Local mom, nurse sets records at local powerlifting competition
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IDAHO FALLS — In 2016, Brittany Ward, a mother and nurse at Portneuf Medical Center, completely changed her life. She ditched what she called a sedentary lifestyle and threw herself into physical condition.
Last week, she set state and national records in powerlifting.
At the AWPC-WPC World Cup in Idaho Falls, Ward squatted 110 kg (around 243 pounds), bench pressed 72.5 kg (160) and deadlifted 122.5 kg (270). Each total was a record for her division — which is broken down not only by her age, 46, and weight, 148 pounds, but also by her classification as a first responder.
She told EastIdahoNews.com that one of the fun things about powerlifting is setting goals and busting your butt to reach those goals.
“I had numbers that I wanted to beat, and I beat all of those numbers. That’s what was important to me,” Ward said of her performance in Idaho Falls.
At the end of the three-day event, Ward received medals as well as a trophy for recognition as the most improved and inspirational lifter.
Ward joined eight other women in the competition — including Isabella Suseno-Edwin, from Idaho Falls, Layla Garcia, from Chubbuck, Angela Key, from Blackfoot, Nikki Cummins, from American Falls, and Amber Lynne Palmer, from Rexburg. Other competitors at the event were from as far away as Belarus and Armenia.
The advantages for local competitors was having family members in attendance to offer support during lifts.
Two of Ward’s children, including 16-year-old daughter Tisana, were seated in the middle of the audience yelling for their mother.
Asked what she thinks of the journey her mother has taken, Tisana answered immediately: “I think she’s crazy.”
The teen went on to explain how difficult the journey from 350 pounds to national record-holding powerlifter has been, saying she “can’t even describe” how inspirational Ward is to her family.
“She’s the most dedicated person,” Tisana said. “She gets her mind on s*** and she gets s*** done.”
Ward said, “My babies are my biggest cheerleaders,” adding that she will some times watch videos of her lifts not to examine her form but to listen to her family. She spoke about how her lifestyle change has inspired the same from her husband and children.
“If I were to look back eight years ago, I would not have seen my life and my kids’ life the way that it is now,” Ward said.
Now, the family enjoys working out, trail-running and going for walks, rather than sitting around.
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With two powerlifting competitions under her belt already this year, Ward has one more to go, November in California. Competing at that meet will qualify her for bigger national and world competitions.