A successful blue chip businesswoman who gave up her career and become a powerlifter was celebrating after smashing TWO world records in the sport.
Determined Louise Fox, 37, left her high flying job as an senior security investigations manager for BT in September 2007 to devote herself to training.
Just three years later the 5ft 2in dynamo broke the world record for powerlifting with a total weight lift of 337.5kg (53st).
She combined her deadlift, squat and bench press to heave the staggering total that was almost seven times her eight stone body weight.
Louise also set a new record for the heaviest deadlift with a 167.5kg (26 stone) weight at the British Unequipped Powerlifting Championships in Bournemouth on March 27 and 28.
The feisty sportswoman used to command a specialist team at BT, but said the buzz of a high pressure job pales in comparison to competing.
Louise has swapped her intense work schedule for a punishing regime of four training sessions a week, lifting up to 150kg (23 st) – the weight of baby elephant – each time.
Her diet has a heavy emphasis on protein, with plenty of powder, shakes and energy supplements to help her body recover after exercise.
She now fits her training schedule around working as an office manager at Impington Village College and said despite the change in face she feels her life has a real focus.
Lousie, from Peterborough, said: ”I used to socialise and live the executive lifestyle but now my life has a focus and a discipline.
”Now I don’t drink alcohol and I try to get a lot of sleep because I have to let my body rest after training.
”I’m very proud to have achieved these titles especially because I’ve set the bar so high above the current scores.
”I’m really looking forward to going out to the World Championships in November and really giving it my all – my world records show my competitors the fight I’m going to put up.
”Powerlifting is a great sport for anyone to do, no matter what shape or size and the best thing is that you reach your prime in your late thirties and fourties.
”Because of my previous high scores I always feel like I’ve got to prove myself so I’m so chuffed I did so well.
”Only ten percent of powerlifters are women, so it is very much a male dominated sport and I’m so pleased to be right up at the top in the world in my gender.
”Before powerlifting I tried to get the sculpted body builder look but now I’m more focused on building my strength so I can get better at every attempt I do.
”I love the buzz competing gives me – I always lift much heavier in competitions than I do when I’m training because of the adrenaline.”
Louise first discovered powerlifting in a gym at the Club la Santa sports resort while on holiday at in Lanzarote, Spain.
She met two previous world champions who said she would be perfect for the sport because she had trained in the gym for years and was strong for a woman of her size.
After an initial try-out Louise quickly became hooked and within one month decided to develop her training and enter competitions.
Her first world record was in her third ever competition, at the British Powerlifting Championships in Tamworth in 2008, when she deadlifted 145 kg.
She then went on to secure the World Champion title for her weight class of 54 kg in November 2008, when she travelled to Indiana, USA.
Powerhouse Louise always kept in shape through athletics, aerobics and kickboxing but said she has now developed thick muscles in her back as a result of powerlifting.
Following her triumphs last week she is training for the Powerlifting World Championships in Kinsale, Ireland, in November and plans to regain her world title, which she lost last year.
In powerlifting, competitors lift weights in three different ways through a deadlift, squat and a bench press, which are then added together as the overall total score.
Deadlifting is consider one of the hardest tests of strength as the competitor heaves the weight straight off the ground in one stage rather than lowering then lifting as usual.
Chairman of the British Drug Free Powerlifting Association, Mark Norton said the competition at the British Unequipped Powerlifting Championships had been ”fierce”.
He said: ”It is a highly competitive sport and we take it very seriously because when you are competing you put your reputation on the line.
”I was referreeing Louise’s lifts and she did very well – her achievements are fantastic and she is a deserving winner.
