In this episode, host Derek sits down with Hen Skupekova — IFBB Pro athlete, personal trainer, and co-founder of The Gym Lounge — for an inspiring conversation about chasing big dreams, pivoting with purpose, and building a life around passion and performance.
Hen shares her journey from growing up in Slovakia with dreams of becoming a backup dancer, to moving to London to pursue dance professionally — and how one major audition setback led her into the world of fitness and bodybuilding. What started as a gym membership quickly turned into a personal transformation, a relationship, a business partnership, and eventually a career on the competitive stage.
She opens up about the transition from amateur to pro after five years of hard work, the mental and emotional toll of prep, and why she believes failure, feedback, and discomfort are essential ingredients for growth. Hen also discusses what it’s like running a thriving gym business with her partner Terry, creating a welcoming space for all fitness levels, and why she’s passionate about helping women feel strong and empowered through strength training.
🔑 Key Topics Include:
✔️ From Dancer to Competitor – Turning rejection into reinvention
✔️ The Gym Lounge – Building a community-based gym in the UK countryside
✔️ Fitness as Empowerment – Helping women find confidence through lifting
✔️ Competing as a Pro – The grind, the prep, and the passion
✔️ Struggles & Strategy – Why embracing challenge leads to growth
✔️ Partner & Business – How she and Terry balance life, love, and the gym
✔️ Nutrition Reality Check – What most people get wrong about food
✔️ Feedback & Humility – Why she still has a coach (and always will)
🧠 Favorite Quote:
“I’m attracted to things that aren't easy.” – Hen Skupekova
That mindset is the throughline of this episode — and of Hen’s life. If you're looking for inspiration, honesty, and the kind of insight that reminds you struggle is part of the process… this one’s for you.
📸 Follow Hen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henskupekova/ and also on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/online-fatloss-coach/
🏋️♀️ Visit The Gym Lounge: https://www.thegymlounge.co.uk/ (or stop by if you’re in Surrey!)
📩 Join our newsletter for more expert insights: healthmovement.us