Amy Chesak Fensch had always been active.

The 52-year-old from Nashville, Tennessee played sports as a kid, and then got into long distance running as an adult. Eventually, she found CrossFit in 2014.

Chesak Fensch did CrossFit non-stop for many years, but last year she underwent a knee replacement surgery, which stopped her in her tracks.

After she went through the rehabilitation process, she tried going back to CrossFit but explained that “my body wasn’t loving it.”

“It just wasn’t working for me. I think I was trying to do too much,” she said.

Chesak Fensch had been following Annie Thorisdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir on Instagram for a while, and she read about how Empower came about.

It came about after Thorisdottir put both her parents on the same training program, and her dad saw big results but her mom did not. After that, Thorisdottir and Davidsdottir teamed up with Dr. Stacy Sims to build a program designed specifically for women, which ultimately became Empower.

That story really appealed to Chesak Fensch, who decided to give Empower a try in January 2025.

Where She Is Today

Six months into Empower and Chesak Fensch—who follows Empower’s Flight program at her home gym and, as well as on the road as she travels a lot—has already seen big results.

“I am feeling better than ever. I love the programming, and my body feels great. I’m making solid gains in all my lifts. I’m incredibly happy,” Chesak Fensch said, adding that her knee range of motion has improved tremendously.

“The progressive lifting programming and sprint workouts keep me motivated and excited to train, and I can actually see the progress I’m making.”

“The barbell is my happy place,” she added.

Today, Chesak Fensch’s lifts are all creeping very close to her all-time PRs, and she fully expects that she will get back there very soon.

Chesak Fensch also credits what she has learned through Dr. Sims with helping her improve her sleep, something she struggled with since she went through perimenopause and menopause.

Specifically, Chesak Fensch has been taking an ashwagandha supplement, which was recommended by Dr. Sims, and which Chesak Fensch said has made a huge difference to her troubles falling asleep and staying asleep.

Finally, also thanks to Dr. Sims’ advice, Chesak Fensch now ensures she eats 15 to 20 grams of protein with some carbohydrates before her workout, something she never used to do, and which is helping her feel a lot better during and after her workouts.

“Protein and fibre have been key for me,” Chesak Fensch added.

Why She Recommends Empower

For Chesak Fensch, it’s simple: Empower works as it is backed by science and was designed for women.

“Empower has been such a game changer for me. I love that it’s created specifically for women my age. It feels like it was made with me in mind,” she said. “Whether you’re new to training or you have done it before, it hits all the marks for women in the middle phase of their lives.”

“And I don’t feel exhausted after, but I still feel like I had a great workout…I feel stronger, healthier and more balanced every day.”

“Amy’s story shows that the barbell can be more than a workout—it can be the place where strength, balance, and joy all return. Her happy place isn’t a destination; it’s every rep she chooses.”