Weighing in at a lean 51.25 kilograms (113 pounds), Liz Craven is a titan in the powerlifting world. Currently the top ranked 52kg powerlifter on Earth and the top lifter in IPF Australia overall, Liz has been lifting competitively for five years, three of which have been under Mike Tuschscherer of Reactive Training Systems.
Oh, and she just broke her own world record in the raw back squat by lifting an astonishing 155kg (341lb) in a lifting belt, which is 1.5 kilograms over the record. (Check those elephant stomps before she crushes the squat.)
You don’t often see PRs broken with such smooth lifts.
Now, this lift took place during her training for the Arnold Classic, which will be held in Columbus Ohio in March of 2017, so no, it doesn’t officially count. But if you’re already breaking records during training, it’s safe to say there’s a good chance things will go well for Craven when she competes at the international powerlifting meet on the Rogue Fitness stage in Columbus.
“I think it is a very natural thing to want to get stronger,” she has said in the past. “Just on a very basic, animal level. The strongest will survive.”
She posted the lift after completing an extraordinarily in-depth AMA on Reddit this week, where she reveals her tips for mobility (she uses a PVC pipe instead of foam rolling), why she deadlifts four times a week, her favorite prehab exercises, and how she diets and cycles fluid intake in preparation for a meet day. (It’s worth pointing out that she is one of the many athletes who avoid pre-workouts, as they make it difficult for her to focus.)
Craven noted that her main competitor at the Arnold Classic will likely be Marisa Inda, with whom she says she will be “neck and neck.” Best of luck to the two of them come lifting day!
Featured image via @lizpowerlifts on Instagram.
