I had the pleasure of meeting Bonica at USAPL Raw Nationals in 2016, in fact we walked a block or so back to the hotel #namedrop. Bubbly Powerlifter is the best way to describe her! She is as sweet as she is strong and I had the honor to get to know one of my lifting idols a bit better. Hope you enjoy!

Introduce yourself to the GWPL community:

My name is Bonica Lough, I’m 29 Years old originally from Battle Creek, Michigan. I started powerlifting back on November 25th, 2002.  My last meet was Women’s Nationals in February 2008.  I stopped lifting for 5 years, because of life, school, and work.  Got tired of having multiple jobs and wanted to what made me happy.  I changed jobs in February 2013 and decided to start working out again.  Some lifters cought wind that I was lifting again.  I got peer pressured into doing a meet in April 2013.  I did the meet and the ultimate flame came back to me full force and I haven’t stopped since.  I have 9x Open National Titles with raw and equip. 6x IPF Open World Champion, Raw, Equip, Raw Bench Only, 2x Sub Junior World Champion. Own records in Michigan, Nebraska, American, and World.

When did you get into lifting and why?

When I was in junior high, I was one of the good volleyball players on the team for 7th and 8th grade, but when it comes to high school, you have to fit the perfect mold of the typical tall cute skinny little thing or even have the right last name.  Tryouts was during thanksgiving week and I didn’t make the team. Of course as a girl, you go home to your parents and let them know what happened.  Mom wasn’t to happy, went to the athletic director of the school and found out that I could go for cheerleading or powerlifting.  Well of course you know which I picked =] So Thanksgiving weekend I was sad and also nervous as my mom told me that I’m going to try out powerlifting.  November 25th, 2002. Was day one of powerlifting. I went to the weight room after school everyday and learned how to lift.  I learned how to lift in a small classroom sized room.  I want to say around 250 square feet? I remember always having to ask every single set…..how to load the weight for my sets.  Gosh I was horrible at it.  Weeks later I squatted 135 and I was told that the sky is the limit for me.  I did my first meet on December 21st I did my first powerlifting meet. Of course it was raw back then 205-115-205.  I don’t know about if it was 9/9 or 5/9 or 7/9 anything but that’s what I did that day.

652.5 kg/ 1,435.5 lbs Raw  American Record

763 kg/ 1,678.6 lbs Equip World Record

Which of the big 3 is your favorite and why?

Sqauts!!! I think it started because when I began powerlifting, I would hear all the guys complain about squats and how they are hard, it kinda grew inside that I didn’t want the lift to be hard. Maybe that’s when the fierce competitiveness began and I wanted to beat them lol.

Being on Team USA is different than going to a meet. When you go to a world meet, you are around the best of each country.  You are around the ultimate warriors. When's its your day to lift, it your time to fight in the battle. You gotta show that you are the best of your class and you show why you are there.  

I will be honest that when I was on the open team in 2004-2007.  It was closer, more intimate. We were around each other more and bonded more. We would have team dinners together, put in more effort for team pictures, team tables at banquets (kinda 50/50 with that now), closer feeling.  With the social media now a days, everyone is so spread out.

But even with it being different, from then to now.  It's still amazing to be one of the seven to represent USA. To reflect on the previous years of up and downs and you finally made it to the big stage.

Don't be intimidated. Everyone starts at square one.  No one is a freak starting out with 4 plates on the bar.  My first day of lifting was 45-50-55 on squat.  When I came back to lifting, after 5 years off, I started low weights. I didn't write it down so I don't want to quote anything.  But didn’t give myself crazy high expectations.  I was just thinking to slowly get back into the sport.

Also…..Don't compare yourself to everyone!!!! Your body, your story, your future and no one else's. You are your own competition more than anyone can ever know. Powerlifting is a sport of journey and patience.  It's a sport you can do your whole entire life.  It's an individual sport and it's also a team sport. It's a sport that you can see yourself change, mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, it's the ultimate catch all sport.  You meet new people that become lasting friends, you get to travel, you fulfill that competitiveness that you have from high school sports, you can show people how much of a badass you are on the platform, you get to lift heavy things! Prove to people that you can do it! Sorry I got into it a little bit there =] There will be good days and bad days in training, you take one day at a time.  This sport is nothing like other sports.  I love the people of the sport more than anything. To me, you meet the friends that'll last a lifetime because of this sport. I look forward to powerlifting meets.  They are my holidays, not the real holidays on the calendar.

