'Too chunky': How Ms Sandhu overcame body shaming one deadlift at a time

Kiren Sandhu is a strength coach, personal trainer and medical student based in Melbourne. Credit: Kiren Sandhu

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Kiren Sandhu, a national-level powerlifter, strength coach, and medical student, rises above body-shaming stereotypes, sharing her journey from a humble apartment carpark gym to national weightlifting competitions.

Key Points

Ms Sandhu has competed at the USA Powerlifting Australia Nationals 2023 hosted in Melbourne .
In response to body shaming, she shares how she doesn't train for the ideal body, rather her mental and physical well being.
Although there are more women participating in weightlifting competitions, she looks forward to seeing more Punjabi and South Asian women in the sport.

Speaking with SBS Punjabi, Ms Sandhu shared her fitness journey, from swimming and athletics to her lockdown hobby, leading her to powerlifting.

"I actually started with swimming, doing more traditional sports like running and athletics. I wanted to be strong, and I found that these other sports are good (for) cardio and endurance, but I wanted to be able to build muscle and see some size on myself,” said Ms Sandhu

Kiren Sandhu started strength training with some weights in her complex carpark, she now competes in powerlifting and is now a strength coach trainer. Credit: Kiren Sandhu

However, her decision to build muscle by stepping into the powerlifting world brought unexpected body-shaming comments.

Ms Sandhu shared how negative comments from the past made her feel discouraged and made her question whether powerlifting was a sport for her.

Only yesterday someone commented that 'with powerlifting you won’t get the body you want'. But what if you’re not doing it for the body, rather you’re doing it for yourself, your well-being?
Ms Sandhu

Being 'too chunky' or having a 'masculine body' are some of the comments she's faced before.

She finds that the language used about women in powerlifting is a setback for those trying to get involved, and using positive language will encourage more participants.

Kiren Sandhu with fellow powerlifting women. Credit: Kiren Sandhu

“(Powerlifting) is growing in popularity, but I would like to see more Punjabi women (and) South Asian women doing the sport.

"I think there is still so much a stigma around for one exercising and two for encouraging for weightlifting,” said Ms Sandhu.

Fitness is not just about a particular shape or body; rather, it is about a positive relationship between physical and mental well-being.

It's about feeling your best, physically and mentally. And once you feel like this, you’re usually eating the best, nourishing your body properly, and your physical and mental state will reflect that.
Ms Sandhu

Competing at the 'USA Powerlifting Australia', Ms Sandhu shared the social benefits and how she noticed an improvement in self-esteem, but she’d like to see more women feeling their best.

“Women are not giving too much of a priority of themselves, and I would like to see that revolutionise,” said Ms Sandhu

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