Powerlifter Tamara Walcott in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shares "Prep"

Tamara Walcott, known as the Plus Size Fitness Queen, is a powerhouse in the world of powerlifting. Hailing from the Virgin Islands, Walcott inspires countless fans with her determination and dedication. As she prepares for an upcoming competition, she shared her progress on Instagram, writing, “8 weeks out … in 4 weeks we go #prep,” reminding her followers of the hard work and focus it takes to achieve greatness.

Walcott isn’t just a champion lifter—she’s also a coach, motivator, and role model. Whether she’s building strength in the gym, encouraging others to step up and compete, or embracing her confidence and self-love, Walcott proves that success is built on discipline, resilience, and heart.

1. She coaches

She was inspired to become a coach and help others with their goals. “When I became a coach … I wanted to be what my coach was for me .. a coach that possesses a quality to Many lack… I wanted to be an ACTIVE LISTENER … a Guide towards your goal while keeping you honest! Yes the changes made physically are great but when I coach my clients they change from THE INSIDE OUT,” she said on Instagram.

2. She’s confident

She’s confident and fashionable. “I do that 1% right every time !!! I’m ready to pop out! And I have the perfect dress!!!! Keep myself lifted with a little selflove! @stylistjbolin Jacket,” she said on Instagram, captioning a video of her looking confident, stylish, and happy. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “whether it’s going up, down or hovering somewhere in the middle, our self-esteem impacts how we view ourselves. Self-esteem is an important building block for many things: Our confidence in our abilities, our sense of self-worth and how we compare ourselves to others.”

3. She’s a strong competitor

Go ahead, challenge her. She welcomes it! “Yea, yea, yea, LADIES … you want to compete with me ???? aiight ….. SIGN UP ….Don’t Be scared …I Promise I don’t bite …Come share the stage not with just me with some other incredible women ! My Pros If you are really the Queen Come Prove itttt⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️ 🤌🏾🤌🏾🤌🏾🗣️🗣️🗣️🤣🤣😂😂😂😂 #callingyouout #promeet #ammeet #proam,” she said on Instagram.

4. She stays motivated

She stays driven and motivated. “When I close my eyes, I see it , when I cover my ears I hear it , when I hold my breath, I taste …It’s happening right on time!!!! It’s always been me! #1.11.2025 #747 #1800 @exilebarbell @walcottwreckers #theriseofgreatnesscontinues,” she said on an Instagram video of her lifting.

5. She lifts weights

In this video of her weightlifting, she captioned it “@beardedbrawn23 Thanks for the crispy lift off !!!! @exilebarbell Working on being the biggest Bencher! #benchpress #paused 280 #deload #powerlifting #powerlifter @essentiawater hydration nation #essentiapartner.” She enjoys challenging herself in the gym, building strength.

Maureen Blanquisco is modeling workout clothes. In a new social media post the IFBB contestant shows off her incredible body in a blue exercise set, driving her followers wild. “To all my baddies out there! This color makes your tan complexion POP,” she captioned the series of Instagram snaps. “So gorgeous 🩷🥰” commented one. “OKKKAAAY SLAAY SLAAY,” added another. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. Swimming

When Maureen was younger she was a swimmer. “I always loved competing and performing. I usually call it “performing” instead of competing. Swimming was an individual sport. If I wanted to win, it all depended on me. I never liked depending on a team. If we lost because of them, I would get very frustrated,” she told Muscular Development.

2. Gymnastics and Cheerleading

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She then moved on to gymnastics and cheerleading. “Cheerleading was fine until one time we fell during a stunt, and it wasn’t my fault. I said, I think I work better alone,” this is when she discovered weights. “I started lifting weights at age 18. That’s around the time you want to look and feel good, putting on makeup. I was doing fitness training anyway, so I started to look for something I could do competitively that fit that. I had always wanted to compete in beauty pageants, but at 5 feet tall I was too short. Then I saw the Bikini Olympia on YouTube, and the woman who stuck out to me the most was India Paulino. She was my first idol! I thought it looked so cool. The women looked amazing, and this was the closest thing to a beauty pageant I could do. I thought I could just go compete in the Olympia. I had no idea you have to turn pro first, then qualify, the whole long process. But in my head, I only had one goal, to go to the Olympia.”

3. Here Is How She Preps for Shows

“I started prepping for the Olympia right after the Boston Pro in March, so that was seven months. It was a very chill prep because I was eating clean, but I was eating more than ever in a prep. I was still dieting, but it was more calories, and I did have one cheat meal a week. Now I see this is the best approach for me: a longer prep but with more food,” Maureen said.

