Meet Sarah Rainbow – The World’s Strongest Female Powerlifter
From powerlifting to strongman, coaching to community, Sarah Rainbow is all about growth - inside and outside the gym.
She’s broken records, coached lifters at all levels, and built a community where strength is about more than just numbers.
Want to know what fuels her lifts, how she trains, and what it takes to be the World’s Strongest Female Powerlifter? Keep scrolling.
Hey, I'm Sarah!
I’ve been powerlifting for over 11 years now. What started as a personal journey - to feel stronger and more grounded - has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined.
In March 2024, I became the first Australian woman to squat 300kg. Just six days later, I totalled 775kg, officially making me the Worlds Strongest Female Powerlifter. It still feels surreal to say, but it's the result of years of consistency, discipline, and showing up - even when no one's watching.
More recently, I’ve started exploring strongman, which has opened up a whole new world of movement, challenge and excitement. I love stepping outside the structure of powerlifting to test myself in different ways - it's helping me grow as both an athlete and a coach.
Before I started coaching, I was a chef. But I realised my real passion was helping people build strength - not just physically, but mentally too. Now I coach full-time, and there's honestly nothing more rewarding than helping someone chase their first platform moment or push beyond what they thought was possible.
I also run The Rainbow Classic, an inclusive, high-energy annual powerlifting competition that’s all about effort, community, and good vibes.
When I'm not lifting or coaching, you'll usually find me chilling with my dog Stewie, enjoying great food and coffee, or planning the next big thing.
Recommendations
Here are some of the Bulk Products I love...
Electrolyte Plus
Why I love it: Hydration is so important when it comes to heavy lifting. Electrolyte Plus is a great way to start the day hydrated and ready to lift!
How I use it: First thing in the morning with Creatine Monohydrate.
My go-to choice is 1kg Tropical
Creatine Monohydrate
Why I love it: Why wouldn't you want to increase your performance, gain strength and increase muscle volume?
How I use it: First thing in the morning with Electrolyte Plus.
My go-to choice is 1kg
Protein Matrix+
Why I love it: Great-quality protein that mixes well, tastes great, and supports muscle recovery and growth. It's a great all-rounder.
How I use it: Mixed with water or made into a smoothie. Sometimes I'll blend it into a Ninja Creami, it depends on the day!
My go-to choice is 1kg Vanilla Maple
Joint Support Capsules
Why I love it: It's a great supplement to have handy to help protect my joints. Squatting over 300kg takes its toll on my knees; these help me stay on my game!
How I use it: Every night before bed!
My go-to choice is 120 Capsules
N Acetyl Cysteine Capsules
Why I love it: To help support a healthy immune system and keep me at my best.
How I use it: Every night before bed!
My go-to choice is 120 Capsules
My Approach to Nutrition
I work closely with my coach, who's a Sports Nutritionist. He plans my macros, and I make sure my diet hits those targets. It consists of simple, effective, whole foods to fuel my body.
Average daily calorie intake: 3000-5000, depending on the goal.
Is there a type/style of diet you follow? Just a simple high protein diet.
Are there any foods you avoid? Brussels sprouts (yuck!).
Are there any foods you crave? Coffee (it's a food group).
What's your go-to cheat meal? Usually a good burger - you can't go wrong there!
My Day on a Plate
Here's what a typical day of eating looks like for me:
Meal 1: 3 eggs, 175g sourdough, Creatine Monohydrate, Electrolyte Plus
Meal 2: 1 scoop Protein Matrix+ - Vanilla Maple or Salted Caramel
Meal 3: 125g chicken breast, 125g (raw weight) white rice and vegetables
Pre-training: 3 x Golden Crumpets
Meal 4: 125g lean beef, 100g (raw weight) white rice and vegetables
Meal 5: Alternates between Ninja Creami's, lean apple crumble, protein pancakes - whatever I feel like.
Before bed: NAC capsules, Joint Support, DIM and Magnesium.
Training Schedule
Here's what my training week looks like with a powerlifting focus:
Monday - squat day, plus:
- Some sort of RDL or split squat (learned to love these!)
- Some quad, hamstring and adductor hypertrophy work
Wednesday - bench day, plus:
- Some sort of back exercise - row or pulldown (love these)
- Shoulder press or raise
- Biceps and triceps (who doesn't want bigger arms?)
Friday - deadlifts, plus:
- Secondary squat - front squat or zercher or safety bar
- Some quad, hamstring and adductor hypertrophy work
Saturday - secondary bench, plus:
- Usually 'bro' accessories to have a nice easy session to finish the week - shoulders/arms.
Latest Results
Do you have any medium/long-term goals you're working towards?
My medium goal is to compete in my first strongman competition! I'm really looking forward to it.
In the long term, I want to keep adding to my powerlifting total and see how far I can go.
Have you had any exceptional results (in competitions or otherwise) in the last few years? Let us know what they are!
In March 2024, I was the first Australian Female to Squat 300kg. Just six days later, I backed it up and became the World's Strongest Female Powerlifter.
I don't know if I will ever be able to top that feeling, but I'll be trying my hardest!
