Laura Porter is one of the fantastic women who answered my call for plus size women athletes, artists and creatives. She is a competitive power lifter whose strength is her ultimate advantage.

What got you interested in lifting?

I’ve never been sporty – not even in school. I’ve also always been on the larger side – never less than a size 14 (UK size) growing up. When I was 30/31 (and a size 16/18) I noticed that running for the bus & walking up the stairs at the train station left me breathless, and that got me worried. So I decided to start getting some exercise for my health.

At the time I was working for a company which had an in-house gym with discounted personal training sessions. As I had no idea how to exercise, I signed up for a few sessions to get myself started. The sessions – mostly cardio with some lights weights – were punishing, but I quickly saw an improvement in my breathing/stamina, and got hooked.

The thing I most enjoyed about the sessions was the weights, but there was no serious weightlifting equipment at my work gym. So with the encouragement of my physical therapist I looked for a gym or classes where weightlifting would be the main focus. I ended up joining a class based at an adult-education centre in east London. I didn’t realise at the time, but this gym – Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club – is quite a historic one (founded in 1927) which has produced many champions in both Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting over the years. At my first session, the coach asked me what I was looking to do, I said I didn’t really know – I just wanted to be strong! He got me started on powerlifting, as I’d just happened to sign up for classes on the night when he taught powerlifting. And so, completely by accident, I ended up lifting at quite a well-known gym under a respected powerlifting coach.

How has lifting and strength building changed your day to day life?

I used to hate sport, and now it’s a major focus of my life. I lift at Bethnal Green 3 times a week, which is a big commitment (not least because the gym is an hour away from my house via public transport!). The atmosphere at my gym is more like a family than a business – I see the same people at each session, so I’ve made a new friends.

Physically, I’m still the same weight as I was before, but my health has improved – I no longer get breathless, my blood pressure is normal, and I have a resting heart rate of about 55bpm. And obviously I’m stronger – carrying groceries home isn’t a chore, I can flex my biceps, I can lift up my boyfriend….

One thing that’s not changed is my weight – I’m still within the same weight range as I was before (plus or minus 2kg). However I’m physically smaller – a size 14/16 now.

 

I used to hate sport, and now it’s a major focus of my life.

Do you encounter challenges in lifting that a smaller-sized person might not? What would those challenges be?

Not really. In powerlifting, many of the best competitors are also large people (see Andy Bolton for an example). There is no impetus to be slim in powerlifting; the only time weight is mentioned is for working out how much you can lift compared to your body size (the heavier you are, the more you are expected to be able to lift). When competing, the competitors are divided up into weight classes, and while competing I’ve had to shed a bit of mass in order to “make weight”, but it’s only ever a temporary thing (and I put it on again straight away!)

The only real physical challenges I’ve ever had have been in relation to my boobs – they get in the way for some exercises (e.g. an upright barbell row!). But they’re also a boon for others – in the bench press, a full rep is only counted if you touch your chest at the bottom of the rep. Because my boobs stick out a long way, I don’t have to move the bar as far as others might!

 

Could you describe your lifting routine? How do you decide what to work?

I tend to do what my coach tells me! Mostly we follow a modified version of something called the Wendler 5-3-1 program. In a typical week I’ll lift 3 times, for 70-90 minutes each time (depends how busy the gym is), and I’ll spend an equal amount of time on lower- and upper-body exercises. For example, I’ll do some squats (lower-body) and bench pressing (upper-body) as my main exercises, and then four different assistance exercises, two each for the lower- and upper-body.

I also do a boxing circuit class once a week, and have another 40-50 minute cardio session once a week, both at my workplace’s gym.

 

The only real physical challenges I’ve ever had have been in relation to my boobs – they get in the way for some exercises (e.g. an upright barbell row!). But they’re also a boon for others – in the bench press, a full rep is only counted if you touch your chest at the bottom of the rep. Because my boobs stick out a long way, I don’t have to move the bar as far as others might!

When you’re in a lifting competition, what is the objective? To lift the most weights? To show the most muscle definition? How does that all work?

