Formidable Foundation blazes its own path

The common saying, “There’s strength in numbers” fully applies to Owatonna’s newest women’s strength training organization the Formidable Foundation.

The non-profit has recently branched off from the Raise the Bar Initiative based in Des Moines, Iowa – who has held successful competitions in Owatonna in recent years – with hopes to allocate all its time, energy and resources toward the local community.

“We wanted our competitions to be a little more local, compared to Des Moines, which is a much larger city. We kind of just needed more flexibility with our procedures and protocols to fit Owatonna a little better. We still love their mission and we still go down to their Women’s Barbell Classic, but we needed more flexibility in our ability to make it more custom to Owatonna,” said Formidable Foundation Director Destinee Meger.

While the group will be branching off from Raise the Bar, the plan is to keep a similar identity with the main focus being helping uplift and empower women in strength training.

“Formidable Foundation exists to challenge the narrow narrative of what women should be and replace it with what they are: capable, resilient, and powerful. Through strength training, we build environments where women can rise boldly. Where real support produces fierce leaders who influence families, workplaces, and communities for generations. Whether lifting a barbell, her standards, or the woman beside her, this is where she reclaims her space,” reads the mission statement at Formidablefoundation.org.

According to Meger, the consistent annual growth in participation at the previous Women’s Barbell Classic events ran through Raise the Bar in town sparked the creation of Formidable Foundation.

“The first year that we had the Women’s Barbell Classic [in Owatonna] we had a goal of 100 lifters, and we met that goal. So, the second year we went up to 150, and we hit that goal very easily. This next one, we’d like 175 or 200, and if there’s more, we’re not going to cap it. We want everyone that’s interested to come in and compete,” said Meger.

Plans for the first major competition held by Formidable Foundation are aiming for May 2027 at the Four Seasons Centre at the Steele County Fairgrounds.

However, in the meantime, the organization is hoping to offer some new programs to the community beforehand.

“We would like to have a youth girls program, an adult women program and a senior citizen program, as well as a leadership one where a speaker comes in an talks about their career while also teaching the girls more about weightlifting,” said Meger.

The current plans for each program are “still on the drawing board,” but plans are for one of the groups to be up “by late fall or winter” with the rest beginning sometime next year.

In terms of competition, the organization will still utilize the two lifts that have been used in previous events: deadlift and bench press.

Those looking to sponsor and support the Formidable Foundation can do so at the organization’s upcoming fundraising events.

“We do have some upcoming fundraising events. We’ll be at Downtown Thursdays talking to visitors about what we do and taking donations. We do have a fundraiser from 4-9 p.m. at Pizza Ranch [in Owatonna] on Wednesday, July 29, and the Bags, Beers and Barbells event starting at 1 p.m. at Mineral Springs Brewery on Sunday, Aug. 2.

Those looking for more information on the Formidable Foundation can visit the organization’s website at Formidablefoundation.org.