GGS Spotlight: Lori Lindsey

Name: Lori Lindsey
Age: 35
Location: Washington DC

What does being a GGS mean to you?
A strong, confident, balanced, grateful woman who strives to build women up and be more instead of less.

How long have you been training?
I have been training for about 20 years. As early as 10 years old I remember performing exercises such as push-ups, squats, etc. However, it wasn’t until high school that I started training more seriously. Most of my training was geared toward optimizing my performance on the soccer field. I quickly learned the benefits it had in keeping me injury-free and taking my performance to a higher level.

How did you get introduced to strength training?
Other than the bodyweight exercises I was performing on my own, my first introduction to strength training was my freshman year in high school. I had another credit I needed to fill and they had just introduced a strength training class, taught by our high school football coach. My dad encouraged me to try it out. It was just me and one other female in the class. This class was really the start of my love for strength training.

Fun side note: The other female in the class, Amber Campbell went on to represent the U.S. in shot put at the 2012 London Olympics, and I was there representing the U.S. in soccer. Clearly, we were doing something right in that class!

Favorite Lift:
All deadlift variations I love, but my favorite is the Single Leg Bulgarian Split Squat.

Most memorable PR:
The majority of my training has been geared towards staying strong for soccer, and I was never really focused on PRs. However, I do remember my how psyched I was in my second year in college, when I was able to bench press my bodyweight for the first time!

Can you share an example of what your workouts look like?
It’s changed a lot this past year, as my goals have also changed. This has allowed me to toy around with many different types of training methods. Lately I’ve been working with Julia Ladewski, and we’ve been using a ‘powerbuilding’ approach, which combines a bit of powerlifting with bodybuilding. It’s very different than what I’m used to, but I’m really enjoying it.

A typical leg day would look something like this:

Squats: 10, 8,6,6,4
Snatch grip stiff legged deads: 4x8-10
Tempo Bulgarian split squats: 4x10
Leg extensions: 4x8
Single leg glute bridges: 3x12/side
Single leg band leg curls: 3x10/side

Top 5 songs on your training playlist:
Currently, I don’t have a personal training playlist. I rely on services like Spotify and Pandora to drop the next beat. My favorite stations by far are 90s Country Radio and Rick Springfield Radio.

Top 3 things you must have with you at the gym/in your gym bag:
Minimalist style shoe, shaker bottle with BCAAs, and music.

Do you prefer to train alone or with others?
I don’t necessarily prefer to train alone, I just prefer not to have any interruptions and I prefer no talking. As long as my training sessions are efficient, then I don’t mind if I’m training with someone.

Best compliment you’ve received lately:
Someone told me I was a bright light to their day.

Most recent compliment you gave someone else:
Do emojis count?

Favorite meal:
I love food and I love going out to eat, so if that’s the case I always choose Turkish food. If it is my day-to-day favorite food, then grass fed beef and white rice is my go-to meal.

Favorite way to treat yourself:
Powdered, cream-filled donuts.

Favorite quote:
“The only person you should strive to be better than is the person you were yesterday.”

Favorite book:
This is a tough one as I really love reading, but the book that has had the most impact on me is The Value of Courage: The Story of Jackie Robinson. It is a children’s book, but I remember reading it over and over when I was kid. I even wrote a college essay on it.

What inspires and motivates you?
I have an unwavering desire to never settle for average. This evolved from an early age and was the fuel for my success in my soccer career. This desire has developed over the years and spilled over into all facets of my life.

What do you do?
I've been playing soccer for over 30 years, and I retired from professional soccer in December 2014, after a thirteen-year playing career. Now that my playing days are behind me, I am the assistant head coach at Ambitious Athletics (an independent training facility) in Washington, DC. I also just launched my website, which I’m super excited about as it’s geared towards getting young female athletes involved and excited about strength training at an earlier age.

What else do you do?
Read, shop (I love fashion – especially vintage clothes), and exploring new farmers markets.

What does a typical day look like for you?
It depends on what day it is, but this is what a typical Monday looks like.

5am: Wake-up
6-8:30am: Coach clients
8:30-930: Breakfast/review most important tasks for the day
9am: Train myself
1230: Coach clients
2pm: Lunch, e-mails, website work, afternoon walk
5-730pm: Coach clients
8pm: Dinner
9pm: Relax, get in bed and read
10:30pm: Bedtime

How has lifting weights changed your life?

Not only has lifting weights helped me improve my athleticism, it has also provided me with confidence on and off the field. This confidence has given me the courage to relentlessly pursue my goals, athletic and otherwise.

What’s the coolest “side effect” you’ve noticed from strength training?
Lifting heavy has helped me become a more complete athlete. I believe I wouldn’t have gotten to the highest level if it weren’t for the improved physical performance that strength training provided me. The human body fascinates me. It is incredible to see how you can manipulate your body through weight training.

Next training goal:
To continue to enjoy my training. This is the first time I haven’t been training for something or preparing for an important competition. I’m really enjoying experiencing different training methods and challenge my body in a different way than it has been accustomed to.

What are you most grateful for?
My family! They have been such a positive support system for me—especially throughout my soccer career. They knew when to push me to get out of my comfort zone, and when to give me some positive reinforcement as well.

Three words that best describe you:
Disciplined. Grateful. Balanced.

What life accomplishments are you most proud of, so far?
Playing in the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany. The World Cup is the most celebrated tournament for a soccer player and representing the U.S. Women’s National Team (arguably the most successful sports team ever) was an amazing accomplishment and honor. The entire journey to get to that moment will be something I will never forget.

What do you want to say to other women who might be nervous to start lifting heavy?
Strength training gives you the opportunity to challenge yourself, move better, and fully understand your body. Typically, when you move better you are stronger, which in turn means you can perform better, both mentally and physically. I think when most people talk about health, exercise, or fitness, one of the main goals is to feel good and feel strong. Strength training gives you all of that.

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