In this episode of Perf Podcasts, Natalie Laalaai discusses her powerlifting journey and preparations for the upcoming World Championships. A key focus of the conversation is her transition from feeling demotivated after the World Championships to regaining her intentionality for the Nationals. She credits a structured nutrition plan from Daisy and regular remedial massages for her improved performance at Nationals, where she achieved a personal best and reclaimed her national record.

Natalie highlights the challenges of training post-Worlds, including a lack of motivation and a disorganized training routine. However, the announcement of the World Games in China reinvigorated her desire to compete, leading to a more focused preparation for Nationals. During this preparation, she successfully cut her body weight, which significantly contributed to her winning the Best Lifter title.

Looking ahead, Natalie aims to podium at the World Championships and break her world record again. She mentions the adjustments made to her training regimen to address a bicep issue, which includes modifying her bench press technique and incorporating more shoulder exercises. Natalie expresses a blend of excitement and nervousness but remains focused on bringing her best performance to the upcoming Worlds.

In this episode of Athlete Things - Road to Lithuania, host Bobby Tan welcomes Meghan Scanlon, a prominent figure in powerlifting from the US. Meghan, a 2022 world champion and four-time national champion, delves into her athletic journey. Before powerlifting, she was engaged in marathons and Ironmans during her early to mid-20s, transitioning to powerlifting in her late 20s. She reflects on the competitive drive that has followed her from her initial sports through to her powerlifting career, where meticulous training and handling competition nerves have been central themes.

Meghan discusses her transition from running to finding a passion in powerlifting, a sport where she quickly recognized her potential to compete at both national and international levels. Her competitive history is marked by her participation in the World Championships, with her first in Helsingborg in 2019 where she notably finished second. Meghan shares the intense and rewarding experience of competing at the highest level, where she traded world records during the competition.

The conversation also touches on her experiences competing during the COVID-19 pandemic, including competing at the Arnold just before lockdowns began and navigating the challenges of competing and training through her pregnancies. Meghan's journey reflects a blend of resilience and strategic adaptation, emphasizing how her background in various sports has contributed to her disciplined approach to training and competition in powerlifting. Her story is one of continuous personal and professional growth, underscored by her triumphant return to the world stage post-motherhood, culminating in a world title in 2022.

In this episode of Athlete Things, Kathleen Manson Beggs, a dynamic powerlifter who has climbed from the 52kg to the 63kg weight class, shares her experiences and insights. Kathleen began her powerlifting journey in her garage during the COVID-19 lockdown, using Zoom sessions to train with her coach, Steve. This transition was pivotal, not only in her training environment moving to Brisbane but also in her competition weight class, enhancing her overall health and performance.

Throughout the episode, Kathleen discusses her dietary approach, emphasising her preference to maintain a heavier weight class which allows her to enjoy eating more and avoiding strict dieting regimes. Her journey illustrates a significant improvement in her recovery times and general well-being, advocating for a balance that supports both physical and mental health.

Kathleen also touches on her previous competitive experiences, highlighting her initial struggles with weight management and how moving up weight classes allowed her to compete more effectively and comfortably. As she prepares for her debut at the World Championships, Kathleen shares her anticipation and strategies, aiming for personal bests and a rewarding competition experience. Her story is a testament to the importance of aligning one’s athletic pursuits with personal well-being and fulfilment.

In the latest episode of Perf Podcasts' "Athlete Things: Road to Worlds 2024, Lithuania," host Bobby Tan interviews Clinton Lee, a distinguished figure in Singapore's powerlifting scene. 

Clinton, who serves as the president of Powerlifting Singapore and co-owns Elevate Barbell Club, shares his experiences and preparations for the upcoming World Championships in Lithuania. Despite the hot climate in Singapore affecting his training, he remains optimistic about the cooler weather in Lithuania, believing it will enhance his performance. 

Clinton discusses his journey through various competitions and his strategies for competing abroad. He emphasises the mental and physical challenges of international competitions, contrasting them with the familiar settings of local events. Clinton’s narrative includes insights into his personal and professional growth, revealing a deep connection between his training outcomes and overall life satisfaction. His story is one of resilience, strategic preparation, and a constant pursuit of excellence on the global stage.

Kirsty Lei came 2nd behind the Australian legend, Elizabeth Craven, at the recent APA National Championships. She's managed to secure herself a ticket to Worlds in Lithuania in the coming months, fulfilling one of her lifetime goals in a short span of time. 

Bobby and Kirsty sit down and discuss how her mindset has shifted ever since starting with Steven, from being a casual gym go-er to now competing at the highest level of powerlifting and the confidence that has come with it.

They breakdown her performance at the recent Australian Championships and how that experience has transformed her into a competitive athlete with bright prospects within the sport. Kirsty's aspirations know no bounds as she sets her eyes on the top of the u57kg class not only within Australia but worldwide.

Bobby sits down with Jessica Espinal, the 47kg Powerlifting America champion!

Jess shares her thoughts around her performance, her move to the IPF from the USAPL and changes she's made to her training after PA Nats. Jess shares her mentality  with external stressors in life while handling her role as a high-performance powerlifting athlete and her approach to the upcoming World Championships in Lithuania. Jess also has exciting plans after her anticipated performance at Worlds!

Bobby sits down with the back-to-back u47kg Australian National Champion, Vicky Kijumnuayporn. She is widely known as one of the strongest female powerlifters in drug-tested Australian powerlifting and has even contested a podium position at the recent IPF Worlds in Malta, 2023. 

Vicky unpacks her prep leading up to the recent Australian National Championships under the new federation, the Australian Powerlifting Alliance. Vicky discusses the challenges she faced in training as well as how the competition day played out. 

Vicky shares her progression throughout the years and her mentality when it comes to competitive powerlifting.

In this episode, Bobby and Steve discuss the role of arousal in training and on competition day. 

They highlight the usefulness of arousal in the right conditions, but also caution lifters of when arousal might result in adverse outcomes. 

Bobby brings up concepts like the transition from "Drive Theory" to the more commonly used "Inverted-U Theory" in sports psychology and how it applies within the context of powerlifting. Steve and Bobby also discuss the similarities between anxiety and arousal and how one might reframe their perception of anxiety to enhance performance instead of hindering it. 

Bobby sits down with Andrew Trieu, the Australian Powerlifting Alliance u66kg 2024 National Champion. 

They discuss his progress from 2022 Nationals where he lost to Yuki Kashima and his progression since then to his recent win at the Australian Nationals. 

Andrew shares his thoughts around how his competition day execution, what his mentality leading into the comp was and his sudden realisation that he had finally cracked a weight class that had been dominated for so long.

Then, Andrew highlights his vision for the upcoming Open Classic World Championships in Lithuania and what he expects to achieve!

Danny and Bobby sit down the new u120kg Champion, Joshua Lanivia, aka "IS THAT TONGANATOR24" aka "120kg OF TONGAN SCHMEAT" and discuss his recent victory at the APA Australian Open Nationals!

They recount his progress since 2022 Nationals where he was a 105kg and follow him through his journey to Perf Cup in April 2023, NSW Open States in late 2023, the recent Nats then his plans for Lithuania.