Two women powerlifters tell Nadia Badarudin how their favourite workout brought about physical and emotional changes
ENGLISH teacher Athiyah Abu Bakar and legal officer Adilin Ali may look like ordinary fitness buffs who work out daily to maintain fitness and stay in shape.
Who would have thought that despite being petite, these two lady-like and modest beauties can do the squat or and deadlift with weights double their body weight. And even men turn to look when a woman does a 100kg squat.
Athiyah and Adilin are among the few women in the country who do powerlifting, a sport which is rising in popularity thanks to increased interest in fitness activities relating to improved body strength, such as CrossFit.
The duo are also among the few -headscarf-clad who have challenged the perception that powerlifting is for males only.
POWERLIFTING VS WEIGHTLIFTING
According to women’s powerlifting website Girls Gone Strong, contrary to popular belief, powerlifting will not turn a woman’s body into a hulk-like figure. But, it will change her appearance and make her strong, fit and lean.
How strong? Well, Chinese Taipei powerlifter Wei-Ling Chen broke the world record at the 2016 International Powerlifting Federation meet in the United States in November with a 210kg squat, her body weight was at 47kg — four times the weight of the 148cm-tall athlete!.
Powerlifting and weightlifting are two different sports. The former consists of attempts to lift the heaviest barbell (maximum weight) on three lifts, squat, bench press and deadlift.
On the other hand, the latter comprises attempts to lift the maximum weight on two lifts, snatch, and clean and jerk. “The basics of both sports are the same. But the difference is the over head lift.
“A powerlifter does not have to lift the barbell from the ground to above her head like a weightlifter,” says Athiyah, 27, fondly known as Att.
“The goal is to challenge your body to lift the heaviest weight that you can,” says Adilin, 32, mother to a 5-year-old son.
POWERHOUSE ACTION
Athiyah met Adilin three years ago at a zumba and weight training workshop organised by Malaysian Fitness Ladies (a Facebook group).
Athiyah started powerlifting in 2012 and entered her first powerlifting meet in Kuching, Sarawak in 2013 where she won second place in the open category with 70kg squat, 47.5kg bench press and 85kg deadlift.
Athiyah and Adilin entered a meet as a team for the first time at the 2015 Malaysia Powerlifting Alliance.
Adilin says: “Our team was called Powerhouse Faction. Athiyah, Rahimah Abdurrahim (a mutual friend) and I were the only females in the 10-member team.
“It was my first meet. There were only 12 female powerlifters at the competition and we were the only ones who wore headscarves. We did well there. I did 65kg squat, 40kg bench press and 105kg deadlift. And Athiyah won the women’s under 52kg category with the 97.5kg squat, 52.5kg bench press and 125kg deadlift.”
She adds: “Actually the three of us were encouraged to take up the sport by our male gym friends. From the beginning we were committed to the sport and always trained together.”
NASTY REMARKS
Athiyah says there were not many female powerlifters when she first took up the sport. “It was awkward because I was the only woman training for the sport at the gym. And getting puzzling stares from the men was common back then, but I just didn’t care.
“ I’m just as passionate about the sport,” she says.
Athiyah and Adilin were targeted by nasty keyboard warriors after they were in the news following the 2015 powerlifting meet. .
“I remember people asking us to stick to sweeping the floor or household chores. People tried to scare us, saying lifting weights can lead to uterine prolapse, back pain and cause osteoporosis.
“But the fact is that while other women love make-up, cooking or shopping, we are women who love lifting weights,” says Athiyah.
“And the funny thing is despite the criticisms and scares, every time I organise strength training or powerlifting courses at my gym, more women enquire and sign up,” adds Adilin who is also a certified personal trainer and runs Fixme Studio (gym) in Setiawangsa, KL.
SCULPTED BODY
Athiyah, who stands at 151cm, used to hate sports when she was in school. “I had asthma and I cried when I was asked to run cross-country. But I became a fitness buff at 20 when I did my degree in New Zealand.