Take me through a typical meet day for you? What do you eat, when and do you have a pre-meet routine?

The day before the meet, I prefer to be away from the venue and just rest and relax.  It's good for the body and mind.  I love to play my game Skyrim if I can.  Sleeping is nice also. I need to stick to it better! Per coaches orders!  Day of the meet. It depends on how and when weigh ins are. If the 84 and 84+ are together,  I really don't care getting to weigh ins right away.  I rather sleep more and I don't want to sit on the hard floor...yuck.  They always start with 84 kilo so it's like why? My coach Kimberly Walford knows I won't arrive on time and even Arian knows that.

I don't eat anything when I lift. I know how tight that belt is on me and it gets tight and my stomach can't have food in it lol. If I lift late in the afternoon I will nibble on something in the morning, but it;s not much.  I have a set playlist of goofy happy songs for warmups, and my songs to keep me amped during the meet.  I have a warmup routine of my goofy shoulder warmup, and even started to do a silly dance routine before warmups to feel good.  Just like in the Move Creed, when Rocky agreed to FINALLY train Adonis....that morning, Rocky played a goofy song, Adonis is like wtf.  Well Rocky and I think alike, you gotta have a song that makes you feel good and get moving.  That's exactly what I do. You don't want to start the meet negatively, you want to be positive.  Even when there are road blocks along the way, still start out with a good mood. Currently right now I like to listen to Shake it off and Same Ol’ Two Step. My warm up is about 3.5 minutes long and it’s game on.

Now newly single…...I basically just work and go to the gym.  I have a Lincoln crew of some awesome ladies and we try to do ladies nights every once in a while. I’m a pretty boring person.  I haven’t been trying to find anyone to be by my side for all my adventures lol. He has to be able to keep up with all my trips of powerlifting, Iron Sisters USA, and any other random trips I want to do. When it comes to me time, I listen to my body. I know when it needs rest, sleep, food, and I just do it.  I will sit and find a guilty pleasure show on Netflix or even play my Xbox to unwind.  See I’m boring hahaha

I would like to hit top 5 wilks in the IPF, that would be awesome for a SHW. There are so many strong 52’s and 57’s, but it’s a cool goal to go after. I want to improve my World Records as well.  Definitely go to another World Games. There’s way to many to list! It depends on what my mind is thinking about for what meet I am in.

Get to know Bonica better on Instagram

You've just completed 16 weeks of hard training in preparation for your upcoming meet. You've put in the work required, you've done countless sets, reps and hit numerous volume PRs- you have done everything in your power to ensure a successful meet day before you even step foot on the platform, so now it's time to guarantee all your hard work doesn't go to waste. Intelligent and well thought out attempt selection is key to putting up your best total and making sure you don't leave any pounds on the platform- since the sport of Powerlifting is centered around who has the best TOTAL and not the best single lift, you must ensure that your attempt selection process is as well thought out as your programming was leading up to this point.

Any well thought out attempt selection plan begins with your Last Warm-Ups and your Openers. This is crucial for setting the tone for a lift and ensuring that you don't bomb out- because bombing can really put a stop to a big meet day total. Although there are many varying opinions on how to pick an opening attempt- which can include, but are not limited to using 85% of your training 1-rep-max or your "best clean triple in the gym". In my personal opinion, I believe that an Opener should be identified prior to the beginning of your Peaking Block, then work to build your confidence upon that particular opener by driving the volume and frequency of it, while simultaneously practicing proper execution so that when meet day comes your openers will be familiar, while your confidence with that weight will be sky high.

Below I will lay out a real-life example of how you'd "build an opener", while also working to Peak your lifts in a timely and effective manner- because as most of you know, Peaking too early is just as detrimental as peaking too late.

In this particular example, the athlete is a 63KG Open Female with a 253 pound meet PR in the Squat. The Opening Attempt in the Squat for her upcoming meet is 238 pounds (or 107.5KG)- this number has been identified 6 weeks out from competition, prior to the start of her Peaking Block.

Day 1 of her Peaking Block will consist of the following;
Competition Low Bar Squat | Top Single @ RPE 8-8.5 (~250 pounds), followed by (Planned Opening Attempt) 238 pounds for 4 sets of 2 reps.

As you can see she worked up to a top single @ RPE 8-8.5 (which ended up being her projected Second Attempt on meet day), followed by back down sets of her Planned Opening Attempt at 238 pounds. This method of Peaking allows the lifter to have a high level of Sports Specificity by hitting her Planned Openers after the top work, but also allow for a higher level of training volume to ensure that the athlete does not peak before she is planned to- balancing the "Fitness-Fatigue Relationship" through varying training volumes, intensities and frequencies.

