6 Ounces of Whoop Ass

For Karan Sanford Taylor, what began as a dare from two coworkers in 2017 turned into a full-blown love affair with powerlifting. At 51, Karan had never seen a competition. She signed up anyway.

Now on the verge of turning 60, Karan is a seasoned powerlifter who’s competed on national and world stages, stood on the podium in Sweden, lifted in Australia, Greece, and the Virgin Islands. Now she wants world records. 

Karan has also been a personal trainer for 26 years, working with clients from their 40s into their 80s. In this episode, we talk about how the rampant chronic disease in her family drove her toward fitness at 33; why she calls herself "uncoachable" (her former coaches agree); how her grief at losing her sister to Covid nearly ended her lifting career and how she’s finding her way back; and her tips for competing successfully on an international stage. We also get into her personal training philosophy, how both trainers and clients can show up better for each other; and her two Harley Davidson bikes and the epic cross-country adventure she’s getting ready to take.

Karan calls herself "six ounces of whoop ass", and that's probably the most accurate handle in powerlifting. She’s a tiny powerhouse of energy, strength, and joy. You may find this episode is all the pre-workout you need.

Follow Karan on Instagram: @6_oz_of_whoop_ass, on Facebook at karan.s.taylor and on TikTok: @6_oz_of_whoop_ass  

For show notes and past episodes of That Badass Broadcast, visit thatbadassbroad.com/podcast.

Writing on strength, training, and competing later in life at thatbadassbroad.com.

Clips and training on Instagram: instagram.com/mirslam.

Full episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/@thatbadassbroad.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to that badass broadcast. Real stories and straight talk about lifting weights for women in midlife and beyond. So, Karen, I am so glad you're here. You have been uh of an inspiration to me and a force in this sport. I feel like since you started it, I think you started in 2017. I did. Stood on national and world podiums, been in multiple countries, and all while training folks and riding on your Harley in between.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Yes, I actually uh have a have two now.

SPEAKER_02 0:36

Oh, right. All right, we'll have to talk about that. That's definitely gonna talk about that. Um we're almost the same age. We've shared the platform multiple times.

SPEAKER_01 0:44

Um I have such a blast when we share the platform. You do you're just awesome. You and Joe come in and I'm like, oh, she's here. All right, let the party begin.

SPEAKER_02 0:53

All right. Well, that's how I feel. And unf I I wish we were the same weight class now, although you you beat me every time, so maybe I shouldn't be glad. I got relief here. But we've never actually had a chance to sit down and kind of talk through how this all happened for you and how you got here, um, what it means to you. So I'm just really excited to talk about that with you and learn more about you and and your journey. Um so let's start, let's start there. Um, you've been lifting a long time. You said you've been a personal trainer for 26 years.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

26 years, yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:25

So what brought you to strength training? When did you start? Why? How did that come about?

SPEAKER_01 1:31

Um so I started uh personal training October of 1999. I'm originally from Connecticut and uh I was doing architecture. I had an associate's an associate's degree in architecture, and um I was doing it and I was falling asleep and I was bored, and I worked with one of the best firms in Connecticut. Um, they wanted to send me back to school to finish up my degree, and I was like, I can't continue to do this. I am so bored, there's no one to talk to. I like it, but I need something more. So I'm driving home one afternoon, it was springtime, and I saw this ad for personal trainers. I was like, personal trainers in the gym? Wow, that's pretty cool. So I said, I'm gonna do it. I um dressed up, put on a put on a really nice spring dress, uh, went in, filled out the application. They were like, you look like you work out. You know what personal training is? I said, I really don't, but um, I'm if it has anything to do with the gym, I'm sure I could learn it. So fast forward, I go back to work in architecture, and uh I get a call. And it's to come in. They trained, they did all their in-house training, um, and they certified us for the company, one of the biggest uh gyms on the eastern seaboard in Connecticut, uh, Fitness Edge. That's who I started with. And I was the 5 a.m. trainer. So went through training, lost my shirt because I wasn't getting paid for training. And I just once I once I found out I got the job, I just quit. And I was like, well, that wasn't smart because I had no money coming in. But I was like, it's gonna be okay, it's gonna be great. I'm I'm gonna make this happen. So we had about six or eight weeks of intense training, just learning how to deal with people, how to focus on on exercises, and um, it was more about building relationships. So we did that, and then the gym opened, the one that I started at, it was in Milford, Connecticut. And we are we had our grand opening October of 1999, and that started my my fitness personal trainer journey.

SPEAKER_02 3:49

Were you like 32 at this point? Is that I was 33. 33, okay. So this started your fitness journey. So are you saying you did not lift prior to this?

SPEAKER_01 3:59

So I I did lift, but not at the capacity uh that I do now. I wish I had been doing it before I got hired on as a trainer back in '99. Um, but I played sports in uh in high school. I I did uh girl softball, I ran track, and we had a flag football um thing that we did while we were in school. But my formal introduction into personal training and like really understanding the body and how to use it came in October of 1999 when I started with the fitness edge.

SPEAKER_02 4:35

Okay, well, that's a pretty cool way to start sort of getting serious about lifting is to say, I'm gonna go the whole way. And I mean, usually people start lifting and then they become a trainer, but you're just like, no, I'm gonna be a trainer right out of the off the bat.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Right. And then the big thing that kind of the catalyst that kind of got me there was in my family, heart disease, high blood pressure, uh, diabetes, rampant. And I'll never forget one of my mother's brothers passed away, and my mother was one of 12, and all the siblings were at my mom's house, and everyone had pills. Oh, you know, I have I have a sugar, I got a little touch of this or that, my prep, my pressure, blah, blah, blah. And I said, I don't ever, ever want to be taking any type of um pills for anything. So that was that was the catalyst for me when I saw that. I was like, I I gotta do something. And then I was bored sitting at my desk, and I just was like, I gotta do something. So between that and then seeing the the big um billboard, I was like, it's time to do something different. I just I never look back.

SPEAKER_02 5:43

I love that you were thinking ahead like that at that age. I mean, a lot of people kind of hit midlife, you know, they start to get a little sedentary or you know some issues, and they're like, oh my gosh, I gotta reverse this. But you were like 33 already thinking, I don't want that to happen to me.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

Right, because I had already had my last child. I have I had my oldest one at 19, and then by the time I had my I had my second one at 27, they were seven years apart, and then my daughter at 19, I was thinking, you know, I don't want to be 30, I don't want to be 35 and out of shape. And then all of a sudden, out of the blue, 30s hit, and I'm like, oh my God, I'm not gonna walk around and be worried about diabetes, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, just all the stuff that was rampant in my family. I just I couldn't do it.

