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March 6, 2023

Victoria Long Sets Elephant Bar Deadlift World Record of 651 Pounds During Highly Competitive Contest

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 11:32 pm

Long had a weekend to remember all around.

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It’d be hard to top the weekend of March 2-5, 2023 for Victoria Long. While the strongwoman captured her second consecutive Arnold Strongwoman Classic (ASC) title in Columbus, OH, she notched a remarkable feat in the process. On the second day of competition, Long set a new World Record by completing an Elephant Bar Deadlift of 295.2 kilograms (651 pounds). It was quite the way to put a cherry on top of a fruitful performance.

The Elephant Bar deadlift was introduced by Rogue Fitness and made its debut during the 2016 ASC, though it didn’t have a record among strongwomen competitors until 2020. An Elephant Bar is a specialized barbell manufactured by Rogue Fitness. The 10-foot length is significantly longer than a traditional barbell, which allows the bar to bend as an athlete pulls through the range of motion. The extended distance also adds “whip” to the lockout position as the weights rebound slightly from momentum. Overall, this combination makes the lift uniquely challenging compared to other deadlift variations.

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A little later in the competition, 10th-place ASC finisher Tamara Walcott would match Long’s mark by pulling identical weight. During the 2022 Rogue Record Breakers, Walcott had previously set the Elephant Bar Deadlift record with a pull of 290.7 kilograms (641 pounds) at the 2022 ASC. The athlete has now added 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds) to her all-time best number. Both competitors utilized lifting belts for support. Long applied lifting straps, which are in abidance with Strongwoman rules, to assist with the milestone.

Notably, Walcott opted not to use any grip support, likely owing to her experience as a competitive powerlifter where straps are not permitted. However, fans and commentators were notably surprised by Walcott’s significant struggle to achieve a decisive lockout compared to Long’s apparent ease with the record lift. Nonetheless, for Long and Walcott to put on a show with this variation of a barbell remains impressive.

On a wide-spanning competitive level, Long’s victory and record-setting performance are nothing new for the strongwoman superstar. According to Strongman Archives, the athlete has only ever fallen short of a win once in six career contests — her competitive debut at the 2019 World’s Strongest Woman (WSW) contest. Ever since, Long has maintained a spotless resume including two America’s Strongest Woman titles (2021, 2022), the 2022 Shaw Classic championship, and now two consecutive ASC titles.

As for Walcott, after a disappointing competitive strongwoman debut, matching the Elephant Bar Deadlift record was likely a welcome way to finish. Transitioning from powerlifting to strongwoman and vice versa can be challenging for athletes. For Walcott to find a way to maximize her initial appearance could speak volumes of massive improvements should she continue in strongwoman competitions. For additional context on prowess in her first professional strength sport, according to Open Powerlifting, Walcott has not lost a powerlifting competition since October 2019.

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Long may have enjoyed the victory en route to her second title win. To notch a World Record in a prestigious contest is not insignificant and speaks to the growing power of one of the most formidable women competitors in strength sports.

Featured image: @roguefitness on Instagram

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December 9, 2022

2023 Arnold Strongman Classic Rosters Revealed

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Here’s who heading to Columbus in March.

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There are some strongperson contests that might have more gravitas to them. Competitions that become forks in the road in stellar careers. One of them is the annual Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC). With the 2023 edition mere months away in Columbus, OH, some of its puzzle pieces are starting to fall into place.

On Dec. 7-8, 2022, the Arnold Sports Festival Instagram page revealed the respective Men’s and Women’s rosters for the 2023 ASC, scheduled to take place on March 2-5, 2023.

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On the Men’s side, some noteworthy confirmed competitors include two-time defending World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Tom Stoltman and 2022 Giants Live World Tour Finals champion Mitchell Hooper. On the Women’s side, powerlifter Tamara Walcott — the deadlift and total World Record holder in the 90-plus kilogram division — will make her strongwoman debut. Meanwhile, current Log Lift World Record holder, former World’s Strongest Woman (WSW) champion (2018), and 2022 WSW runner-up Andrea Thompson will try to parlay her recent momentum into a victory.

Here’s an overview of both rosters for the 2023 ASC:

2023 Arnold Strongman Classic Roster | Men

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2023 Arnold Strongman Classic Roster | Women

  • Tamara Walcott (U.S. Virgin Islands)
  • Andrea Thompson (United Kingdom)
  • Olga Liashchuk (Ukraine)
  • Inez Carrasquillo (Puerto Rico)
  • Melissa Peacock (Canada)
  • Hannah Linzay (United States)
  • Nadia Stowers (United States)
  • Victoria Long (United States)
  • Samantha Belliveau (Canada)
  • Donna Moore (United Kingdom)

For the Men, the reigning champion Martins Licis will not appear to defend his title. Nor will the 2022 runner-up Oleksii Novikov. Overall, the Men’s field has four challengers taking vacated roster spots from the 2022 edition — Hooper, Mateusz Kieliszkowski, Pavlo Nakonechnyy, and Tom Evans.

