Road to 2023 Regionals (Powerlifting)

IHello Everyone!  It’s been awhile and I’m relaunching my blog so I thought what better way than to document a goal/journey that I’m currently working towards - Competing at the USAPL 2023 Northwest-Southwest Regionals for powerlifting. 

I’m excited beyond measure to start documenting this journey and talk about all the awesome things I’ve been doing over the past few years.

On Saturday, January 28th, 2023 I will be competing in the USAPL Nevada State Championships and hopefully qualifying for regionals.  I need a combined total of 75kg to qualify, which means that I have to successfully complete a back squat at this meet.  I’m nervous, I’ll admit it.  If I could qualify with only my bench and deadlift numbers I’d be golden but the total is the combined weight of all three lifts.  This may not seem like something to be worried about but if you’re new here then you probably don’t know my back story. 

I’ll give the short version since this post isn’t about that - I am a female masters (46yo) powerlifter with both knees replaced.  My left  knee (Thelma) was replaced in August of 2015 and my right knee (Louise) was replaced in April of 2020. So with that being said, I hadn’t done a back squat in close to 4 years. Within the past year is when I’ve started incorporating them back into my workouts and it’s definitely been a journey. 

My goal for my upcoming meet is to successfully back squat 46kgs.

That may not seem like much to some or even many of you, but for me it will mean the world.  My form isn’t great, I know this and am actively working on things I can to improve it but it also works for my body mechanics which is the most important thing.  This is something I wasn’t sure would ever be able to happen and to finally be on the cusp of it possibly coming true is unbelievable for me! 

I hope you’ll join me on this journey and please if you have questions - ask! I’m happy to answer. I will say this however, I’m not here for negativity or everyone’s personal opinion - yes I’m cleared by my surgeon to lift heavy and do so much more actually and I’m simply sharing my journey and what I’ve done to battle through the adversity life has presented me.  So many things could have happened and still can but through determination, education and the willingness to push myself I have achieve so many things that people once told me would no longer be possible.

Remember - “Life is adaptation; strength is in us all.”

Thanks for reading and hope to see you reading along!