In December, Tracey Mitchell competed at a local United States Powerlifting Association event. As the only person in her age and weight classes, she set records in bench press, squat and deadlift.

Pop quiz: You want to lift 185 pounds. How many plates do you put on each side of the barbell, and what sizes? If you didn’t immediately answer “a 45 and a 25, of course,” perhaps a little ...