SPEAKER_02 6:33

So you started powerlifting in 2017?

SPEAKER_01 6:37

Yes, June of uh 2017. Like I like to live heavy, so I always like to live heavy. And um, a couple of my coworkers were like, they saw me, I I was throwing up like 35, 40 pound dumbbells on uh on chest press, and they were like, have you ever thought about powerlifting? And I was like, no, that's for big people. How wrong was I? That's for that, you know, that's for really tall big people. There's at least, you know, 190, 200, 250. That's for and they were like, no, okay, it's not. It's not for big people. You probably do really well. And I was like, nah, I don't want to lose. I ain't strong enough. And they were like, no, no, you don't, this is what you do. Pick an event and we'll train you for it. So I said, well, let me think about it. Um, I'm not sure. I'm not gonna do good. And they were like, I'm we promise. Pick a pick an event, make sure it's about eight, eight to ten weeks out, find a federation, and let's go do it. And so I my first one was at the World Congress Center in Georgia. It was a Lee Haney event, and he has it every year. I picked it, paid for it, um, and we started training. But just it's once I started training for it, um, and everything was heavy and it was cool, and I didn't get hurt, and I was like, are you sure this is this is powerlifting? And then like, yeah, this is you'll love it. And you know, that's why I tell anybody that gets into it, you either love it or hate it. And the first time stepping on that on the platform, I was hooked. It was it was amazing.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

So it sounds like you hadn't even seen a competition.

SPEAKER_01 8:19

Never saw, never saw a competition, never knew anything about it. Just did what they told me to do. I signed up. I didn't know anything about the the the lifts, I didn't know anything about squat bench or debt, knew nothing about it. All I knew was I could lift heavy weight. So I was like, I'm in. And I was scared as hell, and they were like, you're gonna be fine. Just do what we tell you to do, and you'll be great. And I did what they told me to do, and that's when I fell in love with power lifting, and never looked back. It is the best thing that I've ever done for myself. And my birthday is coming, and I'm getting ready to leave the 50s and head into the 60s, and I'm more excited about that about going into 60 than I was 50.

SPEAKER_02 9:10

So why why is that?

SPEAKER_01 9:12

I'm stronger. I want to see if I can um be like like Linda.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

Linda Franklin.

SPEAKER_01 9:19

She's a yes, like Linda Franklin. She's amazing. I'm learning a little bit more about discipline and just kind of protecting my joints and everything now. Cause at this age, you know, in the 50s, we'll say late 40s, 50s, people start running into hip replacement, knee replacement, and stuff like that. And I am proud to say I don't have any issues, none whatsoever. And I'm I'm just I'm like, yeah, yay, Karen.

SPEAKER_02 9:46

Well, you must have taken good care of, I mean, all the movement that you've done over the many years. You know, you were lifting, you just weren't powerlifting.

SPEAKER_01 9:53

But I right, I wasn't powerlifting. I still, I I always loved the gym. Um, but I I didn't understand about losing mass as you age. I I just knew just from my seeing my family, I was like, I just don't want to be there. I don't want to be overweight, I don't want to have health issues, I don't want to restrict my calories, and I just made it up made it a fact to just kind of be careful with what I ate and and stayed functional, stayed moving. That was the most important thing.

SPEAKER_02 10:26

What does your nutrition look like? Do you um do you eat any kind of a special diet or is it sort of the standard like, you know, high protein and it's it's um I don't eat a special diet.

SPEAKER_01 10:37

I I try not to restrict myself. If I want to have a piece of cake, I'm gonna have a piece of cake. If I'm wanna eat something, I'm gonna eat it. I'm just not going to go overboard. I I just really pay attention to what I eat and I don't say no to too much of anything. But when I notice myself kind of going overboard, I just taper it back.

SPEAKER_02 10:57

Like a moderation kind of mindset.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

Yeah, everything in moderation.

SPEAKER_02 11:00

Yeah. Yeah, it's good. Well, I think, you know, when you when you start restricting yourself, I mean I've I've done it, I I'm I'm on a meal plan, I do macros, but I've always done an if it fits your macros kind of an approach. And even working with my coach, he does program my nutrition. And for most people, especially with bodybuilders, you know, folks will program very specifically exactly what you're gonna eat. And I when I started working with, you know, he's been my my powerlifting coach for many years, but we just started doing nutrition together last year. I said, I I'm fine, I know how to count macros, I know how to figure out what I'm eating. I want to be able to have a cookie, you know. Right. And I have a little, like a little cookie or a little, you know, twin tiny Halloween size candy bar or something little and sweet after.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Right. So you so you don't so you get to taste it and enjoy it, and but you don't go overboard.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

And that's what happens when people start restricting what they eat and not and not having a relationship with food. Relationship with food is like anything else in life. You need to have a relationship with it, you need to understand what it can and can't do. This is what I tell a lot of my clients. You have a relationship with people, with animals, you have a relationship with things. You also need to have a relationship with food. Don't be afraid of it. Food is fuel. Understand what it can and can't do for you, and then go from there. I'm not, I'm, I'm learning how to count macros and stuff like that because I never had to. I just, I never, I ate, I've always eaten in moderation. Never been with those people that pile a lot of stuff on their plate and ate it. That goes overboard.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

Do you have a coach or uh do you coach yourself, program yourself?

SPEAKER_01 12:40

So I still kind of funny. I started out with coaches and they're like, you're uncoachable.

SPEAKER_02 12:50

Okay, I gotta hear more about this. First of all, first of all, you are a coach, you're a personal trainer, so I need to hear, do you agree with them that you're uncoachable? And if so, okay.

SPEAKER_01 13:04

I always say I might have had some ADD growing up, but I never got a diagnosed with it.

SPEAKER_02 13:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 13:09

Um, and I've always kind of beat to my own drum, and it's really hard for me to kind of fall in line with what they asked me to do, like taking videos, doing the workout, uh, you know, doing the doing accessories, this, that, and the other. Because I work in a gym, I have to leave it so I can go back to it. The best time I had was when I I worked out at Marietta Barbell in Marietta, Georgia, and they didn't coach me with specific workouts that were written. They would come in and they would be like, today is this. And today, and I didn't have to think about it, and it was fun. When I have to sit down and look at everything, and there's a set amount of time you have to do things, and you have to you have to take video, especially if your coach is online or something like that. I can't do it. It becomes, it's like a job, and I I do this for fun. So the coaches that I had told me I was uncoachable.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

Those are remote coaches, all of them. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

The remote, the in-person, or all of them.

