Kim Bryans is a dedicated powerlifter, training at Snap Fitness in Echuca. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
There would be few in Echuca-Moama as dedicated to their fitness regime as Kim Bryans.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Now in her 50s, Bryans has been dedicated to her craft for more than 20 years, and has honed an intensive schedule.
For the past nine years, that training has been focused around power-lifting, and Bryans would rank as one of the most powerful people in the twin towns.
She was initially drawn into fitness as a career path after joining an aqua aerobics class at the Echuca War Memorial Aquatic Centre, transitioning first into an instructor role and eventually taking on personal training at the behest of her son.
“I was an aqua participant, and the woman who was teaching it talked to me into becoming an instructor,” Bryans said.
“I did that for 10 years and then my son Thomas didn’t know what to do for a career, and he said, ‘Come on, Mum, let’s go do it together,’ so that’s how I became a gym instructor/personal trainer.”
Training with her son, Bryans eventually moved her focus towards powerlifting.
“I just love it,” she said.
“I do have a bit of an ego sometimes when people look at you, and they go, ‘Oh, you can't lift that,’ and it’s like, ‘Watch me.’”
“We have goals in our lifting, but you can’t put a time on it because injury happens, or you get fatigued, drained. So, we put a goal on our lifting and once we achieve that, we pick another goal.”
Bryans works five days part-time at EWMAC, and trains at Snap Fitness in Echuca six days per week in sessions of 90-minutes to two hours, depending on the day and muscle group being targeted.
“I just feel empowered,” she said.
“I have a different mindset once I walk into the gym, my outlook changes.
“I live, love, breathe training and that’s my goal and my focus for myself.”
Bryans trains six days a week in a split program, working different muscle groups each day in 90- to 120-minute sessions.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
A specific strength sport, powerlifting focuses on three lift types: the squat, bench press and deadlift.
Bryans prioritises these lifts in her training, also working on hip thrusts, which she says helps her with the main three lifts.
Bryans’ personal best marks include a squat of eight reps of 90kg, a bench press of three reps at 75kg, a 145kg deadlift and nine hip thrusts at 220kg.
While these are all competitive marks for her age group, Bryans hasn’t opted to lift competitively, focusing more on her enjoyment and personal improvement.
“Everyone tells me with my numbers and what I lift, I should actually compete, but it’s a mind game as well.
“When you walk in, you’ve got to be in the right headspace.
“I might feel really good (but) when you go into the gym, you lift it, and it’s just not going smoothly, and you just can’t lift as heavy.
“I do it for myself and I compete with myself.”
Powerlifting, Bryans’ chosen discipline, focuses on the deadlift, squat and bench press.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Bryans encourages others to get involved with fitness for the health benefits, whether you are as committed as she is or just giving it a go.
“You don’t have to go in there and smash it and lift 50 kilos, just go in there and do a little bit, that’s a benefit for your health as well,” she said.
“It's good for your headspace as well.
“You make friends, and you make a community and everyone knows you.
“You don’t know why everyone walks through that door, and some people just need a smile or a hello.
“A lot of people have anxiety over going to the gym, but once they go, their outlook changes.”
6°C