This week on the podcast I am joined by Strongwoman competitor, Leigh Holland-Keen.
As the name suggests, Leigh competes in what traditionally would be called Strongman competitions.
How strong is Leigh?
Well, in 2018 Leigh became the first woman in history to be awarded a clean lift of the Dinnie Stones.
They are two legendary stones with metal handles located in Scotland that less than 100 men in history have lifted.
They weigh a combined total of (are you sitting down?) 332kg. That’s 733lbs!
Yes, you read that correctly —332kg
Leigh lifting the legendary Dinnie Stones in 2018!
Leigh was introduced to Strongman competitions by her step-father and was encouraged and inspired to compete by her mum.
Leigh’s mum - who we talk about in this episode - was a pioneer of the sport of Strongwoman in Australia and found her strength through the sport after an abusive relationship in her younger years left her with profound PTSD.
Leigh is one of four women featured in a new documentary series on ABC iView appropriately called “Strong Women”. You can find that series here.
In this conversation, Leigh and I discuss:
* her childhood growing up in Scotland and how she came to live in Australia
* the biggest misconceptions about Strongman / Strongwomen competitions,
* why she describes the sport as a “form of therapy”
* the history of the Dinnie Stones and the day she became the first woman in history to be awarded a full lift of them,
* her experience with Imposter Complex,
* the trolling and abuse she experienced on social media when she shared videos of training whilst pregnant,
* the difficult birth she experienced with her daughter MacKenzie, the post-natal depression that followed and how she struggled with the sense that her body had failed or betrayed her, and
* the role that Strongwoman training had in her recovery.
Click here to listen on iTunes.
Notes and resources:
To find out more about Leigh or to say hello, you can find her on Instagram or Facebook.
You can find the documentary "Strong Women" on ABC iView here.