Notably, Kieliszkowski returns to the ASC after notching two consecutive podium finishes in 2019-2020. Luke Stoltman and Bobby Thompson also return after tying for third place in 2022. Someone like Hooper — who won two of his last three strongman appearances to close out 2022 — may make noise, too. That respective group could make for a fascinating battle, should any of them improve upon their past results.

Meanwhile, top contenders for the Women’s title might include 2022 WSW champion Olga Liashchuk, three-time WSW winner Donna Moore (2016-2017, 2019), and Thompson. With no established precedent at a strongwoman contest, it’s difficult to ascertain how an athlete like Walcott might fare. However, her unique strength could make her a potential dark horse, too.

2022 ASC Events

Shortly after the official rosters were announced, the Arnold Sports Festival revealed the event lineup — which is notably the same for both the men’s and women’s fields. The events are as follows:

  • Wheel of Pain
  • The Austrian Oak
  • Elephant Bar Deadlift
  • Unspunnen Stone Throw
  • Timber Frame Carry

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There’s still plenty of time before the 2023 ASC officially launches. That means all bets could be off as these star-studded rosters of elite strongpeople try to shine in Columbus in March.

Featured image: @mitchellhooper on Instagram

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April 8, 2022

Tamara Walcott Notches 151.95-Kilogram Bench Press (335 Pounds) for 2 Reps,

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:20 pm

Roughly four years ago, at the age of 34, Tamara Walcott began competitive powerlifting. Ever since, as one of the sport’s rising names, she’s more than made up for any perceived lost time. On April 7, 2022, ahead of the 2022 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) American Pro, Walcott shared some of her recent training progress when she locked out a 151.95-kilogram (335 pounds) bench press for two reps. 

Check out the lift below via Walcott’s Instagram profile: 

[Related: Powerlifter Amanda Lawrence Wins Best Overall Lifter At 2022 AMP Classic Open Nationals]

Never Giving Up

Walcott’s journey to powerlifting success is notable because of the adversity she’s overcome. On top of crushing deadlifts and squats professionally, she’s a single mother with two kids, working a full-time job, and a business owner. Any person might have trouble juggling so much on their plate, but, thus far, it doesn’t appear to have been an issue for Walcott.

As a prominent powerlifter with a platform, Walcott knows she can’t let up. She appears to be more than happy to wear this honor with pride. 

“Just like the video said, I ain’t never giving up,” Walcott wrote in the post’s caption. “Why? Because I do this for me. The bonus in the process is what I do inspires others! I’m humbled by that, but that can’t be our driving force. We have to be our driving force.”

Indeed, Walcott is not short on situations where she’s been a quality powerlifting role model. In eight career competitions, she has seven victories. In one of her more recent wins at the 2021 WRPF The Bucked Up Showdown, she pulled a current world deadlift of 288.5 kilograms (606 pounds).

Always make sure you take care of you first

Still, her success doesn’t mean she can always go full steam ahead. Walcott appears to understand that attaining powerlifting glory is a gradual process — which explains why she says she took a recent approximate week’s break from training. To Walcott, every small victory, at a good pace, holds merit in a long and fulfilling journey. 

“I always listen to my body,” Walcott continued. “I’m back for now, and I’m coming with a vengeance. There is work to be done. There are records to break. So preparation and proactiveness are key! I’m a beast; therefore, maintenance routinely is essential.”

[Related: Powerlifter Tiffany Chapon Exceeds Total & Squat World Records While Training]

The Queen of Deadlifts

Walcott doesn’t seem to show any desire to squander her current opportunity. In recent interviews, she hasn’t been shy in passionately discussing how her foray into powerlifting remade her self-image.

More importantly, while taking care of her personal life, Walcott says she now possesses revitalizing energy that she wants to transfer to others. Her March 2022 spot on Access Hollywood saw her dive into more detail on the past and this ongoing honorable mission for visibility:

“I’m at a crossroad, I can’t keep doing this, I have to live for my kids,” Walcott said of her mindset during her low point. “I have to be here for them. I have to change my life. So, I decided to go back to the gym and lose some weight.”

It’s the next step that might have changed not only Walcott’s life trajectory but perhaps the future of powerlifting. While working out one day, she saw a few athletes clanging weights and “throwing chalk around.” The rest was history.

“I asked about it, and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, they’re powerlifters, that’s what they’re doing,’” Walcott said. “And I was like, I want a piece of that.”

As for whether Walcott would endorse powerlifting to other women, her answer could not have been more resounding. 

“I would recommend it [powerlifting] to more women, especially since I have a 15-year-old daughter,” Walcott said. “It translates to so many aspects of your life. It keeps you dedicated, motivated. You’re able to go in the gym and do things you thought you couldn’t do. Not only has it changed me physically, it’s changed me mentally. It’s made me mentally strong.”

