Troy Atkin is New Zealand bound later this month 🏋️
By day, Troy Atkin is a fourth-seat litigation trainee solicitor working for the regional law firm Biscoes. By night, he is an international-level powerlifter with a new mission: bringing a gold medal home for England.
Atkin recently announced that he is heading to New Zealand to represent England at the Powerlifting Commonwealth Games that runs from 27 November to 4 December.
The rookie solicitor first got into powerlifting after watching friends compete and doesn’t shy easily from a challenge. He told Legal Cheek:
“I am probably the most competitive person you will ever meet, and I loved the thought of dedicating my time and energy to a sport that requires absolute commitment.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly then, his legal studies and training contract haven’t held him back. Instead, Atkin has gone from strength to strength, noting that “my lifting has peaked during the height of my TC”. He is currently the reigning English Bench Press Champion for -120kg open men’s category, ranking 3rd in the UK.
Commenting on how he balances his role as a trainee lawyer with a demanding training schedule (four three-hour strength sessions plus 100 miles on his spin bike every week) that enabled him to reach his lifting apex, Atkin says:
“I have a fantastic coach, and a great team, and I am a big believer in making time to achieve your goals. As Arnie [Schwarzenegger] said, ‘there are 24 hours in a day…’.”
“I am also lucky that my firm, Biscoes, allow for me to accommodate my training. They have been very supportive, and always let me prioritise my lifting at the same level as my TC,” he adds.
There’s a lot of lessons Atkin has learned from his weightlifting that has helped him as a lawyer.
“Like law, lifting requires the ability to overcome adversity; the ability to embrace failure as a positive; and the ability to never give up,” he explains. “I always remind myself when things get tough, that champions are made when everyone else stops!”
Indeed, Atkin credits lifting for having “an extremely positive impact” on his career and helping him to develop a mindset that enables him to thrive in tough situations and find his limits.
“The difference between a good lawyer and a fantastic lawyer is how they think, and react to certain situations – things you can only learn from growth, and putting yourself in uncomfortable situations” — something Atkin has done time and again in his ascent in elite lifting.
It’s a reminder about knowing your limits too though. “There is a saying in that the iron never lies, and you can either lift it or you can’t,” says Atkin. “For a litigator, such certainty is extremely rare, but very welcome.”
Lifting has also helped Atkin to switch off from work. “It is always a comforting thought knowing that after a tough day in the office, I am able to put some heavy metal on, lift some heavy weights, and switch off from litigation for a bit.”
“I will continue to strive to be the very best lawyer and lifter I am able to be, and hopefully I can bring the gold medal home for England!”
