** =  It’s science (video evidence below).  Well that, and I’ll take around 7.3% credit for the kick-ass programming.

I received this video over the weekend and I HAD to share it here. It’s sooooo freaking bad-ass (and mirrors nicely with yesterday’s post on women lifting heavy things.)

A little back story:  Kim was a former colleague of my girlfriend Lisa, and when Lisa and I started dating Kim took a bit more interest in this whole “lifting weights” thing.  As a collegiate coach, she had always been physically active but was looking to take her fitness to the next level.  In particular she wanted to get stronger and attack her deadlift.

She had me at deadlift.  I was down!

When I was interested in sprucing up the website I contacted Kim because she also does a fair bit of freelance photography on the side.  We did a little trade-bartering, and in exchange for her making me look presentable (I’m hands down the most un-photogenic person in history) I wrote some programming for her.

Teaser Alert:  Kim was gracious enough to come down to CP for another photo shoot this past December, so stay tuned for a website face-lift coming soon. There may or may not be some “sexy tiger” poses involved.

Relax – there isn’t.  I don’t think the internet is ready for that.

Anyhoo:  Kim’s goal – back in 2011 – was to nail a 200 lb DL.  Partly because, well, why not? But mostly because some of her family members told her she’d never hit it.

Oh really!?!?!

I forget when she hit it, but she hit.  Since then she and I have been working together on and off for a little over two years. She’s been “recycling” a few of my older programs as well as doing some improvising on her own (more of the latter than the former).

As a “thank you” for coming down for the more recent photoshoot I sent her a Cressey Performance t-shirt.  And this is what followed a few days afterwards:

A few candid thoughts:

1. I love the intensity!  I love to see how Kim psyches herself up for the lift. She’s NOT messing around, and I was half expecting her to punch a wall or something.

2. After smoking 260, how baller was it when she dropped the weight and gave that “don’t eff with me look” into the mirror??

Total boss.

The only way that would have been cooler is if she immediately sprinted over to the woman on the elliptical machine and screamed PROTECT…..THIS…..HOUSE!!!!!!

3. Yeah, 265 wasn’t pretty.  But since when is a max effort lift always going to look pretty?  She hit TWO freakin PRs in one session.  That doesn’t happen too often, for anyone.

Congrats Kim and well done!

PS:  Oh, and ladies, notice how Kim still looks like a woman?  This despite pulling in the ballpark of 2x her bodyweight.  Turn off the Tracy Anderson and lift some weights!  Need a little primer or to be pointed in the right direction? These will definitely help:

The New Rules of Lifting for Women – Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove, and Cassandra Forsythe

Lift Like a Girl – Nia Shanks

Train to be Awesome Guide – Nia Shanks

Strong Curves – Bret Contreras and Kellie Hart Davis

Shape-Up Shortcuts – Jen Ator (with a cameo appearance by yours truly!)