*Undated
For many, weight lifting whilst in high heels can be regarded as something quite unusual but for Stacia Cambra, this is just a walk in the park (in heels definitely).
Olympic weightlifter Stacia Cambra went viral after a video emerged of her completing a heavy lift while in a dress and wearing high heels.
The clip, which was posted on the Just Women’s Sports Instagram page, shows Cambra effortlessly lifting the weight outside in the rain.
Fans loved the video and were quick to praise the weightlifter on her incredible strength.
Cambra regularly posts on her own Instagram [ii.am.legend.01] and showcases everything from walking handstands to regular lifts.
Interestingly, though it is normally uncommon to see athletes compete in more than one strength sport, Cambra competes in powerlifting at 47kg and weightlifting at 48kg.
How Cambra Began:
In an interview with BarBend back in 2018, she explained how this was possible with the right mindset and an understanding of the sport’s main differences.
“I got into powerlifting first (2013), although I’ve always done Olympic lifting movements in training, I didn’t enter a weightlifting meet until 2016," Cambra explained.
“The main difference between powerlifting and Oly lifting is the duration of the meets. Training for me is the same for both pretty much. My mindset is more relaxed when it comes to Oly lifting because it’s 2 lifts, 6 attempts, and you could be done within 2 hours. The meets go by faster than powerlifting meets and it’s fun.”
Training:
Cambra stressed that powerlifting was the harder of the two to master and that her training consists mostly of powerlifting work in order to build more strength.
“Weightlifting is easier to do more frequently because although you’re maxing a lift, it is not your body’s full all-out maximum potential,” she said.
“For example, my max clean & jerk is 200lbs (91kgs), but my front squat is 260lbs (118kgs). It’s not as taxing on the body as an all-out max lift being that it relies on technique more than an all-out max.”
Weightlifting and powerlifting are beginning to become more popular sports for women around the world and athletes who compete are starting to get more recognition.
Britain’s Emily Campbell was nominated for BT’s Action Woman of the Year award in 2021 after becoming the first British woman to win an Olympic medal in weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics last summer.