Bobbie Butters is a Team GB Powerlifter and current British Powerlifting record holder for the bench press and squat. If that wasn’t enough, she is also a world record holder and gold medallist. You can probably tell already that she loves Powerlifting. We sat down with Bobbie to discuss how she got into Powerlifting and how a beginner can start the sport.

When You're Not Powerlifting, What Do You Do?

I am a Strength and Conditioning coach by trade and have been for about 10 years. I’m also a lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire and Lecture in Sports Science, Strength and Conditioning and Nutrition and Exercise Science. Part of that job role is the ability to do research and I’m very fortunate that I get to participate in that research. I’m now working towards my PhD this year and the working title is ‘the effects of the menstrual cycle on muscular strength’. I'm really interested to see if there are any effects of the menstrual cycle phases on muscular strength, whether there is anything physiological or psychological. I’m living the dream.

How did you get into powerlifting?

I started lifting when I was very young because I loved lifting. In Primary school I lifted buckets of water and I loved how much I could lift at 6 years old. I used to move furniture in my bedroom to see if I could lift things like my bed or wardrobe. I still get that same feeling of ‘can I lift this?’ and there is something really special to be able to achieve what you set out to do.

Powerlifting is an expression of maximal strength, both mentally and physically. I enjoyed lifting stuff. I started when I was 16, I didn’t realise it was an actual sport. At the time I was training to be a Personal Trainer and you have to learn how to lift. I did a deadlift and one of the instructors asked if I had ever done powerlifting, this was 10 years ago. I entered my first competition a few months later and haven’t looked back since.

My journey hasn’t been linear. I started off and competed with one federation for a couple of years and then I went to Olympic Weightlifting for a while. But it was during this time that I developed chronic fatigue syndrome which is caused excessive tiredness, specifically around my hips and back. That was a key point in my Powerlifting journey because I couldn’t walk without being in pain, so I had to stop lifting for a while and rehab myself. When I came back to Powerlifting in 2016 I was still in pain, but I kept going. It wasn’t really until 2018/19 that I started lifting again without pain.

Now I feel like I'm in a new era of my lifting career and I’m much better able to manage my pain if and when I need to. I’m in a better physical condition in order to perform the sport. Going forward I’m hoping to lift the most weight I possibly can and get the most out of the sport that my mind and body are capable of. A lot of it is competition towards myself and it’s actually only been in the last few years that I now actually see myself as a competitor Now I step up on the platform and compete against the best in the world, rather than just against myself.

How has social media impacted powerlifting as a sport?

I think it has more exposure in general, more people know what the sport of Powerlifting is. You can see the sport a lot more with social media. During my first competition there were less competitors, now I see more female Powerlifters at the events, both at a regional and international level. Recently there’s been an equal number of males and females, so there’s been a lot of progression over the last 10 years for Powerlifting women.

Why do you love powerlifting?

I think it’s because it’s so simple and objective, you either make it or you don’t. You can really refine the technique, for me there’s just something about squat, bench, and deadlift that I love to do. When I’m given free rein of my programme and I always end up doing these three movements, I could see myself doing it for the rest of my life.

What are the benefits of powerlifting?

The main benefits of powerlifting is its ability to build general strength. The benefits that I've personally found are mental, the ability to focus on one thing. When you’re lifting, it’s just you and the bar, you can’t think about what you’re having for tea later or the work you need to do, you’re there in that moment and that’s the only important thing at that time. The ability to be focused and zoned in is what I’ve got out of Powerlifting. And maybe most importantly, the ability to better yourself every time you go to the gym.

How can a beginner start powerlifting?

My advice would be, if you want to do it, do it. Go to a gym, or if you’re not comfortable going to a gym then get some equipment, it doesn’t even need to be a Barbell, just some form of resistance. You can perform a dumbbell goblet squat instead of a barbell back squat. Do something that gets you lifting, if you enjoy it then keep going.

For a beginner lifter, my advice would be to practise the lifts, it’s that simple. Ultimately powerlifting is the three lifts, so being able to practise them in some form is a good way to start for a Powerlifter. Make sure you’re doing each at least once a week and have days off. A training week might look like:

Day 1 - Squat

Day 3 - Bench

Day 5 - Deadlift

Then some accessory movements for each of your lifts. You want to become familiar with the movements and figure out your strengths and weaknesses. From here a Powerlifting program can evolve.

How do you feel before a lift?

It’s quite hard to describe what I’m going through before a lift, it’s almost as if it's the nervous energy that builds up inside. During a competition, I try to relax because I get nervous, my heart rate goes up and I get jelly legs. As the barbell increases in weight my focus starts to become more refined and the hype starts to increase. As I’m about to go out for my final lift attempt I can feel the adrenaline going through my body and I try to keep it calm.

Mentally I’m going through my cues, but I’m also bigging myself up, telling myself that I am going to do it and will achieve it. I use that nervous energy so that by the time I get to the platform there is nothing in my vision except the barbell. I think about lifting the weight because I know how to. I spend hours and hours practising the lifts that it becomes second nature, so when I’m at the barbell there’s nothing going through my head except ‘let’s make this happen’. 

What advice would you give to a first time powerlifting competitor?

I always say, do what comes naturally. You might not know that until you’re in the position. If you get there and you’re really hyped and you start screaming and your focus is depleted then maybe you need to take a step back and focus on your breathing. I have some athletes that do meditation beforehand. I would never say you should scream or hype yourself up because not everyone works in that way. And confidence is a process, just like training. Sometimes going out there and doing something you aren’t sure you can achieve is a way to build confidence. One thing that I think helps everyone is positive self-talk. Saying things like ‘I can do this’ or ‘‘I am a champion’ are a good place to start.

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