Today I’m talking to strongwoman Victoria Long. She’s a pro strongwoman, the current America’s Strongest Woman, and a 2-time Arnold Pro Strongwoman Champion. She’s also a world record holder in the Elephant Bar deadlift, having pulled 651 pounds earlier this year at the Arnold in strongman style. We talk about her background in strength — she really only started competing seriously in 2019 — and mental tips for turning back days into small (or in her case, sometimes big) wins. It could be argued Victoria is the strongest overall woman in the world right now — some more wins could cement that — so it’s rare to get training, nutrition, and mindset insight from someone at this level.
In this episode of the BarBend Podcast, host David Thomas Tao talks to Victoria Long about:
- Why “cheat meals” actually start BEFORE the competition (2:45)
- Did Victoria have the best competition turnaround in strength history? (6:30)
- Pulling the heaviest women’s deadlift in history (11:20)
- Is the “wheel of pain” the toughest implement in strength? (14:50)
- Victoria’s first competition (17:40)
- Fighting (or ignoring) social media trolls (21:00)
- Celebrating the women who lift each other up (23:15)
Relevant links and further reading:
- Follow Victoria on Instagram
- Follow David Thomas Tao on Instagram and Twitter