As the Peaking Block progresses the athlete will continue to raise the intensity, while simultaneously lowering the training volume in an effort to shed fatigue and display the fitness built over the course of her training cycle. By the time the athlete reaches the final week of the Peaking Block, she will have hit her Planned Opening Attempt in training a total of 27 times over the course of a 4-6 week span. By constantly hitting her opener in training she has built up the requisite sports-specific skill and confidence required to successfully complete the attempt on meet day.

As you get closer and closer to the meet, the final piece of the puzzle is when and how to "Test" Openers during a Peaking Block. In my opinion it can vary from lifter to lifter and is highly determined upon skill, age, gender and career (total years of training, strength to bodyweight ratio, etc). A 130 pound Female lifter with a 700 pound total should test her opening attempts in training closer to the meet than a 180 pound Female lifter with an 1,100 pound total should. This is centered around the fact that more fatigue is generated by the bigger, stronger lifter and therefore requires more time to recover and adapt to the training stimulus. While simultaneously the smaller lifter should be taking her attempts closer to competition due to the fact she has less fatigue to dissipate and the longer she has between training sessions the more fitness she will lose in the process- as I mentioned before, the entire idea of Peaking for competition is balancing fitness and fatigue while knowing the factors that go into the whole process.

Continuing on with the aforementioned example, the 63KG Open Female lifter with a 238 pound (107.5KG) Squat Opener will test her opening attempts on the Monday before the meet (Meet day being on Saturday), and it will look like this;

Squat | (Opening Attempt) 238 pounds for 3 singles, followed by (Last Warm-Up) 225 pounds for 3 sets of 2-3 reps.

As you can see, she took her Planned Opening Attempt and then followed it up with backdown sets of 225. This is to engrain sports-specific practice, while also providing somewhat of a fatigue element in the form of back down volume to ensure that the athlete does not peak too early and honing in the technical proficiency required to successfully execute the lifts- practice, practice, practice. Although I did not include it, on this day you'd also hit your Planned Opening Attempts on the Bench and Deadlift, but for the sake of simplicity I only used the Squat as the main example.

Finally, your last day of training before the meet will consist of a 3-lift day @ 55-70% of your training 1-rep-max. This day is to simply ingrain technique and ensure that you "stay fresh" as the meet approaches. The amount of volume performed in this training session should not be enough to induce fatigue, but rather to help dissipate it. It should go as follows;

Squat | 60% for 3 sets of 3 reps
Bench | 65-70% for 3 sets of 3 reps
Deadlift | 55-60% for 4 sets of 2 reps

With such a well thought out plan you are able to go into meet day prepared and confident that you have done all that you can up until this point- now all that is required is execution. All of the aforementioned programming, training and planning is over and you've just submitted your Opening Attempts- you're ready. In the past I've utilized a "decision scale" for meet day attempt selection and I've found it to be very useful for both planning and bridging the gap between the lifter-coach relationship. As an athlete it's sometimes difficult to communicate to your coach how you're feeling, so the decision scale allows you to be totally objective about your attempts, allowing you to pick the appropriate attempt without much thought- which is useful when you've only got 60 seconds to submit your next attempt. The decision scale would look something like this;

Squat | Opening Attempt 238 pounds | 107.5 KG

Second Attempt:
Feels Like "Garbage" - > 242 pounds | 110 KG
Feels "OK" - > 248 pounds | 112.5 KG
Feels "Great" -> 253 pounds | 115 KG

Third Attempt:
Feels Like "Garbage" -> 248 pounds | 112.5 KG
Feels "OK" -> 253 pounds | 115 KG
Feels "Great" -> 258 - 264 pounds | 117.5 - 120 KG

As you can see, the decision scale allows you to accurately and quickly select your attempts based on how the previous one looked and/or felt. I would use this type of decision making model for all three lifts (Squat, Bench and Deadlift). This type of approach to attempt selection takes some of the guesswork and anxiety out of the meet day confusion. It is also an excellent way to analyze and diagnosis meet day performances after it's all over- if you found yourself only picking "Feels Like Garbage" on the decision scale, then maybe you should go back and evaluate the training and peaking process that took place. Planning, execution, analysis, diagnosis and an action plan are all keys to continued success, as well as increases in performance from meet to meet. If you truly want to be successful you must take all that data that you are given and analyze it to ensure that you are moving in the right direction with the desired outcomes.