SPEAKER_02 14:18

I was gonna say, like, the because it sounds like the in-person you'd be a little bit easier with because they basically just like go do this, go do that, and you just go do it. And you like the lifting part. It doesn't sound like you're saying, like, I, you know, you wouldn't do your accessories. It's more like I can't be bothered to look at the program and you know, follow the little.

SPEAKER_01 14:34

Right. Right. They were like, you did this, and I was like, Yeah, I did it. And they were like, come on, you did. This is when the my two coworkers were they were coaching me. Um, they were like, you just you don't listen. You don't listen, you don't do what he tell you to do. You gotta do this, you gotta do that. And I'm like, I did it. And they were like, I told you to take videos, did you take videos? I was like, no, it's a lot of work.

SPEAKER_02 15:00

I guess I'm kind of surprised because you're in Georgia, there's a lot of powerlifting in Georgia. And I'm yeah, I'm surprised that you don't like you, you're such an outgoing extroverted person. I'm surprised you haven't like joined a a team, like a powerlifting team, or done something where there is a live, is live coaching. I mean, you've been very successful. Obviously, you haven't needed the coaching because look at you, you're doing great. I'm just you seem like someone who would really enjoy being on a team.

SPEAKER_01 15:25

Um so when I when I I was at uh Marietta Barbell for two years and I enjoyed going there. I'm so I'm so extrovert. And they made it fun. And they let me have my antics and just be me. They didn't try to stuff me into a box. You have some people that are so serious about lifting that it to me it takes the fun out of it. I gotta, you know, I gotta hit this, I gotta hit, I gotta hit that, and I'm just like, I can't do that. That is so stressful, and it just gets to a point where it's not fun anymore. So when I would go to Marietta Barbell, it was it was all lifters, it was, you know, everybody and everybody cheered you on, and it was fun. So they were coaching me and I didn't know it because all you know, I made jokes, they let me yell, scream, hoot and holler and carry on, and it was cool. And when I was there, that's when I went to Sweden, and um I got uh third place and deadlifts on the world stage. It was it was amazing. It was amazing.

SPEAKER_02 16:34

You have a deadlift, my friend.

SPEAKER_01 16:36

You know, I got these I got my arms are so doggone long.

SPEAKER_02 16:41

So you're you're five foot three.

SPEAKER_01 16:43

Five foot two and a half, but I'm gonna take five foot three.

SPEAKER_02 16:46

Okay. I'll I'll give that to you. I'll give you the half inch. So you're five foot three and you're you know 132 pounds soaking wet. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

Well, a little less than that, but I I struggle to hold on to 132.

SPEAKER_02 17:00

At the heaviest, you're 132. And what is your what is your biggest deadlift?

SPEAKER_01 17:05

Uh my biggest deadlift is 303.

SPEAKER_02 17:08

Okay, folks, we got we got a live one here. So, so Sweden. I was I was gonna talk a little bit more about training, but I want to come back to that because you just mentioned Sweden, and that has been the theme for you. I've noticed you you really embrace the travel. And you have had an opportunity to travel to some wonderful places because of powerlifting. I mean, I suspect you travel anyway, and you would be traveling anyway, but it's a great excuse. And you know, you and I were in Australia together, which was Was that not a hoot? Oh my god, what a good time. Yeah, yeah, it was great. So, you know, what have been some of your favorite moments in terms of your destinations that you've been to and and the lifting in those places?

SPEAKER_01 17:51

Um, let's see. Sweden, I traveled by myself. That was my very first time ever leaving the country. I was lifting with uh the US Virgin Islands. I joined their master's team, got invited to Sweden. So I was like, you know what? I'm doing it. I'm gonna go. So I saved up my money, worked, worked my face off, trained, had a great time, and I went over to Sweden, and that was the bug that was like, I'm gonna always, I'm anytime I can get to a world stage in another country, I'm gonna do it. Just the people, embracing the people, their way of life, took the bus everywhere, or we walked, or there were bicycles. We just, it was just seeing another country and trying their food and just, you know, embracing their culture. It was amazing. I think I was in Sweden for seven, seven days, and then traveling back by myself, slept in the airport, me and a bunch of other people, and we just we had a good time. I just was like, if anybody bothers me, they gonna they're gonna get a fight. Because I got nothing but time, and I'm not trying to go to jail, but I ain't and you're not taking any of my stuff, and you're not gonna hurt me. But it was a it was a blast.

SPEAKER_02 19:09

You strike me as someone who would have a good time wherever you are.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

It's just like, you know what, it's all about a good time. You can't take this too serious. We're not getting paid. Matter of fact, we're paying, so why not embrace the culture, the food, the people, and have a good time. And, you know, get your passport stamp. I'm always first because I'm so little, which really sucks.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

I've always first too, and I'm not as little as you. Right. And it's like, dog, go to the first again. Oh man.

SPEAKER_00 19:42

Okay, fine.

SPEAKER_02 19:42

It was like, oh my god, I got to be second this time. Wow.

unknown 19:45

Right, right.

SPEAKER_01 19:47

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 19:49

For those who don't compete, when we're in a competition, they start with the lowest weight. You know, the weight never goes down on the bar, so they're always increasing the weight. So whoever's gonna lift the least goes first.

unknown 20:00

Right.

SPEAKER_02 20:01

And that may be because they're the weakest, or it may just be because they're small, or a combination of the two, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:06

Right. It's it for my for me, it's kind of a combination of no, it's because I'm I barely make weight all the time. I can't stand it. And I'm just stuffing my face, eating, eating, eating. And my metabolism is so fast it just burns it off. And I'm like, I'm on the platform first again.

SPEAKER_02 20:25

That was not a problem for me. I had to go up a weight class because I yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:29

That's what I'm what's your weight class now?

SPEAKER_02 20:32

Uh I'm 67.5 kilo, which is the 148 class. I'm I ride down low in that weight class. I'm I'm I'm sitting around 142, 143 in terms of just walking around. If I cut into, I don't cut, but I'll if I, you know, when I'm getting ready for a weigh-in, I'll I won't eat very much, you know, for the day before. Like I'll I'll watch carbs, I'll watch sodium, I'll, you know, just try to get some of the water weight off.

SPEAKER_00 20:59

Right.

SPEAKER_02 21:00

So I'll typically weigh in like 140, 141. So I got a ton of room in the weight class. Um, but yeah, 132, I mean, I'm five foot six. And for a for a 132, that's kind of tall. You know, I was going up against people that were, you know, shorter and just had a lot more mass at that same body weight, and I just couldn't get stronger. Um, so yeah, I just was like, I just want to eat more. And in your in your situation, you're like, I'm eating all the food and I can't get, I can't gain.

