Right now there is not question that Stefi Cohen is on fire in the world of powerlifting. Most recently she deadlifted 525 pounds while weighing 123 pounds. That’s probably the most incredible feat of strength from a girl that I have ever heard of. I am sure that Greg Nuckols has already run the math and knows exactly what the greatest feat of strength is, but I am going with this one off the top of my head.
Now I have nothing to do with Stefi, and I am 100% unaffiliated. I haven’t even talked to her in over a year, but I had to say something. I saw a few threads where people were talking smack about her lifting. Here were the three main complaints:
- She’s on drugs
- She’s wearing straps
- She’s using a deadlift bar
I have to pause because I am laughing so hard at these people that I can no longer see my screen. I mean are you serious? This is all you have to say about watching a 123-pound female deadlift 525 pounds? Is it because she’s a female? Is it because she has a successful business? Is it because she’s about to be a Doctor of Physical Therapy? I mean there has to be something besides those three complaints.
Really?
First I don’t care if she’s on drugs or not because she isn’t competing in a drug tested federation – so I am not some moral police nor should any of you be. I mean just because you compete in the USAPL doesn’t 100% mean that you are drug free. The last I checked the USAPL was at risk of being kicked out of the IPF from failed tests. This is nothing against the USAPL. It’s not their fault some of their athletes are living a lie.
Here’s another thing. If she is on, it’s obviously nothing very strong. She hasn’t gained a pound during this surge in strength. I haven’t heard of many steroids that will get you super strong without gaining one pound. I am not saying they don’t exist. I am just unaware of them, but then again I am not an expert by any means.
I have to admit I was a little suspect of the straps early on, but then she hit 500 pounds in competition. Now I am keeping my mouth shut, and so should all of you. Plenty of people wear straps during training so save their hands. Steve Goggins used to wear straps a lot in training, and it didn’t seem to hurt his deadlift. Yury Belkin wears straps quite a bit, and it doesn’t seem to hurt his deadlift. He just pulled 440 kilograms, so it didn’t hurt his ability to pull without straps.
Pulling with straps is a great way to prepare the nervous system. A lot of people pull a heavy weight for the first time with straps. That lets the body know that it’s possible, and makes the first time without straps much easier. Of course that’s just my experience. If you don’t want to use straps, then don’t, but for heaven’s sake don’t make yourself look foolish by talking junk about a 123-pound female deadlifting 525 pounds with straps.
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Also who cares if she is using a deadlift bar or not? It’s 525 pounds, y’all! That’s 4.27 times her bodyweight! Are you kidding me? You are really going to talk junk about that? Really? I mean no one talks junk about Dan Green or Eric Lilliebridge when they perform their incredible feats of strength. I am not accusing them of anything by the way. I am just saying their lifts aren’t performed in drug-tested federations either.
Crushing Limits
All of this leads me to believe it’s a female thing, and that’s what makes me so mad. Why is the world so afraid of females who can perform amazing athletic feats? Personally I want to see females crushing those barriers set by society. I am sick of those limits. I want to see females believing that anything is possible – just like the males.
Stefi crushes a lot of those limits and barriers. She’s stronger than most men her size. She owns a successful business. She’s about to be a Doctor of Physical Therapy. It wasn’t that long ago all three of those accomplishments were reserved for only men. Stefi is paving the way for younger females to grow up and crush even more barriers and even more limits set down by society.
Well that’s all I have to say. If you want to hate on her, that’s your call, just realize that you look really silly. I coach some of the strongest drug-free men and women on the planet. USADA tests my guys and gals weekly. Personally I don’t care what anyone does if they aren’t competing in a drug free sport. It doesn’t affect anyone, so do what you want. Personally I am going to sit back and simply appreciate the feats of strength that Stefi is putting up. Life is too short to be so bitter all the time.
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Thanks for your thoughts. This young lady is unbelievable. What Women are doing these days is inspiring. When I was young I never seen a Women dead lifting.
Travis, are you putting your response on Instagram?
This article was a waste of time and read. Also if you had a half a brain you could tell this girl is a poor role model for women’s health and strength. She isn’t flaunting women power she flaunting a testosterone boosted body. Women don’t even make testosterone like that. No person on the face of this planet can become an expert power lifter in just 1 year. Im happy she stays away from the real tested events. She may hold the untested record. But all truths come to the light in the end. We need real natural strong women as role models. Not cheaters who cheat to get more fame and money.
Ok, I’m going to just run with your assumption that she’s using gear. If she’s using gear why is it such a big deal? Nobody freaks out this way when guys with traps the size of a grizzly bear and skin so veiny they look like a giant scrotum makes some ridiculous lift. The entire fitness industry is bullshit anyway. Seriously, gear is everywhere and it seems just a tad bit sexist that you’re losing about this woman when the entire industry is awash in roids anyway. She’s doing lifts in a federation that isn’t tested anyway so it’s not like its really “cheating.”