“I was inspired by an elderly woman who worked out at the gym which I frequented. I was impressed by her beautiful, sculpted body due to strength training.
“Looking at her, I wanted to become strong, fit and fabulous even in my golden years,” says the primary school teacher who regards exercise as her ultimate tool to beat stress.
Adilin also relates to having a well-toned body as the main factor for her interest in powerlifting. The young mother has always been active in sports and loves to stay in shape. Two years before she got married, she practised a strict training routine to prepare her body for pregnancy and post-pregnancy.
“I was determined to get back my pre-pregnancy body after I delivered my son. I did it, but at 165cm, I was too skinny. I did research and changed my routine to strength training. After 12 weeks, I broke my plateau and my muscle mass increased.
“And here I am now. I look better and I feel good too,” says Adilin, who aims to do the 120kg deadlift at a powerlifting meet in August.
BENEFITS
Both Athiyah and Adilin agree that powerlifting improves strength and body posture, making daily tasks easier.
“The training helps us do daily tasks the correct and safe way, without injuring our body. With the gain in strength, I can now easily lift my son with one hand and carry a heavy grocery bag with the other.
“Powerlifting and strength training have an impact on other activities like picking up a heavy object from the floor or pushing a box into a higher compartment of a cabinet. And with proper training, we don’t have to go into extreme dieting because the physical activities get us covered — we just eat sensibly,” says Adilin who is determined to inspire more mothers to keep fit and lean.
She is also thinking about taking up weightlifting soon.
As for Athiyah, in addition to the importance of teamwork, powerlifting has taught her that we are stronger than we think.
“Powerlifting taught me to understand my body and my limitations. It also taught me not to be doubtful of what I can achieve.
“And the euphoria after achieving our personal best is indescribable,” says Athiyah, adding that the sport has turned her into a more confident person and ready to take up challenges.
Wearing a headscarf is not an excuse not to lift barbells. “We don’t have to impress anyone. If you have the interest, train with a certified trainer.
“The sport is not about the number of plates we add to the barbell. Its benefits go beyond that. Just leave your ego behind, fasten your weight belt and lift!”
WOMEN AND WEIGHTS: MYTHS DEBUNKED
MYTH: Lifting weights will exacerbate pregnancy pain and increase risk of injury.
Fact: Lifting weights or strength training increases the body’s stability. It helps decrease pain common in pregnancy (e.g lower and back pain) by keeping the posture in more optimal alignment.
Myth: Lifting weights will lead to osteoporosis.
Fact: Studies show that strength training over a period of time can help protect the bones and prevent osteoporosis-related fractures.
Myth: Women should not train like men.
Truth: Women should train in a manner in which they want to match their fitness goals.
Myth: Lifting weights makes women look masculine.
Truth: Lifting weights builds muscle and burns fat. Women who do strength training are stronger, leaner, and healthier than women who do not. Genetics, not weightlifting, will determine how big a woman can get.
Myth: Women should stick to the treadmill to lose weight.
Truth: Constant running or endurance training may not be the best methods for losing fat, building strength or getting a balanced physique. Strength training helps build more lean muscles, burn more calories and get trim faster.
Adapted from: Girls Gone Strong, Mayo Clinic, WebMD and Bodybuilding.com
BENEFITS OF POWERLIFTING
Increased muscle strength
POWERLIFTING develops toned, lean muscles in most of the major muscle groups and builds explosive strength. As you become stronger, doing household chores like carrying a grocery bag in one arm and your toddler in the other will become easier.
Improved endurance
You will develop the ability to conjure up that extra energy at the end of a tiring day after several weeks of training.
Extra fat-burning
Powerlifting burns about 331 extra calories an hour, thus increasing your calorie-burning potential throughout the day.
Good for heart and lungs
Powerlifting is good for your heart and lung, consequently resulting in reduced risk to develop chronic health problems like Type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
Adapted from: Benefits of Powerlifting by Brenda Scottsdale (www.thenest.com)