The only objective in powerlifting is to move the most weight! There are three moves, and you get three attempts at each one – the squat, the bench press and the deadlift. There are certain criteria that each lift must meet; for example: in the bench press, the bar much touch your chest at the bottom of the rep, and your arms must be locked out at the top; in the squat, your legs above the knee must go below parallel. There will be three referees watching your lift, and they will either fail or pass your lift depending on whether you meet the criteria.

Competitors are divided up by age & weight – I lift in the seniors (ages 23-40), and in the 72kg weight category. For “raw” powerlifting competitions – which is what I take part in – you are not allowed to wear any compression clothing, gloves or wraps. The standard uniform is a single-ply leotard, t-shirt, long socks and flat sneakers.

I’ll be honest and say I’ve never won a competition, and I probably never will – there are women out there who lift weights that blow my mind. But that doesn’t stop me competing – despite pretty much always coming last (someone has to!) I love the atmosphere of competition, and I like trying to set new personal records in a disciplined environment.

What do you have to do to prepare for a competition?

Train train train! I will train really hard up until a week before the competition, then take a week off to rest completely. I usually have to lose a small amount of weight in order to make competition weight (my normal weight is about 74kg, but my class is 72kg) so I’ll quit drinking alcohol for about 6 weeks before and stop eating quite so much chocolate (which makes me sad!). The only other things I have to do is make sure my oh-so-flattering (not!) leotard is clean, and I’m good to go.

I see scattered hearsay about supplements, nutrition, and steroids when there’s talk of weight lifting. What is your experience with this?

If I was more serious about  lifting, and really wanted to win, I’d pay more attention to my nutrition. As it is, I eat a pretty regular diet – I drink alcohol, I eat ice-cream if I want it, I don’t weigh out protein or eat a whole chicken for breakfast or anything like that. I’m still a foodie at heart! The only regime I’d say I follow is intuitive eating – I eat what I like, when my body wants it, just not too much.

I’ve never seen steroids being used at my gym, and the federation I’m a member of (the Great Britain Powerlifting Federation) does random drug-testing anyhow.

Is competitive weight lifting still uncommon for women?

It is for powerlifting. I’ve taken part in 3 competitions, and I’ve only encountered 3 other women competitors in those. There are definitely more women in Olympic weightlifting, probably because it’s a more widely-known sport than powerlifting and is often televised (Olympic weightlifting involves taking the bar above your head). Powerlifting tends to be more related to “World’s Strongest Man”-type sports, which possibly puts many women off.

What do you like about weight lifting? What would you change about it?

I like being strong, and I love that it’s a sport where you can legitimately be heavy and no-one cares. As long as you can move some weight, who cares how you look? I have a big belly and wobbly thighs, but those are completely unrelated to my performance.

As for what I’d change – well, I’d make it a more widely-known sport! The IOC is currently reviewing powerlifting as an Olympic sport (it’s already a Paralympic sport) and that would bring it to a wider audience.

As for weightlifting in general: I’d love to see more women using weights. There is a stubborn myth that if you lift heavy weights you’ll bulk up “like a man”, but that’s not true. It is VERY hard to bulk up – even for men – and there’s no way it’s going to happen accidentally. Lifting weights is not going to make you any less feminine.

It would be great if, when a person decides to get active, they knew that lifting is an option along with Couch to 5k or Zumba (not that those aren’t great things to do!). You don’t need to be an already-active person to start lifting.

What do you think people should know about you, about weight lifting, and about being competitive?

• That you don’t need to be slim or sporty to start lifting. Anyone can do it. In fact, I’d say larger ladies have a natural advantage at lower-body exercises like the squat and deadlift, because their legs are already naturally strong. But I say that as a layperson, not an expert!
• That the weights room at the gym isn’t scary. Those big muscly guys in there won’t even notice you coming in, not if they’re concentrating on their own workout. And they won’t roll their eyes at you if you ask for a tip or to be spotted – if they’re enthusiasts, they won’t hold back on the advice!

In competitions I’m only ever really competing against myself. But it’s good to push myself, nonetheless. The feeling when I hit a new personal best is amazing. I’m always terrified before a competition, but as soon as I’m finished I want to start all over again!

Mostly I just want people to know about weight & powerlifting as a sport, that’s it’s brilliantly rewarding, and that it really is for everyone.