Kate Evert, a 75-year-old powerlifter from the United States, is in training for an adventure of a lifetime. This October, she will be representing the USA in the World Masters Powerlifting Championships in Cape Town, South Africa. This is where Evert’s journey into the sport began in 2018, inspired by her children’s worries about her health. Over the years, she has transformed her life through strength training, winning four national championships in her age and weight category.
At first, Evert was hesitant to step foot in a gym. Her kids kept pushing her to take care of herself, so finally she decided to do it and walked into a fitness center in town. That’s where she connected with her first trainer. He helped get her started—not just in terms of supporting her journey, but in teaching her the fundamentals of powerlifting.
Thinking back to when she first started lifting weights, Evert remembers how difficult it was. “It took me about a year to confidently squat without falling over backwards,” she shared. When she first began, her max squat barely reached 120 pounds. As time progressed, Evert diligently worked on her technique and strength, gradually increasing the amount of weight she could lift.
It so happened that motivation hit when her trainer showed her a video of an old lady dead lifting. It is this moment that motivated Evert to challenge herself and grow her skills within the game.
These days, Evert trains three days a week. Her spartan training schedule includes tops sets for squat and bench on Tuesdays, volume days for all three lifts on Wednesdays, and what she playfully dubs “Kill Kate Day” on Fridays. This intense schedule has fully equipped her to fearlessly compete in two national-level meets per year.
Evert’s newfound passion for powerlifting has made her considerably stronger. It has fostered a powerful spirit of camaraderie amongst competitors in the sport. She admits that competing in her category at her age makes for a much different battle than those who are younger. The bad thing about my age of competition is that there’s hardly any! Like, hardly any,” she remarked.
As she trains for the World Masters Powerlifting Championships, Evert is on the rise in her sport. Her dedication, progress and commitment to health is an amazing example of what fitness can do for you! They show the world that pursuing one’s passions knows no age limits.
“Not dissing that woman at all. I’m just stronger.” – Kate Evert