Meet me...

I’m Maia (my-a), I’m 20 years old and I’m currently finishing my final year at university, studying Media and Communications.

I’ve been going to the gym since I was 13 but I haven’t always been lifting. I used to be cardio-obsessed at first, started to use free weights around 15 and was properly first introduced to lifting when I was 16. I have been powerlifting for over a couple of years now, just after starting uni.

I feel like I have gained a lot of experience from personal practice, learning from the people I've met along the way and knowledge from various sources.

By all means, I am no expert. However, I realise that you are constantly learning- about your body, your mentality, new techniques and methods. There are always more things to discover.

My journey started with the motive of wanting to lose weight (like many other self-conscious teens wanting to change their body) to the point that I felt invaluable if I wasn’t skinny. For years I went to the gym very much with a negative intention and mindset about my body. However, I channelled my energy and emotions into something that ultimately made me feel good. As many of you know already, exercising releases ‘happy’ hormones (such as endorphins, serotonin and dopamine). In time, I have managed to (literally) lift myself up and find a way to work out positively, with good intentions and goals. Now, with a great coach on board and inspiring lifters all around me, I am more motivated than ever to get better.

So far, I have only competed once in powerlifting (my first comp numbers were: Squat- 102.5kg, Bench- 47.5kg, Deadlift-120kg) which was mainly a challenge of confidence for myself. This may not seem like a massive thing to some but for me, it was a real test of performing under pressure, in front of others and for the purpose of not caring what people think. The whole process, too, was incredibly exciting, a good exercise of self-discipline and in the end was very rewarding (going 7/9 ‘good’ lifts!).

In the meantime, I have not competed since but I have been massively working on my form and technique, as well as very basic tools such as eating (enough) and resting/sleeping (something I’m great at!). I’m not in a rush- at the moment- to compete again quite yet as I still have a few small, specific, things I need to work on, before focusing on numbers.

In the future, I do wish to compete again even though I am not naturally competitive, however, powerlifting is very much an individual sport- you may have come across the idea it's "you vs. you”. While it's easy to compare yourself to others (I'm guilty of doing this but I'm getting better) you have to remember you and someone else are probably on different stages of your journeys. As long as you are improving somehow- no matter how little or slowly- better than last time, that's all that really matters.

I cringe looking back at my old lifting videos- even from a year ago- however, I have these as a reminder of how physically (and mentally) far I have come and to look back and assess my lifts. Lifting correctly is not only for the sake of your safety but for long term benefits for your body’s anatomy- learn to lift well so you can for a long time.

Through my social media pages and blog I not only want to use these platforms to document my own lifting journey but to encourage others to lift too (male, female, big, small and literally anything in between!), as the gym has done such wonders for my mental health and improved skills to apply to everyday life. Whatever your fitness goals, I wish to share positivity, valuable knowledge and my own experiences (ups, downs and all) to lift others up too.