Although to some this may seem as "too analytical" or overkill when you can simply select attempts based on comfort or percentage, but to those I say this; having a well thought out approach can ensure to an almost certainty that your attempts will be successful, regardless of conditions or outward influence on meet day- Having a set action plan and being prepared cannot be overstated. The aforementioned method of Peaking for competition and attempt selection has worked for all of my lifters and is a true testament to the planning process itself. I would suggest that you try something similar to this or simply take a more methodical approach to meet planning and attempt selection. Take what words and discard what doesn't- don't feel like you have to commit to a certain plan or program if it doesn't pan out. Meet Day performance is highly dependant upon your planning up to that point, so if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.

As always if you have questions or comments leave them in the comment section below or on Facebook. I'd be happy to answer any questions, comments or concerns that you may have regarding Peaking, Attempt Selection or any other topic pertaining to training.

Written by: Tessa Yannone

I still remember the first time we met quite vividly. Granted, it wasn’t that long ago but no matter how much time passes I think the first time I walked up to you will be one of those milestone moments like when you graduate, get married or have a baby—something that will never be forgotten.

It was one of those moments where I felt completely out of place yet, at the same time, right where I needed to be. Girls around me looked so comfortable and they walked up to you and showed you who was boss. They approached you and the rack radiating confidence and completed their first squat attempts—all white lights.

Me, on the other hand, I felt like I couldn’t remember how to squat, my stomach felt like it was falling off a cliff, and my head was clouded and fuzzy full of so many different thoughts: “Should I eat more? Maybe drink some water? Should I put different socks on? I wish I had a headband. Is my singlet giving me a wedgie?”

Then the announcer called my name, Tessa Yannone, the bar is loaded.  

I looked out at the crowd, my parents sitting right in the middle. I focused on their faces and my coach put his hand on my shoulder, It’s just like any other day, we’re picking heavy things up and setting them back down.

My mind settled and I walked up to you. I placed one foot on your strange, gray carpeted surface, then the other and grasped the black, sharp bar sitting in the rack. Still looking at my parents I got under the bar, my gaze drifted to the ceiling and I walked the weight out three steps.

SQUAT!

I lowered the weight and shot back up like there was nothing on my back.

RACK!

I returned the bar back to the rack. Looked around for a minute. My heart was pounding like a drum inside my chest and I was a little sweaty, not because it was hard but because I knew this first meeting was the start of a very long and very fulfilling relationship with you…platform.

Powerlifting has brought me so many firsts. First time competing, first time lifting weights I couldn’t even imagine I was capable of lifting, first time feeling like an athlete again, first time finding intuitive eating while cutting to make weight, first time traveling to St. Louis and Louisville, and for the first time in my life I have the opportunity to compete at a National Level. I am still in awe by all that powerlifting has brought me in such a short amount of time and the best part is that I feel like this is just the start.

I’m so thankful that I have been exposed to a world where women are smashing stereotypes and not trying to fit into any preconceived societal molds. They’re unapologetically being themselves and encouraging everyone else in the process. At a meet, it’s so little about beating the other girls out and so much about cheering for others when they get stuck in the middle of a lift or when someone is going for a record and even lending a comforting hug when someone walks off the platform with red lights.

As a coach, I am very aware and conscious of the way the fitness industry portrays women and their bodies. It’s a difficult place to be in but a very empowering one and powerlifting have lent me quite the platform (pun intended) to be able to prove to women everywhere that “being toned” doesn’t have to be your only goal every time you walk into the gym.

You have me hooked, dear platform. You push me to work harder, dig deeper, be stronger, and never give up. Ever since hanging up my soccer cleats I have desperately searched for that feeling of being an athlete again. I searched for that feeling as I ran across the finish line of two half marathons and strutted across a bodybuilding competition stage both leaving me not wanting more. You, dear platform leaves me wanting much more than nine attempts.

Get to know Tessa a bit more. 

Written by Adrienne Thomas

My name is Adriene! I am competitive, extremely goal driven and work my butt off. I have never been “the best” at anything but I have always given everything my all. These traits are all things that contribute to my drive as an athlete, but they are also a crutch at times.  When it comes to powerlifting I have big goals, regardless of my limited time in the sport, my goals are what drive me and I have no doubt that I will one day achieve them; whether that be 5 or 50 years from now. However, I am starting to notice that this focus on specific numbers or milestones has really been crippling my experience surrounding training.

