by Scott Sacry
In 2017, Donna Weidow of Corvallis knew she needed a change. She felt unhealthy, she wanted to lose weight, she was tired all the time, she wanted to find a way to feel better.
A trainer friend told her she should start going to a gym, but Weidow thought gyms were only for body builder types and she was intimidated. But she signed up anyway and started lifting weights and taking steps to improve her nutrition.
This decision changed Weidow’s life.
She started eating better and exercising regularly. As a result she got stronger, was in a better mood, wasn’t tired all the time and just felt better overall. People started noticing her improvement and wanted in on the secret.
As she shared her story, she realized she wanted to help others find the same success she had. But what was the best way to do that: should she be a bodybuilder, a trainer, or an influencer? She wasn’t sure, but she knew it was the field she wanted to be in.
Two years later, in 2019, Weidow attended a lifting competition and that changed everything.
“I watched an older woman benching,” said Weidow. “She was struggling to push the bar up, then the crowd started cheering louder and louder and the bar got higher and higher, and she completed the lift. I looked around and said, ‘I want to do that!’ Around me were people of all ages, all shapes and sizes, everyone was so supportive.”
After this, Weidow and her husband began training for competitive lifting. This decision sent Weidow on a path that culminated in her becoming a world champion lifter this fall.
At the WABDL (World Association of Benchers and Dead Lifters) Worlds in Las Vegas on Nov. 8, Weidow shined. She won five gold medals and one silver. She competed in her weight class in both the open class and the 47-53 Masters class in the Bench, Deadlift and the Push/Pull (both combined).
The highlight of the event for Weidow was when she earned the Outstanding Lifter Award for Best Bench Press in the Raw Women’s 47-53 Division, meaning she had the best lift for any woman between the ages of 47 and 53 in any weight class. She had benched 198 pounds.
Two months earlier at a USPA (United States Powerlifting Association) event in Arizona, Weidow broke four national records in her division for the Squat, Bench, Deadlift and Total. She squatted 342.82 lbs, benched 181.88 lbs, and deadlifted 352.74 lbs totaling 877.44 lbs. Her squat weight put her at #6 in the world at the time, and her total put her #8 in the world.
At 51 years old, Weidow is now seven years removed from that initial decision to change her health, and she is still as enthusiastic about weight lifting as ever. Weidow and her husband, Devin, who is also a lifter and a trainer, have built a 30- by 40-foot home gym.
“It’s just for us, with his and hers platforms,” said Weidow. “It’s our life. We are invested in getting stronger ourselves and helping other people get stronger.”
As a means of avoiding the loss of physical fitness that comes with aging, lifting weights is a pretty good option. We lose muscle mass and strength as we grow older, and once we near 70 this loss is accelerated. This decline makes everyday tasks difficult and the limited mobility leads to higher rates of falls, chronic disease, nursing home admission, and mortality. Doctors recommend physical activity including weight lifting to slow this process down. Weidow would agree wholeheartedly.
When she isn’t competing, Weidow is a referee for local and regional events and competitions.
“The competitions are such an uplifting thing to be around,” said Weidow, “and we just want to be a part of it.”
Weidow wants to keep improving. “I’m going to take some time to enjoy the results and let my body heal, then I’ll start ramping up again to get ready next year for either the WABDL Worlds or the USPA nationals next.”
For those on the fence about lifting, Weidow thinks they should jump right in.
“Anyone who wants to get fit,” said Weidow, “this type of training is so good for all ages. I see kids, teenagers, middle agers, seniors, all out here bettering themselves. When I first started I was intimidated by going into a gym. But I overcame that fear and once you start, you realize how nice and inviting everyone is. It is such a great community of people.”
There will be a weightlifting event in Missoula on December 7. It’s a USPA sanctioned event at the Missoula Underground Strength and Training Center.
“You should really come check it out,” says Weidow. “You’ll have so much fun!”