Singapore’s ‘Deadlift Queen’ Has Broken Her World Record 12 Times | Singapore Hour

Powerlifting, Records, and Redefining Strength: A Detailed Account of Bahana Far’s Journey

Key Concepts:

• Powerlifting: A strength sport consisting of three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift.
• World Record/National Record: The highest weight successfully lifted in a specific category (weight class, gender, etc.).
• Team Valkyrie: A female-centric powerlifting team founded by Bahana Far.
• Personal Best (PB): An athlete’s highest achieved weight for a specific lift.
• Fatigue Single: A single repetition performed after a strenuous training session to assess strength endurance.
• Valkyrie: Figures from Norse mythology associated with strength and courage, chosen as the team name to symbolize female power.

I. Bahana Far: The “Deadlift Queen” and Her Pursuit of Excellence

Bahana Far, a multiple deadlift world record holder, describes her drive as a “pursuit for more,” a constant striving for excellence, acknowledging that “perfection” is unattainable. Despite achieving significant recognition, including breaking the deadlift world record over ten times, she maintains a grounded perspective, stating that the accolades haven’t fundamentally changed her. She continues to train in the core lifts – squat, bench, and deadlift – viewing her accomplishments as simply “doing what I love.” She finds the media attention “surreal” but remains focused on her training. As she states, “There’s that hunger and thirst for what else can I do next? And personally, I think that drives me.”

II. The Role of Coaching and Support: James and Team Valkyrie

Bahana’s husband, James, initially introduced her to powerlifting and serves as her primary coach, a pragmatic arrangement born from a desire to avoid external coaching costs. Their dynamic is playfully described as a system where she demands extra sets if he displeases her. James emphasizes her well-being, asking “I mean, you feel okay?” after a lift. Bahana acknowledges James as “the best coach ever.”

Bahana founded Team Valkyrie in 2024, a powerlifting team with a focus on female athletes, though it also includes male members. The name “Valkyrie” was chosen to represent strength and the female aspect of the sport. She finds coaching others enhances her own performance, noting that correcting athletes’ form often reveals areas for her own improvement. She finds her athletes’ achievements “far more rewarding than my own.” She highlights the importance of a supportive coaching environment, stating that women often “take comfort in knowing that there are other women in this coaching team, so they don't feel so intimidated.”

III. From Pharmacy to Powerlifting: A Transformative Journey

Prior to powerlifting, Bahana worked as a full-time pharmacist for five to six years. Her introduction to the sport was accidental. She began shadowing James at the gym, and during a mock meet, she deadlifted 140kg, a weight exceeding the national record for her weight class. This discovery prompted James to seek a legitimate coach for her. She competed in her first competition in April 2018, winning and breaking Asian records, an experience she describes as “quite wild” and “addictive.” She subsequently broke her first world record in 2022.

IV. Competition Dynamics and Training Methodology

The transcript details the preparation for and execution of a powerlifting meet, specifically the Ark Block competition. A powerlifting meet consists of three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift, with three attempts allowed for each lift, totaling nine attempts. The goal is to achieve a “9 for 9” – successfully completing all nine lifts to maximize the total weight lifted.

The coaching process involves strategic weight selection, aiming for weights the athlete is at least 80% confident of lifting. Hydration and temperature regulation are also emphasized. The transcript includes a specific example of planning for athlete Michael, aiming for a 500kg total, with detailed discussion of warm-up weights and target lifts. Bahana notes that watching her athletes compete is less stressful than coaching them, stating, “I do think it's less stressful competing compared to handling. I rather compete twice than like coach and handle once. It's that stressful.”

V. Family Support and Overcoming Societal Expectations

Bahana’s family plays a significant role in her journey. Her mother, SA, and father, Farid, provide unwavering support, despite initial concerns about the sport’s physicality and its potential impact on her ability to conceive. Her father acknowledges his initial surprise and pride upon witnessing her world record. Her mother consistently prays for her success. Bahana’s sister, Farisha, highlights the subtle but consistent support she received growing up, such as meal preparation and transportation to competitions.

Bahana reflects on her experiences as a minority, often being the only girl or Malay individual in her environment, and how this shaped her sense of belonging. She acknowledges the importance of witnessing strength within her family.

VI. Inspiring Others and Redefining Strength

Bahana emphasizes the importance of pushing personal boundaries, encouraging others to “stretch their comfort zones.” She believes she isn’t exceptionally talented but achieves results through hard work and consistent effort. She hopes to inspire others by demonstrating that dedication and perseverance can lead to success. The transcript concludes with the announcement of a new national record achieved by another athlete, highlighting the ripple effect of success within Team Valkyrie. As Bahana states, “I’m not all that talented, but I work hard and I put in the boring repetitive work. And if I can do that, like I genuinely believe anyone can.”

Data/Statistics Mentioned:

• Bahana Far has broken the deadlift world record over 10 times.
• She deadlifted 140kg during a mock meet, exceeding the national record for her weight class.
• Michael, an athlete coached by Bahana, achieved a 500kg total at the Ark Block competition.

Technical Terms Explained:

• Fatigue Single: A single repetition performed after a strenuous training session to assess strength endurance.
• PB (Personal Best): An athlete’s highest achieved weight for a specific lift.
• 9 for 9: Successfully completing all nine lifts (three attempts each for squat, bench, and deadlift) in a powerlifting meet.
• Valkyrie: Figures from Norse mythology associated with strength and courage, chosen as the team name to symbolize female power.