|
|
Tania Pitt-Guthrie is one strong figure. While most athletes would cut back on their load a couple of weeks before a show, Tania who only weighed around 42kg, was still squatting 90kg for 4-5 reps while on their pre contest diet.
|
 |
Her remarkable feats include best ever squat lift at a previous body weight of 67kg, which was 147kg; the bench press at the same weight of 110kg and a dead lift just to the waist at 132.5kg. Tania, weighing 47kg, placed third at the World Masters Champs in 2012 which was a great effort. |
|
Tania crossed over to 'the dark side' to compete at the NABBA WFF Christchurch Grand Prix and NZIFBB South Island Champs in May '13 and looked amazing with her great conditioned figure. Weighing just 42kg, Tania was ripped while her muscles still looking full, no doubt due to her years of heavy weight training via the powerlifting programme. In this video interview at the NZIFBB South Island Champs, we ask Tania about her contest prep and how she enjoyed revealing her muscles rather than covering it up in her powerlifting suit. Below is also an article on Tania from the Mid Canterbury Herald which gives you a better background about Tania's lifting history. |
  |
  |
| Mid Canterbury Herald 26 Sept 12 "TANIA PITT-GUTHRIE’S diminutive and feminine 1.5metre frame when relaxed hides the muscles of a champion power lifter. The 40-year-old Ashburton/Timaru Child, Youth and Family social worker took up the sport by chance in 1999 and is now preparing for the power lifting world championships in Texas. ‘‘I was at the gym and a former lifter . . . brought in some South Island power lifting (competition) records and said he thought I could do that,’’ she said. To her surprise he was right. At her first contest just six months after starting lifting, she won Best of the South bench press competition in her 56kg weight category. Not only did she scoop the top prize but she also broke some records. ‘‘It was bizarre.’’ The pint-sized power lifter travelled from her home in Ashburton to Lincoln a couple of times a week for coaching. On top of the training Tania was holding down a fulltime job and bringing up her two children. She was enjoying the challenge and meeting new people. Self described as a ‘‘typical Kiwi kid’’, Tania had dabbled in different sports but had never excelled in any – until power lifting. After taking the power lifting scene by storm, she went on to the world championships in Finland the same year and was placed ninth in the world. For someone who had only been lifting for such a short time there was shocked reactions from other competitors and plenty of drug testing. Though New Zealand and Australia’s power lifting scene is considered clean, it is not an Olympic or Commonwealth Games sport because of drug issues in the sport in Europe. More glory was to come for Tania, as she gained second in the New Zealand Oceania power lifting championships in 2000, and has remained a title holder since 2003. Then in 2007 at the power lifting Commonwealth championships she walked away with first overall and second in her weight class. Her remarkable feats include best ever squat lift at a previous body weight of 67kg, which was 147kg; the bench press at the same weight of 110kg and a dead lift just to the waist at 132.5kg. Lifting four times a week at two-hour sessions accompanied by cardio exercises and a strict diet, Tania is focusing on getting her weight down to 47kg for the world champs in October. To eat healthily is expensive and even though she is eating just 80gm salads and 100gm of fish or chicken each meal, her family of three’s food bill is about $320 a week. Occasionally she will treat herself and put a sliver of onion or balsamic vinegar on her salad to break the monotony. ‘‘I’m looking forward (after the competition) to sitting by the pool and drinking wine and eating cheese or going out for dinner.’’ Her determination to get the weight off is fanned by the fact medal opportunities are better at a lighter weight. She hopes to get a gold in the bench press and a silver or gold in the squat. As well as the self discipline needed to succeed physically, Tania said the mental focus was really important too. ‘‘You have to be determined and have clear goals.’’ When she lifts she is totally immersed in thinking about shifting the weight and nothing else. Once she returns from the world champs, she plans to train towards her black belt in karate and complete her masters degree in social work." |
Go on facebook!
 |
Follow us on facebook and keep up to date with latest news and activities |