2 minute read
Our Favourite STRONG Moment
60 STRONG and Our FavouriteSTRONG MOMENT
Anyone who uses age as an excuse not to lift needs to meet Compliance Manager and competitive powerlifter, Peta Day. With a host of podium finishes and epic personal bests already under her belt, Day now has her eyes set on a podium finish at the World Powerlifting Championships in Canada in October 2019.
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Day first discovered her love for the weights room as a young 20-something single parent of two boys, who needed a way to feel strong – in mind as much as body. She’s now been training for over 31 years – originally using bodybuilding methods, before moving to powerlifting four years ago. “I knew I had made the right decision when I first put on the green and gold uniform and lifted for my country in two international championships,” she says. While Day’s week-by-week training load varies according to goals and lifting cycle, she makes a point of training four days per week, with each session 2.5 to three hours long. She swears by a high-carb snack just before she lifts, and loves sessions that tackle her core and posterior chain. “Being tall, I have to train a little harder than shorter people to overcome the disadvantage of long levers,” she says. Preventing injury is key for any professional lifter, but particularly as you age and bone density begins to fall. Day incorporates a 20-minute warm-up before each session, comprising specific mobility and activation drills that target any weak or sore areas. “I also video most of my lifts to self-check form, and I have regular sessions with my coach and exercise physiologist to tweak my technique and address any niggles before they develop into injury,” she says. Day’s advice for aspiring weight lifters who want to take up the barbell later in life? “Never believe you are ‘too old’ to start training! Set a goal and make a realistic plan to get there. Get a coach or a qualified trainer to prescribe a program of measurable and progressive overload, and who can teach you how to lift with good form,” she says. “Apart from physical strength and injury prevention, the most significant weight lifting benefit I’ve experienced is a stronger mindset. There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when you smash the day’s training numbers and achieve the goals you set yourself 12 months ago.” S
POWERLIFTING HIGHLIGHTS
1. MARCH 2017 First Australian Masters deadlift record with 140.5kg.
2.DECEMBER 2018 Personal Best total of 325kg at the World Powerlifting Oceania Championships in the 55 to 59 years category.
3.JUNE 2019 Won gold in the 60 to 64 years category at the Australian Masters Championships, which qualified Day for the World Powerlifting Championships in October 2019.
