#317 From Terrifying Injury to World Records | Heidi Howar, Dave Tate's Table Talk
Nov 15, 2024
auto_awesome
Heidi Howar, a world record-holding powerlifter and resilient mother, shares her inspiring journey from a severe injury to breaking records. She discusses transitioning from equipped to raw lifting, finding joy in flexible training methods, and the emotional growth through her experiences. The conversation delves into overcoming mental barriers, the importance of community support during recovery, and navigating the challenges of competitive powerlifting. Heidi highlights her aspirations to coach women, promoting strength and resilience in the sport.
Heidi Howard's journey from a stay-at-home mom to an all-time world record holder showcases her dedication and resilience in powerlifting.
Despite facing significant injuries, Heidi reinvented her training approach, transitioning from multiply to raw lifting to rekindle her passion.
The impact of mentorship, especially from Louie Simmons, highlights the importance of support in overcoming personal and competitive challenges.
Heidi's current training philosophy emphasizes joy and personal growth in strength training rather than solely pursuing competitive achievements.
Deep dives
Introduction of Heidi Howard's Achievements
Heidi Howard is introduced as an all-time world record holder in powerlifting, boasting significant accolades that include the highest female deadlifts and totals in her weight class. Over several years, she achieved top rankings in her categories, showcasing her consistent performance and dedication to the sport. Despite her successes, Heidi discusses the struggles she faced due to injuries that affected her motivation and training. These setbacks initiated her exploration into raw lifting as a way to reignite her passion for the sport.
Injury and Motivation Shift
Heidi shares her journey through a debilitating hamstring injury that disrupted her heavy lifting routine. To adapt, she started experimenting with different training styles and equipment, like switching to lifting shoes, which surprisingly alleviated her pain. This shift in focus allowed her to slowly engage in raw lifting, which unexpectedly became enjoyable. This newfound interest provided her with a sense of challenge and reignited her enthusiasm for lifting after feeling lost for a time.
Transition from Powerlifting to Raw Lifting
The podcast details how initially moving away from multiply lifting was unexpected for Heidi but became a crucial step in her growth as an athlete. As she began lifting raw, she encountered techniques and methodologies that were foreign to her, aiming to improve her form and technique. She discusses the significant changes in her squatting stance and how adjustments affected her training positively. Embracing a more technical approach reassured her that embracing change could lead to strength improvements.
Recovery from Injury
After a serious forearm injury during a competition, Heidi faced doubts about her ability to return to lifting. She details the traumatic experience of breaking her arm and the subsequent challenging recovery process, including extensive physical therapy and mental hurdles. Despite initial fears of permanently leaving the sport, she was motivated to return after encouraging remarks from her mentor, Louie Simmons. This experience reinforced her determination to come back stronger, proving that setbacks can lead to powerful comebacks.
Mental Toughness and Coaching
Heidi emphasizes the role mental toughness played in her journey, especially in the context of support and coaching. Her relationship with her boyfriend, who is also a strength coach, has been pivotal, as he encouraged her to adopt new techniques and focused on gradual improvements without the pressure of performance. This supportive environment has allowed her to rebuild her strength in a healthier and more enjoyable way. Such dynamic coaching relationships enable not only physical growth but also help combat the mental obstacles that accompany competitive lifting.
Reassessing Goals and Personal Identity
Following the loss of Louie Simmons, Heidi reflects on the impact of his passing on her motivation and connection to powerlifting. The transition from multiply lifting to raw has allowed her to explore different aspects of strength training without the weight of past expectations. She acknowledges that while she still aims for personal improvement, the pressure to achieve certain milestones has lessened significantly. This reevaluation encourages her to create a new identity within the sport, focusing on self-improvement rather than competition.
Current Training Philosophy
Heidi shares her current training philosophy, emphasizing the joy of lifting and personal growth rather than merely pursuing records. The freedom to train on her terms has provided her with a renewed sense of passion for fitness. She is not currently focused on chasing specific numbers or world records but rather on enjoying the process and rediscovering her love for strength training. This new approach significantly contrasts her previous mindset, which was heavily centered around competitive achievements.
Future Aspirations and Coaching Opportunities
Heidi expresses her desire to give back to the powerlifting community through coaching, particularly aiming to help women navigate challenges in the sport. With her extensive experience and knowledge, she seeks to create a supportive environment for her clients, encouraging both physical and mental strength development. This new chapter in her life reflects her broader goals of fostering community and encouraging others in their fitness journeys. Heidi's story serves as inspiration for many, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
Join MEMBERS ONLY to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSo2azieL7E7uzkXGvEeMSw/join For only $4.99 a month, get EVERY NEW podcast episode EARLY and AD-FREE. As a member, you'll have access to guest AMAs to get your questions answered. Enjoy the cool elitefts badge next to your profile name as well.
Welcome Heidi Howar to the 317th episode of Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast.
Heidi Howar began her powerlifting journey in 2012 as a stay-at-home mom aiming to stay fit. This journey evolved into breaking world records. She holds the women's multiply 132 and 148 squat, deadlift, and total records. Heidi has trained under some of the strongest coaches in the sport, including Louie Simmons. After recovering from a compound fracture of her radius and ulna, she continued to break records. Now retired from multiply, she is entering the raw division to compete, eager for the new challenges ahead.
A telehealth platform specializing in hormone optimization and preventative medicine. Offers self-service labs and guided optimization with competitive pricing.
All profits from elitefts Limited Edition Apparel, Table Talk Coffee, and Team elitefts Workouts, Programs, and Training eBooks support Dave Tate's Table Talk Podcast. Shop these elitefts items: https://www.elitefts.com/content/table-talk/
