Local power lifters excel at national competition
Last month, three local powerlifters from Mansfield participated in the USPLA (United States Power Lifting Association) Championships in Orville, Ohio, with two of them coming in first place and one placing third in their respective age and weight groups.
The United States Power Lifting Association is known to host events all over the country yearly.
John Fuller broke two state records in the 65-69 age group (called the Masters Division) while competing in the weight divisions between 165-181. Dana Cline and Jennifer Morehead both competed in the 20-35 age group and weight class of 181-197. Cline finished first and Morehead placed third in the competition. All three regularly work out and train at Katana Fitness Center in downtown Mansfield.
The competition was a one-day event.
"It was three attempts on each lift. Backsquat, bench press and deadlift, in that order," said Elijah Cline, a personal trainer at Katana Fitness Center. "They were basing it off of how much weight was lifted. They would get one lift and choose a weight for that on their first attempt. On the second attempt, they would try to lift something heavier. Then their final attempt, the the third one, they would try and go heavier than that. After they would take whatever the best one was for each lift."
"The third one will be your maximum lift," said Fuller.
Cline explained that each lifter's highest amount lifted for the deadlift, bench press and backsquat were taken and combined to get the total.
"They would medal based off the totals," Cline added. "If I squatted 300, deadlifted 400 and benched 200, then they would add it up. If my total was higher than some people, than I beat those people. If it's lower, then those people beat me."
Fuller said that this was Morehead's first powerlifting competition.
"That was Jennifer's first powerlifting meet and she got third place," he said. "Pretty good."
Asked if he was surprised by how well Morehead and Dana did, Cline responded, "For them even though they didn't break any state records, they set personal bests in squat, bench and deadlift."
For Fuller, his two state records in the 65-69 age range were in the backsquat (308 pounds) and deadlift (375).
"Right now in the 165 and 181 weight class, I have three state titles in each division," Fuller said. "In the 165 division, I broke two of my own records."
So, what was the overall competition like and atmosphere going against other powerlifters?
"One of the fun things about these competitions is that you have a broad range of lifters," Cline said, who also picked up a medal at a powerlifting competition in Cleveland this year. "Some of the people it's their first attempts and some have done this before. You have people breaking state and national records. It's a good mixture."
"When you lift here, there's no one here like right now. You have to kind of have to be self-motivated," Fuller explained. "When you're there in front of those crowds and they're hollering and screaming for you, you get so motivated. You lift 15-20 pounds heavier in front of big crowds. It really motivates you big time."
"It's a good culture to be in," Cline said.
jsimpson@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: National powerlifting competition features local lifters
