Words by Harley-Anna Tillotson
In the 2000s, only 10% of women participated in regular strength training. No surprise, then, that growing up I never considered fitness to be anything beyond PE lessons — netball, athletics and the occasional session on a running machine. Strength training? That was for the big, muscle-bound guys at the gym, right?
Fast forward to today, and that number has soared to 27%. More women are picking up weights, whether influenced by social media, the growing awareness of strength training’s health benefits, or simply discovering the empowerment that comes with lifting heavy.
I found my own love for powerlifting completely by accident.
From weight loss to powerlifting
As an adult, I joined a gym and got a personal trainer with one goal in mind: to lose weight. I remember sitting in the consultation room, making it clear which types of exercise I wasn’t interested in — I didn’t want to run or cycle, for example.
“So, what about weights?” my trainer asked.
Weights? That wasn’t something I had ever considered. My only mental image of the weights section was guys grunting loudly and flexing in the mirror. But I was open to trying something different, so I gave it a shot.
As I trained, I kept hearing the term ‘powerlifting’. I learned that powerlifting focuses on three main movements: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. In a powerlifting competition, you get three attempts at each lift. If at least two judges approve your lift (signalled by two or more white lights), it counts. Your best lift in each category is totalled for your final score. The higher your total, the better you place.
Three years of training on and off later, I finally stepped onto the competition platform for the first time.
My first powerlifting competition experience
Competing was something I’d thought about but never seriously pursued — until this year. I set myself two goals for my first competition:
- Go 9/9 on my lifts, meaning all my lifts would be successful under competition standards.
- Hit a personal best (PB) in each lift, proving to myself that I could push my limits. While I didn’t achieve these exactly as I’d hoped, the experience taught me so much more. I missed my final lift — not because I wasn’t strong enough, but because I needed to refine my form. In the gym, I would have counted it as a PB, but powerlifting competitions have strict standards. One move of my toe lost me that lift. That miss pushed me back into the gym with a new determination to perfect my technique when the weights feel heavy. In my prep, I had never gone heavier than 110kg in my deadlifts or squats, but with more in the tank, I never knew what to do when things were outside of my comfort zone.
Being part of powerlifting history
What made my first meet even more special was competing in a historic event: the first all-female powerlifting competition held by the WRFP federation, Iron Maidens. It was an event run entirely by women, from the referees to the commentators to the platform crew. Tickets sold out quickly, and there was even a waiting list to get in.
The women I competed with weren’t just strong — they were supportive, encouraging and welcoming. When they heard it was my first time, they offered advice, reassured me and cheered me on. It never felt like a competition. I felt like I was at the gym with additional cheerleaders.
And the cherry on top? I won my category! I placed first in the 90kg+ junior wrapped division, walking away with a medal and an experience I’ll never forget.
Why more women are turning to strength training
Looking back, I never imagined I’d be here competing in powerlifting, lifting weights heavier than I ever thought possible, and being part of a growing movement of strong women.
The rise in female participation in strength sports isn’t just a trend; it’s a shift in how women view fitness. More women are realizing that lifting weights isn’t about getting ‘bulky’ — it’s about getting strong and being more confident.
If you’ve ever thought about strength training but felt intimidated, let me tell you this: just start.
You don’t need to be the strongest in the room or have any experience. Walk into that weight section, pick up the barbell and see where it takes you.
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