanian Deadlift

This exercise helps build posterior chain strength, overall movement quality, and hamstring resilience.

Solomou said, "For women especially, strong glutes and hamstrings are essential for performance, posture, pelvic stability and injury prevention.

Within Montell’s program, RDLs support Olympic lifting mechanics, while also helping maintain tissue robustness during high training volumes."

An ideal approach would be 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 repetitions.

Loaded Carries

This exercise helps Douglas build a strong grip, full-body stability, and core strength.

According to Solomou, “With Montell, carries help reinforce trunk control and stability under fatigue – both essential qualities for Olympic weightlifting and long-term athletic health.”

An ideal approach would be to perform 20 to 30 meters over many rounds.

Split Squats

It is beneficial for enhancing balance, unilateral strength, and coordination.

Solomou said, “I use these frequently within Montell’s program to improve movement efficiency and support lower-body resilience without excessive spinal loading”.

It is suggested to perform 2 to 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil