The Lab Gym Power Team

lifter bio

Name: Melinda Bowen .bowen625

Age: 39

Profession/Education: Emergency veterinarian

Powerlifting Meet Bests Raw: SQ-110kg, B - 45.5 kg?? DL - 147.5 kg / Equipped: not yet

How did you get into powerlifting?: I was in veterinary school at the time, and a friend at Mizzou encouraged me to lift heavier weight and taught me how to conventional deadlift. My friend also introduced me to other powerlifters in the area, which how I began competing.

How long have you been training/competing?: I began training on my own 6.5 years ago, but I have not trained consistently, taking months off at a time (several times) due to a couple of injuries and then other life events taking priority. I first trained with a powerlifting coach 4.5 years ago. First competition was an ADFPF meet 6 years ago

Favorite lift?: sumo deadlift

Least Favorite lift?: bench press

Goals for 2019: I just want to remain consistent with training and continue making progress with my lifts. I would like to add at least 10kg to my squat. I would be happy with a 1lb PR on bench lol. I would be excited to deadlift 160kg but would be happy with any improvement.

Favorite post meet/training food: Pizza

Favorite music/song to lift to? Metal (Metallica, Lamb Of God, more recently Gojira. A couple go-to songs for heavy attempts are Meshuggah’s “Bleed” or Lamb of God’s “Descending” or “walk with me in hell”

One interesting thing that others wouldn’t know about you: I worked full time at UMSL while getting my bachelors degree in biology from there.

Additional entry: I enjoy drawing and am pretty good at it.

Additional entry: I was into metal music and powerlifting before I met Jimmy Freeman. Metal music came 25 years earlier, and powerlifting came 2 years earlier

Best Day Ever @ The Lab Gym

lifter Bio

Name: Sonya Stevenson

Age: 67.75

Profession/Education: Office Manager/Early Childhood Education degree

Powerlifting Meet Bests Raw/Equipped: Squat 102.5 kg, Bench press 65kg, Deadlift 130 kg, Total290 kg

How did you get into power lifting?: A friend invited me try The Lab Gym when it was born; I basically used the elliptical/bikes, but really wasn’t making any progress/changes. Justin suggested I try working with a trainer. That was magical. I liked the process and progress I made (from squatting to crates to squatting without crates) and consistently adding weights. I was hooked!

How long have you been training/competing?: In 2015 my trainer, Jessica, commented that my bench was strong enough to compete. My thought was if I competed it could help show how great The Lab Gym is even for older people like me. Wearing a singlet was almost a deal breaker but I believe in The Lab Gym so much I signed up for the Battle of Belleville/November 2015 anyway. At the meet everyone was incredibly nice, congratulating all the first-time competitors. And since so many folks were in singlets it was less awful than anticipated (however one day I might try to get on the USAPL Board so I can change this rule of required singlets). In 2016 I got to start training with Drew. I participated in my first Raw Nationals in October 2016, and due to a mis-load I squatted a few pounds more than I had ever done (and didn’t die). Wondering how far this could go I asked Justin if there was a maximum weight I would probably not be able to move beyond at some point. “We are always evolving,” he said, and so I just keep trying harder; gotta’ see how this story ends.

Favorite lift?: just like my 5 daughters/9+ grandkids I love them all equally (however I do love PRs)

Least Favorite lift?: when I don’t try hard enough and miss a lift

Goals for 2019: stay healthy, lift whatever Drew tells me to, and try to recruit more members for the Lab Gym because everyone should reap the benefits of heavy lifting.

Favorite post meet/training food: always more coffee; I am not a picky eater (thus the 84+ wt class)

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