National Record-Holding Powerlifter Calls Tulsa Home

Tulsa resident Julie Roman is one of the premier powerlifters nationwide.  

“That number left my head,” Roman said.

The number was 408, as in 408 pounds.  On March 14, she looked at a bar loaded with exactly that at the Oklahoma state championship and willingly put herself underneath it.

“I know I had it lifted as soon as I un-racked it,” Roman said. “I definitely cried. It will probably make me cry again. It was amazing.”

Roman’s squat combined with her bench press and dead lift were part of a 1,000 three-pound total, a number that makes Julie Roman the third-strongest woman in her age group in the world.

“To see myself get stronger as I keep getting older is amazing,” Roman said. “To just be able be like, ‘My body just did that,’ is pretty awesome.”

Roman now has her eyes set on a world record squat that can only be set at certain meets and in front of certain judges. She has one of those meets in July.

When gyms shut down around Tulsa, Roman was faced with every competitive lifter’s worst nightmare: A meet on the calendar and no way to train.

“Obviously, you can see I’m training in a basement,” Roman said.

Roman’s friend and training partner, Ray Mack, got to work.  

“I panicked and he fixed it,” Roman said. “Within 24 hours, the Tulsa community came together and outfitted us with this gym.”

They turned Mack’s basement into their own training facility.  

“We don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’m going to be ready,” Roman said. “We have put way too much time and effort into this sport to let it all go waste.”

As the world and world record wait, Roman prepares one rep at a time.