There are plenty of women on social media who take fitness to the next level, but some are in a league of their own when it comes to moving heavy weights. From powerlifters who deadlift, squat, and bench more than you could ever dream of lifting, to Olympic weightlifters who make throwing serious weight overhead look like a piece of cake, there’s no shortage of female powerhouses on social media.
We scoured Instagram for women who redefine toughness and lead by example in their lifting and their mindsets, and we weren’t disappointed. These top-tier athletes are just the sort of role models that both athletes and casual gym-goers alike can look to for the inspiration and motivation they need to crush every workout.
A quick look at their social media will show you why these women have garnered serious followings.
When it comes to pushing PRs, few powerlifters have been making progress as quickly as Amanda Lawrence. The 21-year-old, -84kg USAPL/IPF lifter has added 89 pounds to her squat max—which currently stands at 585 pounds—since June, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for her at the 2018 Arnold USA Powerlifting Championships in February.
Two-time IPF world champion Daniella Melo is lifting more at 20 years old than you probably ever will, and she doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. With a 601.5 kg total at 84kg, Melo is absolutely killing it.
Mattie Rogers barely missed going to the Rio Olympics in 2016, but the 23-year-old Team USA weightlifter holds the 69kg American record in snatch with 106kg (234lb), clean and jerk with 134kg (295lb), and total weight lifted with 239kg (527lb). Rogers has also become a fan favorite on Instagram, amassing more than 530,000 followers and bringing awareness to elite weightlifting.
Maddy Forberg didn’t grow a 152,000-strong Instagram following for no reason. The 21-year-old nursing student and up-and-coming 57kg powerlifter has made steady improvements since getting her start in powerlifting, and she constantly updates her social media with everything from new PRs to her love of food and beer. She makes deadlifting 373 look pretty easy.
Jessica Lucero is a four-time national champion Olympic weightlifter who holds the 58kg American records for a 93kg (205lb) snatch, 116kg (255lb) clean and jerk, and 208kg (459lb) total weight lifted. The 29-year-old lifter narrowly missed going to the Rio Olympics, but she’s not slowing down yet.
Canadian powerlifter Jessica Buettner is just 23 years old, but she already cemented her name in the sport with three -72kg Junior Women’s World Records. Back in December, she hit a 227.5kg (501lb) deadlift to break her own world record, 181.5kg (400lb) squat to break the standing world record, and a 95kg (202lb) bench press at the 2018 IPF World Classic Powerlifting Championships. That’s a total of 504kg (1,111lb)—a third world record.
Olympic weightlifter Jenny Arthur is an absolute powerhouse with three national championship wins under her belt at the age of 25. She also earned a spot the 2016 Olympic Games with Team USA and holds the 75kg American clean and jerk record at 138kg (304lb), as well as the record for total weight lifted with 244kg (538lb).
Australian CrossFit star Tia-Clair Toomey doesn’t mess around in the gym, and her incredible strength and grit have landed her back-to-back CrossFit Games wins. The 2017 and 2018 “Fittest Woman on Earth” is also an Olympic weightlifter, and she’s no novice. Toomey, 25, won gold in the 58kg event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and she competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics. If you’re in need of motivation, look no further than her Instagram page.
Morghan King has made a name for herself in women’s weightlifting quickly. In just six years of full-time weightlifting, the 33-year-old, 48kg lifter finished sixth at the Rio Olympics and etched her name into the American record books with an 83kg (182lb) snatch. She’s proof that it’s never too late to pursue your passion, and she’s only getting better.
Marisa Inda has been in the fitness game for more than 20 years, and it shows in her strength and physique. The 42-year-old mom is a 52kg IPF/USAPL powerlifter who won four National Championships and clinched a World Championship win in 2017. Inda’s 98kg (216lb) bench press, 187.5 kg (413lb) deadlift, 150kg (331lb) squat, and 430kg (948lb) total are some seriously impressive PRs.
At 20 years old, Erin Amos has already had a serious athletic career. From becoming a national champ in judo to rising in the ranks as a jiu-jitsu competitor, to clinching multiple national championships in youth and junior weightlifting, it seems there’s nothing Amos can’t do. The Team USA athlete also goes by “Epic Erin,” and it’s clear why.
At just 5’2, -84kg powerlifter Natalie Hanson is a powerhouse who has held her fair share of records, including an unofficial world record when she squatted more than three times her body weight. The two-time, IPF world champ also co-founded Beefpuff Barbell, a remote training service for powerlifters of all experience levels.
Powerlifter Kristen Dunsmore is the reigning national champion in the -72kg category, boasting a 182.5kg (402lb) squat, 110kg (243lb) bench press, 210kg (463lb) deadlift, and 495kg (1,091lb) total. In addition to some of her strongest lifts, her Instagram shows off plenty of functional fitness routines that are just as impressive.
Sarah Robles made history when she snagged a bronze medal in +75kg women’s weightlifting at the 2016 Olympics in Rio—the first medal the USA has earned in weightlifting since the 2000 Summer Olympics. The 30-year-old lifter currently holds records in the +87kg clean and jerk with 162kg (357lb) and in total weight with 290kg (639lb).
Katie Rutherford is the very definiton of a “powerbuilder.” She credits becoming a figure competitor with teaching her how to be healthier rather than thinner, and she’s been coupling bodybuilding and competing in the 72kg USAPL class for years. Earlier this year, she set some solid PRs in the gym despite the fact that her training has been more bodybuilding-focused. Her meet PRs are a 180kg (397lb) squat, 82.5 kg (182lb) bench, 192.5kg (424lb) deadlift, and 455kg (1,003lb) total weight.
Monet Bland is one of the top-ranked female USAPL athletes, so it’s no surprise that she hits the gym hard. She’s steadily rising, and currently has a competition squat PR of 175kg (386lb), competition bench PR of 110kg (243lb), and competition deadlift PR of 220kg (485lb), with a 482.5kg (1,064lb) total.
Ashley Svendbye’s Instagram may be a balance of lifting videos and fun memes, but her training is no joke. The -57kg USAPL powerlifter can squat 145kg (320lb), bench 87.5kg (193lb), and deadlift 182.5kg (402lb). Her 415kg (915lb) total has seen a slow but steady increase, and she’s not slowing down yet.
Camille Brown definitely doesn’t limit herself. The 63kg Olympic weightlifter is a certified personal trainer at Equinox, a level one CrossFit-certified trainer, and is USA weightlifting level one-certified. Talk about a qualified fitness expert. Her social media is full of training videos and fun lifestyle content, showing that striking a balance is key.
Cynthia Leu has more than 171,000 followers on Instagram, and one look at her feed will tell you why. She’s strong as hell, but she balances it out with fun snaps from her daily life and inspirational posts on everything from being a strong woman to struggling with mental health. Oh, and she’s in the Marine Reserves. Trust us, you won’t regret following her.
Kimberly Walford takes a no-frills approach to her social media, sharing mostly training shots with her more than 34,000 followers. The six-time IPF raw powerlifting world champ been in the game for nearly two decades, and ever-impressive lifts dominate her Instagram feed. Early in 2018, she bested her previous deadlift record with a massive 250kg (551lb) deadlift, so we bet she won’t be done lifting any time soon.
