It’s not easy being a woman who loves lifting heavy. The weight doesn’t care about your gender – but the world still does. Every rep, every PR, every bruised shin or callused hand becomes more than training – it’s a badge of honor for those women brave enough to buck the norm… a statement that says: We’re here, and we’re strong as hell.
For female athletes in strength sports like powerlifting or strongman – the weight is never just on the bar – it’s cultural, societal and internal.
How do I know?
Because I am one of those women.
You may know me as Carly, the social media manager for Nutrex – but I’m also an active competitor in powerlifting and travel all over the US to compete in my passion.
And everywhere I go, no matter what other girls I talk to – I hear the same thing: that the struggle becomes part of the story.
Let’s talk about it…
Struggles Under The Iron
Walk into any strongman competition or powerlifting meet – and you’ll notice the looks.
Some are respect. Others are doubt.
Too many people still think “strength” is a man’s word.
For women in strength sports – that doubt becomes fuel.
We take the whispers and turn them into our battle cries.
Every deadlift is proof. Every atlas stone hoisted is evidence that we’re here – and we’re here to STAY.
But the grind isn’t just competition day – it’s long hours under the iron in gyms where we’re often the ONLY woman using the squat rack.
But the struggle doesn’t crush us…
It builds us!
Grit With a Girly Side
Here’s the truth: we’re not trying to “be like men.”
We’re women – but were gritty, resilient and most importantly, unapologetically ourselves.
We can squat double our bodyweight in the morning and still show up to dinner looking like a smoke show.
We can grind out heavy farmer carries with chipped nail polish and then laugh about it later.
Strength doesn’t erase femininity – to us – it amplifies it. It lets us own every side of ourselves without compromise. We’re tough enough to bleed for PRs and graceful enough to throw on a little lip gloss after.
Grit and girly aren’t opposites – they’re fuel for the same fire…
And that’s what makes us dangerous.
The Weight We Carry Outside the Gym
The barbell is heavy – but to be honest – the judgment is heavier.
Strangers still ask why we’d choose this path…
Why risk looking “too muscular” or “too intense.”
Family members sometimes suggest we “tone it down”…
But strength isn’t just about physical size – it’s about freedom.
We don’t need to conform. We don’t need to apologize. Our bodies are built to move mountains – and our spirits carry that same weight with a smile on our faces.
Smashing Stereotypes
Strength sports expose the lies we’ve been told for decades…
That women are supposed to be small, quiet, delicate – that lifting heavy will make us less feminine and less desirable.
But we smash those stereotypes every day when we step into the gym and tighten that weight belt.
Every pull, every press, every stone lifted shows the world we can be BOTH.
We prove that femininity is not weakness and strength is not exclusively masculine.
The chalk on our hands and the bruises on our legs are battle scars against old ideas.
And if we’re really being honest – each PR is more than just a number – it’s another crack in that glass ceiling that we were never meant to break through.
The Real Win
Strength sports aren’t just about totals or podiums…
They’re about reclaiming ownership over our bodies and proving that femininity and ferocity are allies. The victory isn’t only in medals – it’s in every woman who steps under a bar and refuses to give up her bench because the big guys are waiting for it.
It’s in every athlete who shows young girls that “lifting like a girl” means powerful, capable and unshakeable.
The grind is hard. The judgment is real…
But victory is walking away stronger in every sense – and that’s what keeps us coming back – bruised but never broken and pretty AF!
“The strongest actions for a woman is to love herself, be herself, and shine amongst those who never believed she could.” – Unknown
Editor’s Note: At Nutrex, we don’t care about what gender you are – we’re just care about helping you reach your goals – whatever they may be. If size and strength is what you’re chasing we can help – because that’s why we created the next-level anabolic primer – ANABOL HARDCORE. If you’re ready to fuel your lifts and push past limits – grab your bottle of ANABOL HARDCORE today.
