Nadine Hettinga might just be the strongest woman you’ve never heard of. She’s a streetlifter — a burgeoning strength sport focused mainly around 1-rep max weighted calisthenics.
On Jun. 4, 2024, Hettinga posted a truly extraordinary feat of strength to social media. Reportedly a world record, 57-kilogram (125.6-pound) Hettinga performed a weighted triceps dip while wearing an 80-kilogram (176.3-pound) dip belt.
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Weighted dips are a challenging bodyweight exercise variation even for veteran gym-goers. For a 125-pound woman like Hettinga to perform a pristine loaded dip with more than her own weight hanging from her waist in a competitive setting is nothing less than incredible.
Nadine Hettinga’s Jaw-Dropping Upper Body Strength
Let’s contextualize this lift in a very simple way: According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the average American adult woman weighs around 170 pounds. (1)
In essence, Hettinga strapped another adult woman to her waist, suspended herself from parallel bars, dipped down, and pushed herself back up using only her arms.
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- In Context: According to USA Streetlifting, the American record weighted dip at 63 kilograms stands at +33.75 kilograms as of May 23, 2024. Hettinga competes at a lower weight (57 kilos) and had nearly 50 kilograms more around her waist.
What Is Streetlifting?
Streetlifting is a niche — but rapidly growing — strength sport that combines elements of powerlifting with bodyweight training and gymnastics.
According to a social media post from USA Streetlifting, streetlifting is: “…A competitive weighted calisthenics sport that tests one-rep maxes in 4 weighted calisthenics movements.”
Those four movements, in which athletes are allotted three attempts to lift the heaviest weight, are:
- Muscle-Up
- Pull-Up or Chin-Up
- Dip
- Back Squat
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Per Calisthenics World, streetlifting is a two-movement biathlon contesting the pull-up or chin-up and dip, though some competitions may include the other two exercises as well. Of those four exercises, only the back squat is lower-body dominant and is likely included to ensure athletes maintain balanced strength development throughout their careers.
- Hettinga is a rising star in an emerging strength sport. Streetlifting seems to be a marriage of strength and grace; similar to Olympic weightlifting in that it demands both exceptional power and robust flexibility and athleticism.
More Feats of Strength on BarBend
- 2024 World Bench Press Championships Results
- Hampton Morris Breaks 50-Year Weightlifting World Record Drought for USA
- These Are (Some) of the Heaviest Back Squats Ever
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, September 10). FASTSTATS – body measurements. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Featured Image: @nadinehettinga_ / Instagram