SPEAKER_01 21:29

And it won't put me at it won't let me stay solid at 132. I'm usually dangling anywhere between like 127 and maybe 130, maybe 131. But to get to 132 and hold it at 132, it's a pain in the neck. So you know what? I don't worry about it anymore. I just, I'm just like, I'm gonna eat, um, eat and lift and do functional stuff and and stay moving. And, you know, I'm not gonna let that stress. Me to the point where it affects my attitude toward the sport because then it doesn't, it's not fun anymore, it's like work. And I love the sport so much, I don't want it to feel like work because it it'll take it robs me of the joy of getting to meet like nice people like like you and a bunch of the other ladies um that I've had an opportunity to share the platform with. And I just I I like to bring good, happy energy. I'm always approachable. I'm not one of the I'm not a mean girl. Will never be, have never been. I just want us all to to enjoy the sport and and have a good time and do your best.

SPEAKER_02 22:47

Okay. I've never honestly I haven't met any lifters that are in our general demographic masters lifters that are mean girls. I don't think it really attracts that kind of person anyway. I think our sport is a little bit of a niche sport. I don't I feel like, but I don't know about younger women. I haven't really met a lot of women that were not nice, but that's just been my maybe I've been lucky. Have you? I have, but it's okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:12

I still, you know, I still I still embrace them. And I don't want to see, I don't want to say they've been mean girls, but I met a couple of of of women that were that were just so laser focused, and when they didn't make a lift, they beat themselves up, or if they started too high or something like that. Um I'd see them go off in the corner by themselves and and uh and be crying, and I'm just like I hate to see that. It's not I mean, I don't I'm not sure what everyone's why is on why they lift, but don't beat yourself up if you don't make a lift. Just live to fight another day. I hate to see it. I, you know, I've I've I have DQ'd twice in my career, and uh, it was hard, but I still tried to make the most of it, you know? Now, if there was some money involved, you know, if if it was gonna be a big old pot and we're all gonna get rich, I would still be the same way. Um because I I just I love this, I love it so much because I've just met some of the nicest people. And I just I don't know, I'm just one of those people that's like it's not that serious. You know, just go back to the lab, go back to the drawing board and you know, get ready for the next one.

SPEAKER_02 24:28

Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, we all invest ourselves in things in different ways, and some people, you know, it is perspective.

SPEAKER_00 24:35

Right.

SPEAKER_02 24:36

Uh, you know, it it's hard to fail. So if if you've had a goal, and you know, I think on the one hand, you want to have goals and be reaching for something specific, because that helps. Right.

unknown 24:47

Right.

SPEAKER_02 24:47

But on the other hand, if you're attached to the goal, then you don't make it. And even I think I don't know if you find this being attached to it can make it harder to get it. Like if you if you're thinking about the result more than the process, you're more likely to fail.

unknown 25:01

Right.

SPEAKER_02 25:02

In my experience. Do you agree to find the same thing?

SPEAKER_00 25:04

I totally agree. I totally agree.

SPEAKER_02 25:08

So when you have failed a lift that you were working really hard for you, I'm sure, I'm sure you're setting goals. You know, like the first time you want you wanted to hit 300 on a deadlift, did you did you did you get 300 when you were first after 300 on deadlift, or did you miss it?

SPEAKER_01 25:21

No, I missed it. And then I was like, oh, darn it. But that's okay. You know, it was it was was about the journey, and I got there, and I've someone once told me, I don't remember who told me this, but they were like, if you go nine for nine, uh, did you really try? And I was like, you know, that's there's some people that tried really hard and some people that didn't, but it made a lot of sense. So I remember when I got first I got my first nine for my nine for nine, it was exhilarating, it was amazing. And then I was like, well, I gotta get more. And then I had to step back so I didn't get a big head and jinx myself. Um, and then just go right back into the process and um and just have a good time with it. Because for me, it's just about a good time. There's some people that I don't know, I don't know what their end goal is with with powerlifting. I'm not sure. But mine is just to have a good time and just keep meeting people and you know, be doing it, be doing this when I'm 70, God willing when I'm 80, and maybe, maybe be the first hundred-year-old that is still doing it and and have, you know, 30 years in the in the in the game or whatever. That's my goal, just to be able to keep doing it for as long as I can.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

We're winning just by showing up.

SPEAKER_01 26:46

That part.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

But you're a fierce competitor. I and I don't mean that in the sense of like you you're the most supportive, wonderful person to compete against. I mean, you and I were like cheering for each other and hugging each other on the platform.

SPEAKER_01 26:57

Listen, when I met when I met you, I was like, I, because you know, we we low-key, we follow, but we kind of low-key stalk. We're like, oh, oh, look, she did that. Oh my god. And I just was like, and and I got a little, I got a little nervous. And then I was like, but you know what though? We're all nervous. Yeah. So let's not go, why don't we just go out here and have a good time? And I'm just like, I'm I'm supporting everybody. I'm I'm yelling, I'm screaming, I'm clapping for everybody. If you're in my class, if you're not in my class, I'm rooting for you.

SPEAKER_02 27:30

I'm the same way. It's like if, you know, if I'm gonna if I'm gonna beat you, it's gonna be because I had the best day possible. I want I want you to have the best day possible. Right. If if I had a better day than you, when we both put in the were able to put in the most effort that we could, then so be it. But I'm gonna cheer for you. But when I say you're a fierce competitor, that you know, what I mean is you're you're very you're focused and you're fierce. Like you want it. And you're, you know, so that it's a great combination because you've got that intensity, but then you're like, but we're just having a good time.

SPEAKER_01 28:01

Right. At the at the beginning, at it's like, oh my god, it's a good time. Then then when when I hit that, when I when I hit that 300 in Sweden, I was like, oh my god, how good did that feel? And then one of the ladies from another country, she bombed. And I still, I I went up to her and I was like, you know what? You're amazing. We were all here together, and I wouldn't have got to meet you if we weren't on this world stage together. And I gave her a big hug and she cried a little bit, and then she said, her her English, I think she was from Germany, and she said to me, she told me I was amazing. And I was like, I'm just, you know, I just want to be a Raya sunshine. You know, that's all I want to be.

SPEAKER_02 28:42

You succeed.

SPEAKER_01 28:44

Well, thank you. I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_02 28:47

Well, on that note, um, you've had you've had some hard stuff going on in your life the last couple of years. You've had some lots. It's been, you know, it's been rough in some ways. And so I'm wondering, like, how has that affected your your training, your ability to train? Has it made it harder to get motivated to train, or is it the reverse that the training has helped you through that stuff?

SPEAKER_01 29:10

So I did I didn't, I was, I was, I was really lost when I lost my sister. My sister passed away in um the end of COVID, I think it was 2021, and she was one of my one of my fiercest cheerleaders. And when I lost my sister, I was really lost. I still uh I still grapple with it from time to time. Um and then I was like, do I still want to do this? And every, you know, and people were they were very supportive and they were like, your sister would want you to do this, but I was gonna quit. And I wanted to be that person that just, you know, sat in a chair and ate really bad and just not cared anymore. And I should have, I probably should have got some uh some grief counseling. But I kind of smiled through it, and it just my heart was just broken. She was my oldest, my oldest sister. When COVID hit, I wanted her to come and stay with me because she had health issues. She was overweight, had congestive heart failure, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure. She had, I call, I call it the um the COVID cocktail. And I just wanted her to come with come here to Georgia with me and let me help her. And uh she just she she was like, no, I can't leave. I can't leave my godkids and you know, I just can't close up everything and come down there. And then when I found out that she had gotten COVID, and when I got the call that I would have to make the decision on, you know, to take her off of the ventilator, this was I felt like I felt like I was seven and couldn't, you know, I was like, I can't make that decision. That's my sister. That she's all I got. We lost her mom in 2012, and then um she made the decision on her own to go ahead and uh go on and be with God. And I didn't I didn't get to say goodbye. So I struggled. And this past year, um, my deadlifts went down, my my bench, everything went down, my bench was down, my squat went down, and I just I had to have a meeting with myself and just be like, you know what, Kay, you gotta get it together because Cheryl was your biggest. My sister's name was Cheryl, and she was my biggest fan, and she would not be happy with you putting on this act and not letting people know that that that you're heartbroken. You need to get yourself together. You need to find, you need to find that, find your why again, and get your butt back in there and start picking that weight up like you know you can. And um I did Celtic, the Celtic clash with my cousin in March of this year, and it was good, but I wasn't 100%. Um, and then I did uh Southeast Regionals, and then I said, I was like, what's gonna be, what's gonna be your catalyst to get you out of this rut that you've been in? You you haven't been trying. And I I just I kind of went through the numbers and I want world records now. I only have state, so now I want world records and I'm not gonna stop until I get them. I'm getting ready to turn 60, and um there's you know, I've I've I've so much to be grateful for. My kids are my kids are all healthy, and I'm healthy, so I need to stop playing around and doing a shucking jive and get my butt in the gym and start lifting. And December 1st, after Thanksgiving, I just was like, it's time to put all that aside and and do what do what you do best. Get out there and lift heavy weights. I want to I want a 320 deadlift. I want about 145, 150 bench, and at least a solid 250 squat. I want the world records and I gotta get it. And now I'm like, I'm I'm motivated, I feel good. And if you think it was bad, then wait till I get on the stage, wait till I get on the platform in 2026 when I hit the big 6-0.

SPEAKER_02 33:19

This is what I'm saying about you being a fierce competitor, right? Like games, I'm getting those numbers, I'm getting those world records.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

Like, yeah, I'm getting those, and I and I thought about it and I was like, maybe I'll get a coach and I'll say, you know what? You ain't gonna follow what they tell you to do. Get it together, find you a find something that works for you, follow it to a T. Get yourself strong, and go get and go chase those numbers. That once I do that, then maybe I'll find something else to do. Maybe I'll do a high rock.

SPEAKER_02 33:54

Too much running.

SPEAKER_01 33:55

I'm the only place I'm running is till my car when it's cold.

SPEAKER_02 33:58

Yeah, no running for me. I mean, I have an excuse because I have all kinds of neat stuff, but I hate running. Right. I've hate I hate running. No, no running for me. Yeah, thank God for lifting. Give me a barbell. Exactly. Well, you know, we have seasons in our life, and you know you maybe you didn't have a choice, but I think it's okay to respect the season also. And you know, you you had a lot that you were carrying, you didn't need extra weight.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

Yeah, I had to I had to drop that off.

SPEAKER_02 34:26

You you have gone nine for nine. What what meat just what what meat stands out as like one of your your favorites or your best where you just followed?

SPEAKER_01 34:34

Sweden.

SPEAKER_02 34:34

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:35

Even though I didn't go nine for nine, my first international meet was amazing. Oh my god, I just everything everything clicked. I got all my squats, I didn't get my third bench, and I got all my deadlifts. I felt amazing. I wasn't worried about weight. I got there early enough where I could acclimate to the time change and the weather, and I was with some amazing women. That was one of, I have to say, that that was the best meet. Then it was um the Gold Coast. Everything international was just, oh my gosh. It was it was the most fun. And you know, I can tell, I can tell people now, right? You gotta get there early. You need to get a couple days to acclimate to um to the time change. You you will be dehydrated, so you gotta drink a lot of water, and don't try to get there like a day or two before you lift. You get at least three, give yourself at least three days before you lift so you can get your hydration back up, your sleep pattern, um, and your eating. And you'll do great. That I I learned that when I went to Sweden, and I and it was, like I said, that was that was the best meet, my first international meet. I just felt like I had hit the pinnacle of my career, and I didn't even scratch the surface.

SPEAKER_02 35:59

That's great advice that you just gave. Um, any other tips you would give to uh someone who might be listening who's getting ready to do their first either international or even, you know, local folks that have to travel. Well, some people have to travel, like go across the country to do a national meeting, even. Yeah, but some something where it's big, there's a lot of people, it's multi-day, it's a big stage, it's a long way to get to, that kind of thing. And it's their first time doing that. What else would you suggest?

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Give yourself grace. Don't compare yourself to others. You put in the work, you did what you needed to do, go show it off. Do it for you. Don't do it for anybody else, and enjoy and embrace the the event. Don't kill yourself, don't don't stress. Have a good time. The hard work is already done. All you gotta do is go and show them what you do. That's the most important thing.

SPEAKER_02 36:53

I great advice. I agree with all of that. Um, I also have find definitely getting there early is super important, giving yourself some space, you know, the further away you're going. And if you're going east, it's harder to adjust. Yeah. The body has a harder time with the jet lag and stuff, so you need even more time. Food, you know, think about what you're going to be eating.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

Yeah. You know, if if you're on like try to make it on a special diet and you're trying to make weight.

SPEAKER_02 37:19

You need to make weight, yeah. You know, if and um I I try to sort of familiarize myself with the options around. So like when we went to Gold Coast, I scoped out, you know, there was that mall near where we were lifting, and they had that um, there was like a crep place, and I was like, that's breakfast. Yeah, I love to load up on pancakes or waffles.

SPEAKER_01 37:40

We went there too.

SPEAKER_02 37:41

Yeah, it's that's that's the perfect pre-meat food. So it's good to you know, scope it out, you know, and know what your options are.

SPEAKER_01 37:48

Stick with what you know. Like if you find a hamburger or uh chicken, stick with that. Don't experiment, don't experiment.

SPEAKER_02 37:57

It's not the time to start experimenting with exotic curry.

unknown 38:01

Right.

SPEAKER_01 38:02

Do not experiment with exotic cuisine until after you've competed. Then just go and be as bad as you want because it's nothing worse than on meat day, you experience and try something that you never had before and your stomach ain't right. That will mess you up.

SPEAKER_02 38:24

That is some solid advice right there. I hope people take that one to heart. That's a good one.

SPEAKER_01 38:28

That's that's the biggest thing. So I never, I never, I don't experiment until after after competition. I stick with what I know. And then once competition is over, I'm all in for whatever. That way, if my stomach's not right or it didn't sit well, I'm good. I've already done what I've I've come in and done my work.

SPEAKER_02 38:47

So you are uh in a great position for for me to ask a few questions for to help our audience out because there are uh hopefully are people that are gonna hear this that are not yet lifting, but are getting serious about it, want to, or thinking about it, or just starting out. And you are a personal trainer yourself. So you have both the perspective of the client, not having necessarily been trained because you're uncoachable, as you've said, but they're gonna see this and they're be like, oh my gosh, she said it. What advice would you give, first of all, to someone um who is just starting and should they get a trainer? Is that necessary? How do they pick a a trainer? How do they know if it's a good fit? The trainer that they get?

SPEAKER_01 39:36

Just to get familiarized, if you've never been in a gym or if you're not sure, find a trainer that listens. Because a lot of times you'll find you'll run into trainers that just want you to do what they tell you to do, but they don't listen to what you're talking about, what you have going on. I'm a big listener. Um, because people tell they tell you what they need. I've noticed in the industry you have a lot of trainers, personal trainers and coaches that don't listen. They they just want to tell you what to do. I'm not gonna tell you what to do until I understand what you need. It's active listening. My clientele is anywhere between early to mid-40s all the way into the 80s. And I always ask, first thing, what are you looking to do? Don't be afraid to use the entire gym. You pay for this. Don't put yourself on just machines, but don't be afraid to try everything. I'm not in the beginning, don't slam a lot of weight on people. You have to let them build up to it. And you have to be patient with that. There's some trainers that I've noticed that they want to, you know, train the senior generation like they would train younger kids and stuff like that. You can't, you can't do just you just gotta be careful and listen and talk to people and always make yourself approachable. I'm approachable and I make training enjoyable because people don't want to go to the gym. They go to the gym because they have to, or they've been, you know, health, uh, muscle loss, osteopenia, which is huge. Hip issues, knee issues, back issues, neck issues. A lot of the younger trainers that come in, they want to be like trainer to the stars and stuff like that. That's like a drop in a bucket. You have to be a trainer to general population. Most people, as they age, they want to be able to play with their grandchildren. They want to have a good quality of life, and they're looking for longevity. You're not gonna get people that want to power lift, you're not gonna get people that want to bodybuild, you're not gonna get people that want to run marathons and stuff like that. So everyone's everyone's training is different. You can't put people in a box, and you know, I see a lot of uh some of the trainers, I see them having 50, 60-year-old people doing box jumps. Why? Did you actively listen to what they were saying?

SPEAKER_02 42:10

And not that box jumps are are necessarily not a good thing for someone who's 50 or 60. It really depends on their goals. Right. I've done box jumps. I'm 59, 58. Um, I'm a power lifter, and box jumps help with power. So, you know, it but I also have problems with my knees, and my coach knows that.

unknown 42:31

Right.

SPEAKER_02 42:31

So that's like you said, it's listening, you know, like maybe it's a good idea in theory, but my body doesn't respond well to it, or there are risks for me that not someone else might not have. I what I've seen is there's two dangers with a trainer for an old an older person. One danger is that they push too hard, right? And the other danger is that they don't push hard enough.

SPEAKER_00 42:51

Right.

SPEAKER_02 42:51

And there are personal trainers out there who I think treat older people like they're very delicate and frail and they can't do that stuff. And that's just as bad in its own way. You're doing as much damage to that person that way as you would be if you had them being doing too much. So, you know, it sounds like from a client's perspective, you know, I think it seems like you're saying that, you know, listen to your gut as a client.

SPEAKER_00 43:14

Right.

SPEAKER_02 43:14

Do you feel like you're being heard? Do you feel like you're being seen? Do you feel like what you know your needs are being taken into account? Are you being pushed hard enough without being pushed too hard?

SPEAKER_01 43:24

And right. And then and they'll let you know I can do more. And that's where the active listening comes in. Um it's communication and treating people the way you would want to be treated. And what a lot of the newer trainers don't understand, you are always on display. The world's biggest stage is the gym, and people wa especially where I am, people watch. They watch how you are with a trainer. If they see you leaning, they see you sitting down on the ground. If you're not explaining something, um, and you just sitting there while the person while while the client is doing something.

SPEAKER_02 44:00

Looking at your phone.

SPEAKER_01 44:01

Right. Look at being on your phone, not being engaged, not not being active with your client. They don't want they will not train with you. That's one of the biggest things that I take with me when I go into the gym every morning. Every day is a new day. I do what I love, so I don't work a day in my life and I I hang around with people that I get an opportunity to help. And that's how I do it. The biggest thing is, like you said, don't be up to the amount of youngsters, the younger trainers that's on their phone standing there, just not being engaged with their client. It's crazy to me. And then they get they get mad when you pull them to the side and say something. Okay. You want to eat like I eat. You should, I'm trying to give you these tidbits. That's it. That's all it is.

SPEAKER_02 44:48

We've been we've been at this a while. I would love to know just sort of some last thoughts that you might have. You said a lot about sort of aging and and lifting. What what would you want women our age to know about strength and and how it relates to getting older?

SPEAKER_01 45:03

Strength is longevity. It's longevity. Don't be afraid to pick up more than eight or ten pounds. It's okay. Um build that your muscle so you won't break a bone. You won't break an ankle, a hip, or something like that. Because as you age, those injuries are a lot harder to get over when you're in your 50s, 60s, and you don't have muscle mass to help um to help the bone heal. So don't be afraid to lift weights. Don't be afraid to lift heavy. Find you a trainer that cares. Watch how they treat their clients. And if you don't see them doing the same cookie-cutter thing, that's a trainer for you. If you see a trainer that takes time and talks to their client before they uh before they hit the floor, that's a that's a trainer for you because they will actively listen to what you're saying and they will put together a plan that is your plan and not yours and 200 other people. That's what you want to see.

SPEAKER_02 46:02

As an as an uncoachable athlete yourself, but as a trainer, how can clients, how can and those of us that are working with a coach or hiring a trainer be a good client and get the best results for themselves?

SPEAKER_01 46:15

Be honest. Be honest about what you're eating or not eating, or you know, the amount of wine you drink, or the amount of alcohol you take in, or just be honest with what you want and understand it didn't take you overnight to get where you are, and it's not gonna be overnight to to get where you want to be. Consistency. Be consistent, and just like the trainer should actively listen, the client should actively listen to because we're here to help, and that's it. Just be honest. Relationship. Have a relationship with your personal trainer. We're mean, but we love you.

SPEAKER_02 46:52

And I actually, my coach, made me do something really hard, and I ended the video giving him the finger on both of my hands. Not only did he know that means I love him and he's helping me, but he posted it on his Instagram story.

SPEAKER_01 47:06

I gotta go check it because I I I thought you don't you want to hear something crazy. I thought about contacting him to be my coach, but then I was like, you know what? I am so uncoachable. Joe would probably be like, you know what? I can't help you. You continue to be you, you're doing good. I'm so uncoachable. He's an amazing guy. I don't know how you guys met. Tim, I follow him on Instagram and I watched when he handled you. And I just was like, he is, he is amazing. If I could be half as good a trainer as he is a coach, I'm doing good.

SPEAKER_02 47:48

I promise those listening that he did not pay for this promotion. It's true. And and the way that I found him was I was on social media and he he has tattooed on his arm, live, learn, pass on. And that's sort of his his whole approach to everything. So he gives away a ton of information on social media for free. You know, he's he he posts these great informational and he's been doing that for years. And I just was watching them.

SPEAKER_00 48:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 48:16

And and I needed to get a new coach, and I like, I was like, he this guy knows how to communicate and he's he knows his stuff. Um I just I reached out to him. Yeah. He luckily for me was willing to coach me.

SPEAKER_00 48:28

Right.

SPEAKER_02 48:28

I think I am pretty coachable. I I do what I'm told and I'm okay videoing and all that stuff. So I haven't finger from time to time, but I think I'm but I I I I'm sure he would agree like what you just said. Like that listening thing, the communication, it's all about the communication. You need to have knowledge, which you do, you need to, you know, know your stuff. But other than knowing your stuff, it's about communication.

SPEAKER_01 48:55

Yeah, you you need to communicate, communicate, communicate, and be consistent. If you're not a consistent trainer, your clients are not going to be consistent and they will fall off. I've had my my clientele I've had uh probably at least eight to nine years, and they send people to me, and it's because I I it's probably just because I make it, I make it fun, because again, people don't want to be there. And they get results, and you know, they're like, oh, I want your arms, and I'm like, well, you know, I work pretty hard, you know, and I'm I'm gonna need you to work pretty hard too. I'm not, you know, I'm not gonna kill you, but I want you to I want you to reach your goals and I want you to know that it's okay to have light days, it's okay to have heavy days. We gotta mix it up. You have to be honest with me with what you're eating. I'm I don't I I'm working on nutrition. I've never I've never had to worry about nutrition, so I have to work on my knowledge of it. I just I I eat what feels right. Um and um I'm constantly eating. I've the biggest thing, I have a story. I always I have a jacket, my my work jacket, and I keep food in my pocket. Yes, wrap it up in a napkin, and I put it in my pocket. So I was going to get my my client and I pulled cheese out of my pocket. It was in a napkin, but I I pulled some cheese out of my pocket and everybody looked at me and I was like, what? It's protein as quick, it's in a napkin. I'm hungry. I don't have enough time to sit down and eat. So I pulled some cheese out of one pocket, and then maybe 20 minutes later, I pulled a chicken nugget out of the other pocket. I gotta eat.

SPEAKER_02 50:51

The cheese I got, the chicken nugget, that's pretty funny.

SPEAKER_01 50:54

Remember trading places when Dane Aykroyd did you watch the movie Examination? That was that's me. That's what I do. As long as it's wrapped up in a napkin or in it's it's okay. I gotta eat. I eat on the run.

SPEAKER_02 51:09

You know, I think that the the the message of this is that everything everyone is different and different things work for different people. And anybody who tells you there is one way to do pretty much anything is full of it. Right. And I mean, there are some things like, yeah, you you do need a certain amount of protein. If you don't need a certain amount of protein, you can't build muscle because the protein is what gives you the building blocks to build the muscle. To build the muscle. You know, that's that's just a rule.

unknown 51:36

Right.

SPEAKER_02 51:37

How much exactly? That's a little bit more sort of, you know, there's there's standards and stuff, but like, you know, you can do what you do, you can have macros, you can have a meal plan, you cannot have a meal plan, whatever. If it works for you, that's what matters, right?

SPEAKER_01 51:49

And I'm everybody is everyone is different. You can't train everyone the same way. Everybody can't eat the same way. You have people that have that do have eating disorders that have to be careful with what they do. That's where active listening and communication comes into play with what they do. And you have people that are not honest with what they're eating and they don't see the results. And because, and and to push blame, they push the blame on you. And I'm like, listen, I'm only with you 30 minutes, 45 minutes, an hour. You're not being honest with me. You're not seeing the goals you want to see because you're not being honest with me. That's when we have to pull out the notebook, and now you have to write down everything that you're taking in. Everything. I need to see what you're eating because you're not being honest with me. So now I gotta be mean and make you write it down.

SPEAKER_02 52:39

I'm sure there are people that just aren't telling you what they're eating. There's also the folks that are like, they don't realize what they're eating, or they don't realize how much. Measuring can be tricky because, like, eating disorders you said, but if you don't measure ever, uh you you you have no idea. You're just guesstimating, and people guesstimate low. You know this. Right. So they say they're having, you know, a little bit of peanut butter, uh, a tablespoon of peanut butter, they're having that much peanut butter, you know.

unknown 53:04

Right.

SPEAKER_02 53:05

Like I know exactly how much a tablespoon of peanut butter. I know I can tell you to the gram now because I've been for a while, so I don't have to measure everything. Right. But yeah. So I think that's just an important message for people if they're struggling with right.

