Page 37 - Spring 2022

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Ironwoman: Ann Peden masters powerlifting at 61
Story by Emily Dozier
She became a gold medalist in her first powerlifting competition at age 61. Now, Ann Peden prepares for an appearance at the Las Vegas USA Powerlifting competition.
The national competition in June is only two years after beginning her powerlifting journey.
Peden is an artist and business owner of Spark at Ann Peden. She has worked with paints and yarn all her life, sitting for hours at a time and using only the muscles in her hands to work.
Peden’s mindset changed one day when she watched people shuffle into the physical therapy and urgent care storefronts, and then she saw an energetic group walk into the gym.
“What a contrast,” Peden said. “In a moment, it just hit me that I need to spend some time [in the gym].”
Peden immediately walked into the gym and signed up for a trainer at Athens Health and Fitness. She had no idea what to do or how to do anything. As an older woman, she found she was geared away from weights to cardio. But Peden didn’t want to lose weight; she wanted to gain strength.
She began training under the tutelage of Oconee County High School alumnus Ethan Cummings, who was featured in the 2020 holiday issue of Oconee the Magazine.
It started with increasing protein in Peden’s diet, which made a big difference in muscle gain.
“We’ve been led to think that you have to burn off the calories,” Peden said. “So everything [before was] about losing weight, rather than gaining strength. So this was an incredible epiphany.”
Cummings has been a crucial part in Peden’s success. Before training with him, she couldn’t even touch her toes. But his patience and enthusiasm with her made all the difference.
Feeling confident in her growth, Peden decided to complete a bucket-list item and enter a USPA-sanctioned powerlifting competition last January. In the competition, which consists of bench press, squat and deadlifts, Peden competed in the Masters 3A class for women ages 60-69.
Not only did Peden emerge with a gold medal in her class, but also her weight totals qualified her for the Las Vegas Nationals.
“It’s you against your own numbers,” Peden said. “The way I
Photo by Michael Prochaska
look at it is that no matter what I get there, it will be the best I’ve ever done.”
In the weeks since the first competition, Peden improved her personal records to a deadlift of 210 pounds, a bench press of 85 pounds and a squat of 155 pounds.
Her goal for her Vegas competition isn’t focused on the weights, however. Her fitness journey has improved her mental health just as much as her physical. Her business focuses on happiness and positivity, which come to her naturally.
“Being strong physically has made me stronger mentally,” Peden said. “I can honestly say in this whole physical fitness journey, it has changed my mental outlook...It has just given me this empowered feeling. I feel like I can do anything.”
Peden has embraced all the changes that have come with her powerlifting journey and hopes she can inspire other women to start their own. In fact, she launched a Facebook group called “Girl Gang” that promotes positivity and optimism for women in the gym so that they don’t get discouraged. She reminds older women that it’s never too late to start exercising.
sEmily Dozier is a sports intern from UGA for The Oconee Enterprise newspaper in Watkinsville, Ga.
SPRING 2022 | OCONEE THE MAGAZINE | PAGE 35
Ann Peden became a gold medalist in her first powerlifting competition at age 61. Now, Ann Peden prepares for an appearance at a national competition in June.