As she continues to expand her reach, Walcott is hosting an upcoming open forum about tackling stereotypes on April 24, 2022, in New York City. Tickets for the event can be purchased on her website. Walcott’s next competition — the 2022 WRPF American Pro — will take place on July 29-30, 2022, in Manassas, VA. 

Featured image: @plussize_fitqueen4.0. on Instagram

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March 25, 2022

Powerlifter Tamara Walcott’s Next Competition Will Be the 2022 WRPF American Pro

Filed under: Fitness — Tags: , , , — admin @ 5:08 pm

It didn’t take long for powerlifter Tamara Walcott to make a name for herself in the competitive scene. Since starting her career in 2018, she has won seven of the eight competitions she has participated in. That includes the 2021 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) The Bucked Up Showdown in Kansas City, MO, where she pulled the current raw deadlift world record of 288.5 kilograms (606 pounds).

Walcott is not done pulling off staggering feats of strength. On Wednesday, March 23, 2022, Walcott announced she will compete in the 2022 World Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) American Pro over her Instagram. The event will occur at The Salisbury Center in Manassas, VA, from July 29-30, 2022. In what seems like typical Walcott fashion, she made the announcement while doing five sets of paused deficit deadlifts with 215 kilograms and three sets of paused deficit pulls with 199 kilograms. Check out Walcott’s announcement below, courtesy of her Instagram page:

[Related: Powerlifter Prescillia Bavoil (69KG) Wins 2022 FFForce French Nationals, Scores Two Unofficial IPF Records]

Walcott’s Journey

Sometimes there’s far more to lifting aspirations than simply picking up incredible amounts of weight. According to her website, Walcott entered the powerlifting sphere because she wanted to get healthier and find a quality, controlled outlet for the stresses of her daily life. Powerlifting seemed like a natural transition for such a goal with enough dedication and effort. 

After finding her groove and losing a significant amount of weight (over 100 pounds) over a year, Walcott entered competitive powerlifting. She won her first two powerlifting competitions at the 2018 Rumble on Pratt Street and the 2018 USAPL 2nd Annual I STEP Invitational Veterans Day Meet — both taking place in Baltimore, MD. From there, it was mostly smooth sailing. Until the 2022 WRPF The Ghost Clash in Miami, FL, held on Feb. 13, 2022.

[Related: Powerlifters Need Bodybuilding]

Walcott entered the event with two lofty missions. First, to eclipse April Mathis’s all-time raw squat and total world records of 278 kilograms (615 pounds) and 730.2 kilograms (1,610 pounds), respectively. Then, while she was at it, shatter her deadlift world record.

Walcott had previously accomplished two of the feats in training — more than 14 pounds on the deadlift and almost 10 pounds on the squat. It was time to transfer that strength to a competition like The Ghost Clash and piece together a laudable performance.

Alas, it wasn’t to be.

Walcott missed each attempt at the world records. The combined pressure and anxiousness of competing against some of powerlifting’s most prominent names on a grand stage appeared to be too much to overcome. No matter. Competitive powerlifting may well reward continued resilience and diligence. The upcoming 2022 American Pro might be the perfect opportunity for Walcott to push for these stratospheric achievements again. 

[Related: Powerlifter Jamal Browner Pulls A Conventional Deadlift PR Of 432.5 Kilograms (953.5 Pounds) In Training]

An Important Platform

As her name grew in prominence, Walcott appeared on The Ellen Show in November 2021. There, she discussed with Ellen Degeneres how she took up powerlifting while raising two children. To cap her appearance, she performed two raw deadlifts — 224.52 kilograms (495 pounds) and 247.2 kilograms (545 pounds) — in front of the live studio audience. Check out Walcott’s entire interview with Degeneres below:

[Related: Powerlifter Jessica Buettner (76KG) Deadlifts 252.5 Kilograms In Training For New PR]

With great power comes great responsibility. Walcott understands the weight behind this axiom as a single mom with two kids, her own business, a nine-to-five job, and a budding powerlifting career. She wants to take great care to use her platform for one noble good: Making powerlifting more visible in the mainstream. 

“This is so much bigger than myself,” Walcott told BarBend in a recent interview. “I’m trying to take it (powerlifting) to ESPN. What do we have to do to get powerlifting on the platform for the world to see?”

If Walcott can already go on national television with one world record to her name, the sky might be the limit. 

The American Pro is Next

The 2022 WRPF American Pro will run from Friday, July 29, 2022, to Saturday, July 30, 2022. It will take place at The Salisbury Center in Manassas, VA. It will be the first time Walcott participates in the competition and her first event since the 2022 WRPF The Ghost Clash. You can purchase in-person spectator tickets online for either day of the event on the competition’s website. 

Featured image: @plussize_fitqueen4.0. on Instagram

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