10/2/04
General--how old you are, what you do, where you live, where you grew up and anything else general you'd like to add about your life outside powerlifting:
I am 25 years old and Live in Champaign Illinois with my fiancé Sharon and our two beagles Odie and Isabelle. I am a full time student at The University of Illinois studying Political Science.
Your best lifts in powerlifting in competition and training, and at what weight:
I only credit myself with lifts I have made in competition.
S-760
B-429
D-710
T-1900
All at a bodyweight of 250
Your proudest accomplishments in powerlifting:
My 1900 total is what I am most proud of.
Your best moment in powerlifting:
Being able to hand off to my close friend and training partner Dan Finkenstadt when he made his first 400 pound bench. After missing his first attempt at 385 Dan laid it all on the line and went for it. That is what it is all about. I have never been more proud as a lifter, a friend and a coach.
Your ultimate goal in powerlifting:
Break the open World deadlift record. Lift and win in the WPO.
How you got involved in powerlifting:
I have been lifting weights since before high school. However I didn’t start power training until I was competing in Collegiate track and field. After a career ending injury I started PL a bit more seriously. After doing some research I found an APF completion and the rest is history.
Type of training you adhere to:
A complete hybrid I have developed. I use bands, a box, and train virtually year round in my gear.
Type of gear you use and how you use it in your training:
I am converting to canvas and double denim. This is the equipment used in the WPO and want every advantage I can get. As I said I believe you must train in your equipment in order to get the most out of it.
The people who have most influenced your training and powerlifting career in general:
As far as influence John Hudson and Nick Lepine. As far as understanding Sharon my fiancé is the absolute best, and I could not ask for more.
Your training partners and how they affect your training:
I have the best group of training partners in the world. Without them I would not be anywhere near where I am now.
How long you see yourself continuing powerlifting:
Until I die. I will never quit. I recently heard a story of an 84 year old woman with Parkinson’s disease benching competitively. That is raw determination.
Your opinion of the supportive equipment used in powerlifting:
The goal is to lift as much as possible. There are federations for all types. I think there are far to many whiners in the sport on this issue. Lift where you want in what you want.
Your opinion of drug testing in the sport:
I think it is a great thing. It gives those of us electing not to use performance enhancing drugs the opportunity to compete on a level playing field. Again I feel there is far to much whining on this issue. Whatever another lifter chooses to do is their own personal business. I compete in the APF drug free because that is where the biggest lifts and best competitors are. That is what leads to the WPO which is my goal. I also compete in WABDL for the level playing field.
Your opinion of the professional movement in powerlifting like the WPO and Mountaineer Cup:
Eric Stone put it best; “I think professional powerlifting is the future of the sport, and is the most likely path to bring the sport forward. Giving young lifters and beginning lifters that ultimate goal of getting to the "show" of professional powerlifting will drive the sport forward.”
What you think about the Olympic movement in powerlifting:
I don’t feel it should be pursued. I wont go into allot of detail but the Olympics is a far cry from what it used to be. I also don’t want to see the sport change to fit into what the IOC wants, which is to make money. The WPO is a highly regarded place and plenty hard to get to.
Back to Profiles