For Karan Sanford Taylor, what began as a dare from two coworkers in 2017 turned into a full-blown love affair with powerlifting. At 51, Karan had never seen a competition. She signed up anyway.
Now on the verge of turning 60, Karan is a seasoned powerlifter who’s competed on national and world stages, stood on the podium in Sweden, lifted in Australia, Greece, and the Virgin Islands. Now she wants world records.
Karan has also been a personal trainer for 26 years, working with clients from their 40s into their 80s. In this episode, we talk about how the rampant chronic disease in her family drove her toward fitness at 33; why she calls herself "uncoachable" (her former coaches agree); how her grief at losing her sister to Covid nearly ended her lifting career and how she’s finding her way back; and her tips for competing successfully on an international stage. We also get into her personal training philosophy, how both trainers and clients can show up better for each other; and her two Harley Davidson bikes and the epic cross-country adventure she’s getting ready to take.
Karan calls herself "six ounces of whoop ass", and that's probably the most accurate handle in powerlifting. She’s a tiny powerhouse of energy, strength, and joy. You may find this episode is all the pre-workout you need.
Follow Karan on Instagram: @6_oz_of_whoop_ass, on Facebook at karan.s.taylor and on TikTok: @6_oz_of_whoop_ass
For show notes and past episodes of That Badass Broadcast, visit thatbadassbroad.com/podcast.
Writing on strength, training, and competing later in life at thatbadassbroad.com.
Clips and training on Instagram: instagram.com/mirslam.
Full episodes on YouTube: youtube.com/@thatbadassbroad.