Reston Town Center<\/a>, within walking distance of the Reston YMCA, where she trains. Her introduction to powerlifting came almost by accident. A longtime runner, Lane was forced to stop because of a rare spinal condition. She had spinal surgery and now has 10 screws supporting her neck.<\/p>\n\u201cIt was difficult because I love to run,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Giving up running didn\u2019t mean giving up on being active. Strength training offered another way forward. Then Alison Combes came along. The two women had been friends for four years when Combes, a former competitive gymnast and accomplished powerlifter, encouraged Lane to give the sport a try.<\/p>\n
Lane watched Combes move serious weight around the gym and eventually asked if she could train with her. Then Combes dared her to compete. Lane accepted.<\/p>\n
Her first competition was on Valentine\u2019s Day in Pennsylvania. She had been training for only a short time and was still learning the intricacies of the sport.<\/p>\n
In powerlifting, competitors perform three lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Lane competes in a division determined by both age and body weight. She weighs about 100 pounds.<\/p>\n
Her approach to competition is unconventional: Lane prefers not to know exactly how much weight is being loaded onto the bar. At one competition, Combes told her she was going for a state record.<\/p>\n
\u201cI went, \u2018I\u2019m going for a state record?\u2019\u201d Lane says. Combes\u2019 response: \u201cYes, you are. Get over there and pick that up.\u201d Later, the goal became a national record.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not doing that,\u201d Lane told her. \u201cYes, you are,\u201d Combes said. Lane did it.<\/p>\n
By the time she reached the USPA Nationals in Anaheim, Lane was no longer simply testing out a new sport. She was competing for national titles \u2014 and records. She won two national titles, while her 71.65-pound bench press and 170.8-pound deadlift set world records in her USPA age-and-weight category.<\/p>\n
Pete Gallelli, one of Lane\u2019s trainers at the YMCA, says her determination is one of the qualities that separates her from many of the people he trains. \u201cWhen Becky Lane was born, she got an extra serving of no quit can-do,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
For a woman weighing less than 105 pounds, the deadlift is particularly striking, but Lane isn\u2019t interested in comparing herself with the much larger lifters she encounters at competitions.<\/p>\n
Her philosophy is simple: \u201cIt\u2019s not about the size. It\u2019s what your body can do,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
\n
Courtesy YMCA of Metropolitan Washington<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nTraining Days<\/h3>\n Lane trains three days a week with weights and spends three additional days on stretching, yoga, and other accessory work. Her coaches at the Reston YMCA, Sebastian Robertson and Gallelli, help guide her workouts and nutrition, while Combes focuses heavily on technique and keeping her safe.<\/p>\n
Camaraderie is one of the things she loves most about the sport. \u201cPowerlifting can seem intimidating, but it\u2019s actually very welcoming,\u201d Lane says. \u201cIt is strength training at a different level. The YMCA has created an environment where people of all ages and fitness levels can succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Away from the gym, Lane is hardly sitting still. After spending years in the printing business, she later worked for a nonprofit in the security industry. Today, she volunteers with the Global Life Safety Alliance, an international organization that connects security and life-safety professionals around the world.<\/p>\n
The Next Lift<\/h3>\n Lane and Combes are now preparing for the 2026 USPA World Championships in Las Vegas, where Lane will compete among experienced lifters from around the world. \u201cI\u2019m the newbie on the block here,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
But Lane isn\u2019t intimidated. Gallelli says her willingness to take on a challenge is what makes her such an unusual athlete \u2014 and such an appealing role model.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is fearless and she is relentless, and she will not be denied,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n
For this powerlifter, 75 isn\u2019t a finish line. It\u2019s another starting point.<\/p>\n
Feature image of Becky Lane, right, and Alison Combes at the National Deadlift Competition courtesy YMCA of Metropolitan Washington<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div>\n
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