4. Her “Breaks” Involve Cardio

When she does go on vacation, she still exercises. “I did go on vacation to Hawaii with my partner the week after the Olympia. That was on my bucket list. I did cardio every day, but I took five days off from weights. I had a couple of treats, but nothing crazy,” she says.

5. She Doesn’t “Gain Too Much” During the Offseason

Marueen avoids overindulging in the off season. “I have a very clear mindset that if I gain too much, it will be a lot harder for me,” she told Muscle & Fitness. “In Bikini, it’s all about condition, and while you could be ‘too’ hard, you certainly can’t be soft, either.”

Kimberly Walford is a legend in powerlifting, having clinched the IPF Championship title an impressive seven times. Alongside her competitive accolades, she’s a dedicated coach who inspires athletes with her strength and expertise. Walford frequently shares insights into her training routines on Instagram, offering a glimpse of the workouts that keep her at the top of her game. In September, she posted a video of herself performing bench presses, reflecting on her journey and the challenges she’s overcome in mastering this lift. She captioned the post, “With my body mechanics, I have never been at an advantage with bench press. However, I never let it stop me from earning a bench I’ve been proud of as well.” Here’s how she trains and stays motivated.

1. She Lifts Weights

Naturally, Walford lifts a lot of weights to keep herself in shape. Weightlifting is very beneficial. ACE Fitness states that not only does it get your body in shape, but it can help with your confidence. “Knowing that you can lift heavy stuff gives you the confidence that you can handle common challenges, such as a putting a bag in the overhead bin on an airplane or carrying a heavy piece of furniture while reorganizing a room or helping a friend move.”

2. She Bench Presses

Walford does a lot of workouts with weights to keep herself in shape. As you can see from her Instagram post, one of them is the bench press. Walford doesn’t just bench press with large barbells, however. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them with hand dumbbells. Walford captioned it, “110#_49.69kg Dumbbell Press - DB press have always been one of my favorite accessories. I know working on increasing my unilateral strength will help me on improving my bench.”

3. She Does Reverse Hypers

Walford likes to do reverse hypers to keep herself in shape. She shared this video of herself doing them on Instagram. Walford captioned the post, “Back to another favorite accessory of mine - @roguefitness Rhino Reverse Hypers. Literally had to start with only 2.5kg of bar weight. ✅ ⬆️ Posterior Chain muscles strength. ✅ ⬆️ Back resiliency. ✅ Isolate Glutes and Hammies. Thank you @protim for posting your video!!”

4. She Makes Time To Recover

While Walford works out on a regular basis, she makes sure to recover and to not push her body too hard. Walford talked about this in the caption of this Instagram video. “The beginning of a new training cycle is rough on the body. Light way feels heavy and your body sometimes feels a little like it forgot how to lift. We all go through it. Just know it takes a few weeks for your body to recover. Ride it out. Your CNS system will recover and you’ll be back to feeling normal.”

5. She Does Squats

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Walford is seen doing squats in the previous Instagram video. Allina Health states that squats are very beneficial. “The squat is one of the all-around best exercises to do for your lower body. It strengthens and tones muscles in your thighs, butt and calves and improves posture, balance, flexibility and inner core strength. Squatting also improves bone mineral density to keep your bones strong. Include squats in your exercise routine two to three days a week to reap the benefits from this dynamite move. Rest at least one day to allow muscle recovery.”

Jen Thompson is a powerlifter and fitness expert. She has her own program, and shares a lot of her tips and workouts on Instagram. Recently, Thompson shared a video of herself lifting a barbell with a wrist wrap. She captioned the post, “Oddly, I was the only one to show up for lifting today…. Thanks to @jeffsnyder671 for coming to cheer and laugh at my misery! Trying hook grip with straps. Last training I suffered from some bicep tendinitis. So I’m trying to stave that off before I hit the heavy sets and go back to mixed grip. Doesn’t this look like fun. You can do my Speed Strength Program with me!!”

1. She Lifts Weights

Naturally, lifting weights is the main way Thompson keeps herself in shape. ACE Fitness states that doing exercises with weights has a lot of benefits. “Lifting heavy weights elevates levels of anabolic hormones—specifically testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)—which are used to repair muscle fibers damaged during exercise. This helps the muscle fibers to become thicker and capable of generating higher levels of force.”