The entire industry is “flaunting a testerone boosted body” heck, nearly all of elite levels sports is flaunting a testerone boosted body. Why are you gonna hate on this women for accomplishing an absolutely fucking ridiculous feat for her size and sex? You don’t know if shes using gear and if she is okay then. Where are all the complaints about every fucking juiced up bro pulling ridiculous shit on the internet? Oh yeah, those guys get fucking worshipped for what their puling, but oh shit a woman does the same damn shit and its like a moral panic. We don’t get a fucking article or controversy when some dude who’s probably juicing does something ridiculous, why do we have a controversy here? I’ll wait
Hey Jeff, gotta say I agree with your analysis of the situation. So many males lauded for their ‘accomplishments’, assisted or not.
That’s because so many male wannabe followers out there will justify whatever they want, for what they want, to feed their shortfalls. An icon to look up to, a role-model to endlessly worship. But the hell with the female athlete who might go ‘assisted’ and do the same thing. That’s if she does…..
Throughout history, the over-achievers have paid the price. And if your a female who has entered the male ring, and happens to whip the asses of all the followers, then it becomes the ‘night of the long knives’.
Geez, get a life you weak people. Weakness isn’t really physical, it’s weakness of the mind, and weakness of the heart, that are the real danger.
Do you all actually have a soft spot for the greats of bodybuilding, powerlifting, or any other sport that has the potential for chemical assistance? Come on, tell the truth. Can you? At least to yourself, in your quiet moments…
And just to finish up, what would all of you haters say about the myriad of absolute super achievers in all the fields of endeavour in any era of history?
Are they fakes too.???
leonardo da vinci, Winston Churchill, Ghandi, Nikola Tesla, Van Gough, etc, etc, etc.
The builders of the Great Pyramids, and races that offered the world more than it had ever seen, or dreamt of. Cheaters?
Are they all worthy of the contempt of small minds too?
Your truths are only valid within the parameters of your way of thinking.
Last but not least, how much can you guys lift? Even if you discount 30 to 50% off her numbers, height/weight adjusted, for the use of illicits, do you still cut it???
Well, if you have the guts to crunch the numbers, I don’t think we would hear from you soon. Not without a paradigm shift in your thinking.
Good luck to all the Oracles out there, who live in possibly a dingy life, and definitely a small, dingy mind,
May you post your numbers, ‘assistance’ status, and true reason for being engaged in the lifting sport.
BTW, I’m a male lifter. Not a female. So try to limit the B.S. comments please.
Open Minded Lifter.
Your comment was a waste of time and read. You’re missing half your brain, because Stephi is one of the most prolific and active powerlifters in the world. She’s constantly giving out free tips, information, and motivation, and she’s not just a role model to women…All you’ve shown with your comment is that you’re insecure.
Yes, she’s always giving free advice. But fails to make note that 50% of what she has achieved was done with steroids.
I agree with everything Andrew said. Shes a juiced up disaster. A male hormone taking, self absorbed, grotesque excuse for a female athlete and a terrible role model for anyone. Period.
Your grammar is awful.
Drug users discredit natural lifters – male or female. It’s false advertising when selling BS products. You see all these lifters talking about how it’s hard work, diet and whatever else and fail to mention anything about drugs. Take away the drugs and most of them would be nothing.
I know Stefi since she was an elite teen athlete in Venezuela, her country of origin, which she fled from because of socialism. She was in the under-17 women’s national soccer team. Yes, she’s been a disciplined athlete since she was a kid. Then she began Olympic lifting and she was on her way to represent Venezuela in the Olympics, where athletes are heavily tested. Then she met her current boyfriend and powerlifter and he introduced her to powerlifting and she switched styles. The rest is history. She does not use roids. She has ALWAYS been a freakishly strong woman. There’s just too many envious people out there.
“She does not use roids. ”
Take one look at her instagram and you can instantly tell that she is juicing.
“she’s stronger than most men her size”. Would just like to correct this to read, “she is stronger than nearly every man alive at her size” and maybe also add that “she is stronger than most men on earth, period.”
Lol there are many steroids/sarms you can easily use to gain an enormous amount if strength and not have it show. Shes a female and produces estrogen. No female can look like that without an ounce of testosterone in there body. Stop defending her natty card when shes not. Non the less still very impressive strength. I support natty/ unnatty as long as you tell the truth and be real she isnt. Ur bullshiting yourself thinking shes all natural and putting fake images in people’s heads. U can easily take stuff and have it not come up if u know what ur doing. Don’t be foolish
You’re a white knight. Do I respect the lift, fuck yeah, do I respect the person. IDK. But you’re flexing too hard in Cohen’s corner.
Fuck off. Nice of you to white knight this bitch and make a blog for traffic hits but we don’t care if she has a vagina; we care when people aren’t honest about using gear. It’s obvious she’s using PEDs. No woman could naturally hit those weight targets.
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