Real stories

Shaky man in the gym 2: Keep on shakin’

November 27th, 2009 by Mistress Krista | 7 Comments

Shaky man keeps on kicking Parkinson’s disease in the nards.


Shaky man in the gym

November 25th, 2009 by Mistress Krista | 5 Comments

Shaky man in the gym

Some time ago I received an email titled, “Shaky man Down Under.” It was from Neil, an Australian man with Parkinson’s disease who had taken up weight training as part of his therapy. Since I suffer from the delusion that everyone who can move should do resistance training, and since I was also working with a client suffering from a related disorder, I encouraged him to keep it up. He leaped into his training with renewed enthusiasm. Every now and again, Neil sends me progress reports.


The lifting librarian: Deb Colchamiro

December 27th, 2008 by Mistress Krista | 1 Comment

I started out like so many other kids we hear about who turned to weights, as a girl who was completely uncoordinated, had no idea what was going on in organized sports, and was always the last one picked for the teams at school. I did have one shining season in 7th grade volleyball, but [...]


Olympic weightlifter Maryse Turcotte

December 27th, 2008 by Mistress Krista | 1 Comment

Olympic weightlifter Maryse Turcotte

Maryse Turcotte was the first woman in the Americas to clean and jerk double her bodyweight. I first interviewed her in 1999, and since then she’s had a distinguished lifting career.


Martina’s fit pregnancy

December 27th, 2008 by Mistress Krista | 2 Comments

From fitness competitor to fit and fecund — an example of staying active throughout life’s changes (and familial additions).


Powerlifter Linda “The Phantom” Schaefer

December 27th, 2008 by Mistress Krista | 2 Comments

Linda “The Phantom” Schaefer is a competitive powerlifter whose claim to fame is a truly impressive deadlift. I asked her about her achievements and advice for other women lifters.


Krista Schaus

December 26th, 2008 by Mistress Krista | 1 Comment

Krista Schaus

Nearly 10 years ago I got an email from another Krista. She was a police officer and powerlifter, and we hit it off pretty much right away. I asked her for some pics to put up on my site, and as it turned out, she had penned a few strength training articles of her own.

When I saw her compete at her first powerlifting competition, I noticed that her opening lifts were higher than many of the women who were heavier than her. In other words, she wasn’t just strong for her weight, she was strong compared to women who were much bigger than her. So, I figured she knew what she was talking about.


Kat “Mighty Kat” Ricker

December 26th, 2008 by Mistress Krista | No Comments

Writer, bodybuilder, and Renaissance woman Kat Ricker (a.k.a. The Mighty Kat) has been training since 1990. Here, she shares some of her writing.


I was a 12-year-old powerlifter!

December 26th, 2008 by Mistress Krista | 1 Comment

The shocking true story!


Gridiron grrl

December 26th, 2008 by Mistress Krista | No Comments

Football player Christine shares her story. And if you don’t like it, she will happily beat your ass down.