About Me

Ruth Pottinger graduated from the University of Abertay, Dundee with a BSc Honors Degree in Sport, Health and Exercise in 2007, gaining extensive knowledge in the modules: Strength and Conditioning, Fitness Testing and Exercise Programming, Lifestyle Analysis, Nutrition for Exercise & Health, Human Movement & Biomechanics and Health in the Community.

In 2007 Ruth travelled Australia and South East Asia. Ruth returned home in 2008 to pursue a career in the Fitness Industry.

• 2009 CYQ certified Level 2 Gym Instructor 
• 2010 CYQ Level 3 Personal Training. 

With a passion for travel Ruth set off to Canada and America for a year where she lived in Whistler, BC for 6 months working and Snowboarding. Ruth returned home in 2011 extremely focused and ready to build her business as a PT in Orkney.

Sport and fitness has always played a huge part in her life from a young age she, played football through schooling and attending trials for Scotland under 16 girls football team. In addition to this Ruth has also represented –

• Orkney in Junior Inter County Athletics and Hockey. 
• Represent Orkney in the NatWest Island games athletic team. 
• Orkney Women’s FC 
• The University of Abertay at British level.

Once The PT Studio was established in 2013 Ruth’s fire for competing in sport was still alive and she became a member of the Scottish Powerlifting Association in 2014. Ruth entered her first competition in March, and came second place in the 72kg Senior Women’s category. Ruth has achieved

• 2015 Won Best Female Lifter in The Scottish Open 
• 2015 Competed at the British Championship 
• 2015 Represented Scotland at the Four Nations Championships 
• 2016 Set a Scottish Squat record of 142.5kg 
• 2017 Won Best Female Lifter in The Scottish Championships

In 2015 Ruth began coaching Hannah Bevan and gained further qualifications as a Level 1 Powerlifting Instructor. Ruth’s coaching skills and programming ability combined with Hannah’s strength and determination seen Hannah become a very successful Powerlifter in Britain. Hannah has represented Scotland four times at the 4 Nations Championships. Holds all 4 Scottish records and the British Deadlift record in the 47kg Senior Women’s category. 

In 2018/19 Ruth set herself a new personal challenge to compete in a Triathlon the polar opposite of Powerlifting! Ruth learnt all 4 disciplines Swim / Bike / Run and Transitions. The swim was Ruth’s biggest achievement over the training as she could barley swim a few length before! Ruth took part in her first Sprint Triathlon in the summer of 2019 where she came 5th Female. 2020 Ruth was to enter her first Olympic distance triathlon but due to COVID-19 and Lock Down no competitions were held. 

End of 2021 Ruth began her UK Strength and Conditioning Accreditation process where she began to priorities Olympic Lifting in her training in order to pass the Technical Module section of the Accreditation. Ruth spent a year and a half traveling down to Edinburgh attending UKSCA Workshops gaining further knowledge and preparing for the assessments. She took on Mentorship with Ex Olympic Athlete Jared Deacon in the later stage of the process which was hugely rewarding. In 2023 Ruth passed her accreditation and holds a fully accredited UKSCA status.

Continuing her passion is S&C Ruth set up a Youth Performance Training Academy end of 2023 which is proving to be a success.

That is very much Ruth’s personality – Set yourself a goal/challenge, make a plan, give it 100% commitment and keep focused. This chain of thought is why Ruth is the Personal Trainer and coach she is today.

• 2007 – Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Sport, Health & Exercise
• 2009 – SYQ Level 2 Certificate in Fitness Instructing Gym
• 2009 – UKSCA Level 1 Coaching Weightlifting Certificate
• 2010 – CYQ Level 3 Certificate in Personal Training
• 2013 – ME Metabolic Effect Group Exercise Instructor Certification
• 2014 – ME Level 1 Metabolic Effect Nutrition Consultant
• 2015 – Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Exercise Referral
• 2016 – Active IQ Level 4 Certificate in Exercise for the Management of Lower Back Pain
• 2016 – GBPL Level 1 Great British Powerlifting Instructor Course
• 2017 – BWL Level 1 Award in Coaching Weightlifting
• 2018 – NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist Certification
• 2019 – NASM Senior Fitness Instructor
• 2020 – NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist
• 2021 – Active IQ Level 3 Supporting Pre and Postnatal clients with exercise & nutrition
• 2023 – UKSCA Accredited Coach

• Scottish Football Association:-
  • Development Activities
  • Early Touches
• Sports Coach UK ‘How to Coach Sport Safely’
• HSE 3-day First Aid Certification
• Sports Scotland Training Provider (2022)
• Sports Scotland Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport (2024)