I wouldn't say I have been unhappy with my training, but something has been up, and I knew I needed to figure it out. Through some self-reflection, I realized that there hasn't been much celebration in my last year of training. Since June 2016, I have been dealing with injuries, rehabbing and fixing my weak points, all while trying to build strength and a solid foundation. The drive has been bumpy, it has been bumpy af and full of its ups and downs, crashes, flat tires and so forth,  but it is undeniable that  I have progressed as an athlete. I have hit some milestone numbers,  progressed in technique and I am finally not feeling broken … and with all that progress there hasn't been much celebration and that is a problem.

I noticed that I would hit a small PR, or a milestone and instead of being excited and proud I would think things like …….

• Time to get to (insert arbitrary #)
• Eh, it is okay but it still isn’t ( insert arbitrary #)
• Well, of course, I hit that PR, I should have had this months ago.  

When people ask about my numbers I shyly skirt around the topic. I didn’t think I was embarrassed about my numbers, but I was starting to realize that maybe I was, but why? I know my numbers are not elite, but they are still mine, even if they are not my “goal” numbers. I guess I was just having crippling thoughts of inadequacy because I was so focused on specific numbers.  I wrote before about riding myself of comparison to others, but I am also realizing that I am still learning how to enjoy the journey and not focus so much on the end goal. I will never forget something I heard Mark Bell say on his youtube, it was something along the lines of  “ Guys will say to me, man Mark that guy is benching 500lbs, how do I do that, and I say to them, by benching 400, then 410, and 420”. This quote is something that has stuck with me since I heard it, and as it popped into my head this week I had a holy crap moment. THAT IS MY PROBLEM RIGHT NOW. I am not enjoying the journey to the goal. The little steps that are necessary to get to the goal. I am not going to magically squat 400lbs, but every pound I add to that bar is one step closer I will be to doing so. The reality is while the goal may be 200 or 400, it doesn't mean that everything in between that is insignificant. ALL OF IT IS PROGRESS.

A friend also reminded me that there is so much more to celebrate than just numbers. She reminded me of the community I have helped foster at my gym, how I have been able to travel to judge meets, how I help anyone who asks, and how I now have access to this entire community all because of powerlifting… AND SHE IS SO RIGHT!

Anyway, I don’t really have much specific advice on this at the moment just wanted to share with you all the words and thoughts running around my brain. I always try to set non-performance based goals, so this will be a non-performance focus of mine moving forward. I am going to be more intentional about enjoying my process, lifting milestones and the community I get to be a part of. I don’t want to rob myself of my journey anymore or my celebrations!

So I want to end this with a BRAG ON YOURSELF moment. If there is something you are looking back on now and realizing you never celebrated or shared, do it now! Let’s celebrate our wins together big or small!

Get to know Adrienne and our other ambassadors more. 

Because of this beautiful idea, @girlswhopowerlift will be including #bragonit as a weekly part of our Instagram content! 

Written by: Precilla Navarro 

Getting unwelcome input from people you don't know is annoying. I guess it's what we signed up for the moment we decided to create my daughter's Instagram page. Most of the unsolicited input we receive come from people who are uneducated in lifting weights. They regurgitate old myths they've grown up hearing. Trying to convince someone they're wrong over social media is pointless and just makes us both look stupid. There is no use in arguing with people who you don't even know. Some of these people believe they know it all and some just don't have anything better to do with their time.   Although a few times in the beginning I did get into it with a few because the mama bear in me had to say something.  My husband kept calm and help keep me from losing it more than once. 

Everyone has their opinions on whether kids should be lifting which I can respect. I can't change their minds when they think kids shouldn't lift. What I don't respect is comments that are completely uncalled for. Examples "it's going to stunt her growth", "that's child abuse", "those parents should kill themselves", just to name a few.  We have heard it all!  Obviously rude and mean comments get deleted and the person gets blocked.  Addyson is only 8 so we don't let her run her own account. We don't need her reading those negative comments. We rarely receive any negativity on her Instagram and she has a huge amount of support that we are extremely thankful for.  We obviously can't control what people say when she gets reposted on someone else's page. We simply ignore the critics and let Addy continue doing what she enjoys.

We will continue to support our kids, we have three, in whatever it is they're passionate about.  At the end of the day, we are their parents, not social media. Their opinions won't change how we choose to raise our children. So to any of you parents who are getting your kids into lifting don't let the opinions of others influence you in any way. You know your child better than anyone.

Get to know Precilla, Addy and the other GWPL Ambassadors better