
18 months in the making and she did it!
Our favourite Aunty hit her 5th Powerlifting Competition last month and boy it was something to remember.
What we often see is the grind on the platform, the excited reaction and the sigh of relief at the end. What we often don’t fully understand is the shear amount of work, self doubt, tears and swearing that went on in the background to get to that outcome.
18 months of eyes on the prize and training 4x sessions every single week for well over 2 years was the backbone of this achievement.
A 4kg PB secured the Masters Bench record for our persistent and passionate “old girl” but it didn’t come without a lot of heartache.
June 2018, just before Aunty’s second comp, we saw an opportunity.
No one had taken the record.
The benchmark minimum weight of 90kg had not been achieved.
Aunty was looking to hit 85kg on the platform at this comp. She failed it twice on the day and came away with a best of 80kg.
Still being new to competing, this didn’t deter Aunty [back then].
From here we simply chipped away (as bench does) until she hit 86kg earlier this year at her 4th comp.
Aunty had already failed 85kg multiple times.
It was with these failed lifts that frustration began to mount.

Powerlifting is hard.
It requires patience and persistence and forces you to show up even when you just want to go home and lie on the couch.
You will fail at some point and you will second guess if you can even lift the weight.
Weights that you hit on one week could feel like trash a month later.
But in these moments or months of doubt and desperation, our ladies rise to the challenge.
Although she did rise eventually, the frustration and thoughts of giving up were 100% talked about numerous times over that 18 month period of mind fuckery.
“If I didn’t get that record I was done…”
By the time we got to the platform Aunty was tight and tired and was ready to throw in the towel if this lift was missed.
This will also come as a surprise to even Aunty herself…

Coach Ro was pacing behind the black screens unsure if Aunty would hit it. She submitted the final attempt, deliberately stayed behind the black screen and gave herself a pep talk. She had to pump herself up and bring the energy that they both needed to give this a good crack.
They stomped the ground and made a spectacle on the platform…
Start
Press
GRIND!
Aunty committed to the grind and she got it.
That PB, that record, it was so much more than a number and a placing.
It was a culmination of everything our community stands for!
What an experience and what a result.
Well done Aunty, you inspire us all so much!

Stay tuned for next week’s newsletter!
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Coach Ro