SPEAKER_01 53:16

And it's and and again, it's my I always tell clients if you don't have a relationship with food, you're you are setting yourself up for failure. Food is fuel. When knowing to take in your carbs, knowing to take in your protein, knowing to take in your fats and uh and your veggies and stuff like that. Just know when to eat. If you know you're a mover and shaker, your carbs should be a little higher during the day when you're moving and shaking. When you're doing a lot of sitting, you shouldn't take in as you shouldn't take in carbs. Don't take them out of your diet. Just learn how they work and what they do. You gotta know what it's used for. Because your car is the same way. You put gas in your car. If you don't have no gas in your car, your car ain't gonna take you nowhere. If you don't have no fuel, and if you don't have no fuel in your body, your body's not gonna do what you need it to do.

SPEAKER_02 54:04

Right. Well, we could talk about this for another hour. Uh hopefully I'll have to have you back to do that because we also didn't get to talk about your Harley's, and I definitely really wanted to, but I have I have two.

SPEAKER_01 54:14

I have my 2014 uh Harley Davidson 883. That bike's name is Purple Haze. I bought Purple Haze when my daughter went off to college, and I always wanted a motorcycle, and that was one of the things my sister and I were supposed to do together was to ride the United States on motorcycles. And I love that bike, I still have it. And then I went out and I got Big Daddy Blue. Big Daddy Blue is a 2012 Road King. It's a bagger, and that's gonna be my bike for my 60th. I've been riding, but that's gonna be my 60th birthday present where I ride through the United States on my on my Road King.

SPEAKER_02 54:52

Oh how is my goal?

SPEAKER_01 54:54

I'm gonna start planning to go uh to different rallies and different riding in different states. I did it on my Sportster. Now I can do it on my bagger, and and it's a bigger bike, and I can carry more stuff um and just see the world uh on two wheels. That's my goal.

SPEAKER_02 55:12

Well, you just embody badassery in every possible way. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01 55:17

I appreciate you.

SPEAKER_02 55:18

Your lifting would be enough, but then you got not just one, but two Harley's and wow, like that's just okay. So quick couple quick questions, and then we're gonna wrap this up. What is your favorite lift of the of the three big lifts? I'm gonna guess.

SPEAKER_01 55:32

Deadlift, baby baby. I'm gonna get a three, I'm gonna get a 320, 325 deadlift this year. Okay. I'm I'm I'll I love the deadlift.

SPEAKER_02 55:45

That's your thing.

SPEAKER_01 55:46

What is your what's yours?

SPEAKER_02 55:48

Um, I like them all, actually. Uh I I have a thing for the squat.

SPEAKER_00 55:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 55:54

Um, I don't know why. There's just something about putting that bar on your back and bad represents.

SPEAKER_00 56:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 56:02

Um, it's also the scariest one, but it was historically my best lift. But my deadlift, my my deadlift is starting, it's finally starting to come. It's taken ten years, eight years to really learn how to deadlift.

SPEAKER_01 56:14

So I I'm like you. I love them. I love them all. Deadlift is my I love deadlift. I struggle with bench. So I'm I'm paying close attention to to bench, and my best squat is like 230. So I want to get I want to get to a um at least a 240, 250 squat.

SPEAKER_02 56:37

Yeah, 242 is my goal for this coming year. Yeah. And I want to get a 275 deadlift. So you're you're way beyond me on deadlift, but that's not uncommon.

SPEAKER_01 56:47

But you know what, you know what it is though? I'm shorter. And I've got these these humongously long arms where I could scratch my knees without bending.

SPEAKER_02 56:56

So you're built for it. Yeah, I I don't have deadlift arms at all. Um, I don't really have our I don't have a power lifter's body. I I don't actually have the ideal leverages for any lift.

SPEAKER_01 57:06

But you let me tell you something. You do your thing though. You do your thing.

SPEAKER_02 57:10

But that's what it's all about, isn't it? We're just we're just doing we are doing our thing, and that's what matters. And absolutely that's what makes it a beautiful sport. Um uh I have to ask because I want to make a list. What is what song gets you hyped? Um that like you're gonna play for your in your headphones right before you go for that big deadlift. Click, click, click, boom.

SPEAKER_01 57:35

That's between that, listening to that, and then a little bit of nose torque. Oh my god, it's time to get it's time to start lifting heavy shit and putting it down.

SPEAKER_02 57:48

All right. So last question for people that want to follow you, that want to see you on your on your journeys on your bike, that want to see you hitting those goals in training. I know you're not videoing yourself that much, but we can still get it.

SPEAKER_01 58:00

I'm gonna so I'm gonna start. I promise myself.

SPEAKER_02 58:02

Well, where can people where can people find you on socials or wherever?

SPEAKER_01 58:06

On Instagram, I'm six ounces of whoopass.

SPEAKER_02 58:10

Best candle ever.

SPEAKER_01 58:12

On Facebook, I am Karen, K-A-R-A-N, S is in Sam, period Taylor. Um, as well as uh TikTok, Karen S. Taylor. But I should change everything to six ounces of whoopass.

SPEAKER_02 58:27

Branding.

SPEAKER_01 58:27

That's what I am. Mike, my kids keep telling me to do that. I gotta brand that. Six ounces of whoop ass. I'll buy that shirt. Woo-hoo! You know what? I'm gonna get some made, and you don't have to buy it. I'll send it to you.

SPEAKER_02 58:40

Fair enough. Karen, thank you so much. It's been such a pleasure. I I can go for another hour. It's just fun to shoot the shit with you. But uh what's your next competition?

SPEAKER_01 58:49

I'm trying to decide which one, but I will keep everyone posted because there's there's one that I want to do here where I want to be able to make sure that I can break world records. And so I'll keep you posted, but right now we're in that building, that building phase to get those lifts up and uh to keep my muscle on because you know I should probably have a cane because I'm gonna be 60, but you know what? I feel too good, take the cane, throw it in the trash, and go make it happen, baby.

SPEAKER_02 59:18

Amen. Amen. All right, it's thank you again. Thanks so much for listening to that badass broadcast. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure you're subscribed wherever you listen to podcasts. You can find the show notes for this episode at that badassbroad.com forward slash podcast, and you can subscribe there for my writing on strength, training, and competing later in life. You can watch the full video of this episode on YouTube at That Badass Broad. And for clips and training, follow me on Instagram at Mearslam, M-I-R-S-L-A-M. Thanks again for being here and have a badass day.