2. She Does Declines

One exercise with weights that Thompson likes to do is using the decline bench. She shared this video on Instagram of herself doing them. Thompson captioned the post, “I have always loved decline. They are one of the most underrated exercise?? Join my thompsonsgym.programs.app and get access to all my programs, Instructional videos, metrics and an invite into my private community! Link in bio.”

3. She Uses Wrist Wraps

Thompson likes to use wrist wraps when she lifts weights. She explained the benefits of using them in the caption of this Instagram video. “I see people roll the bar back in their wrists all the time. You lose power this way. Wrist wraps can help you lock in the bar position in your hand. I LOVE the @a7intl ZEBRA FLEXI 77cm. They are form fitting and never pop off. Join my thompsonsgym.programs.app and get access to all my programs, Instructional videos, metrics and an invite into my private community! Link in bio.”

4. She Has Rest Days

Thompson makes sure to work out on a regular basis. However, she makes sure to have rest days. Thompson talked about this in the caption of this Instagram video. “I find 3 days rest does it for me. Anything longer than that makes me feel too removed from it. You?? Join my thompsonsgym.programs.app and get access to all my programs, Instructional videos, metrics and an invite into my private community! Link in bio.”

5. She Loves Working Out

Thompson loves to work out, and this is what helps her stay consistent. She talked about this in the caption of this Instagram video. “What keeps you going to the gym??? After 25 years of training, I still love working out. It’s the opportunity to improve every time you enter the gym. But it’s also understanding some days you will have to celebrate the small wins. And that is all right, because eventually it will lead to big wins !!💪 Join my thompsonsgym.programs.app and get access to all my programs, Instructional videos, metrics and an invite into my private community! Link in bio.”

Amanda Lawrence, a powerhouse in the powerlifting world, keeps her followers motivated with intense training updates on Instagram. Recently, she posted videos of herself bench pressing and deadlifting, captioned, “Happy Saturday! We still out here training hard 💪🏼 12 weeks until @sbdsheffield 👀.” With her unwavering commitment, Lawrence demonstrates the grit and preparation required for competitive lifting.

1. She Lifts Weights

Weightlifting is the main way Lawrence stays in shape. ACE Fitness states that lifting weights has a lot of benefits. “Lifting heavy weights elevates levels of anabolic hormones—specifically testosterone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1)—which are used to repair muscle fibers damaged during exercise. This helps the muscle fibers to become thicker and capable of generating higher levels of force.”

2. She Does Squats

Lawrence is seen doing squats in this Instagram video. Squats are a great exercise to do. Allina Health reports, “The squat is one of the all-around best exercises to do for your lower body. It strengthens and tones muscles in your thighs, butt and calves and improves posture, balance, flexibility and inner core strength. Squatting also improves bone mineral density to keep your bones strong.”

3. She Works With A Coach

Lawrence shared her training secrets with Muscle & Fitness. She says that she works with a coach to help her train correctly. “I was training with straps all the time and with non-calibrated plates, on incorrect bench heights. It made things hard when you actually had to train on standard equipment on game day. I had a lot of changes I wanted to make from the Grand Prix in March of this year to Worlds. I hired a new coach, Joey Flexx, and he changed everything for me. I purchased calibrated plates, got a rack and everything, and started training on the correct equipment. Now, I have a different perspective on what I can improve upon.”

4. She Eats A Lot Of Protein

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Lawrence shared her typical diet with Muscle & Fitness. She says that she eats a lot of protein. “I eat the same things a lot, over and over. That’s just what works for me. I like a high protein diet—at least one gram per pound of body weight—because you need that just to perform and fuel. I go a little bit lower carbs, but make sure I get enough to fuel my performance. I follow a Renaissance Periodization diet, and they have an app you can use to track macronutrients in a plan that’s customized to your goals. It has set food choices that you can pick from. For example, if you need to get 30 grams of protein in and you want to eat specific foods, the app will tell you exactly how much to eat of specific foods to hit the nutritional value of 30 grams, or whatever fits your needs.”

5. She Protects Her Muscles

Lawrence makes sure to protect her muscles from injury. She shared how she does so with Muscle & Fitness. “I know my body’s limits, and I’ll purposefully not go through with a rep if something feels funny. Of course, I always have spotters, but knowing my limits has allowed me to continually push weight faster than others without getting injured. Before a lift, I’ll stretch a lot, use rollers, and do hip circles to loosen up my hips for both squats and deadlifts. I don’t do a ton of post-lift stretching, but I use recovery creams and make sure to eat a healthy diet. When it comes down to it, if you’re going to get injured, you’re going to get injured. There’s no way to prevent it, but just don’t be stupid and know when to stop.”