Tuesday morning I talked myself into going to the gym. I had planned on working on arms. Tuesday is my arms day. I got to Bodyworks Fitness near 57th and Louise and was putting my things together when I noticed a guy in the corner loading some weights on a bar. A lot of weight.

At first I checked out of the corner of my eye. He had 4 forty-five pound plates on each side of the 40 pound bar. I was thinking either someone is about to get serious or someone is going to need me to make a call to the emergency ward at the hospital.

I go on with my workout, he makes a slow calculated approach to the weight and lifts it up. OK.  So is he done for the day or is he going to do an encore. That's what I'm thinking to myself. Then he goes for 2 more 45's. Now he's got my attention. When he added another two 25's to the next lift I had to ask.

Turns out his name is Doug. Doug Groskopf from Golden, Colorado. His family is in town visiting his wife's family. They are staying at a local hotel that has an agreement with Bodyworks for those looking for a more serious workout. Oh and he's serious.

Turns out he's preparing for the USPA Power lifting Nationals to be held in Las Vegas on July 11th. Groskopf will be competing in the 50-54 age division. The meet will include squats, bench press and dead lift. The dead lift I saw him put up with what looked to be little effort was 545 lbs.

Groskopf has his eye on Gary Grissinger who currently has the national lift record in all three lifts. Groskopf wants to regain the national lift record he evidently previously held in the dead lift.

I told you he was serious. Groskoph had some words of advice. Start today, but stay with it. Start your program and be consistent. Stay with it.

On a side note, Groskopf said he's done it all clean, without the help of steroids. Oh, another perspective point, Groskopf currently weighs about 210 lbs and will compete at 191 pounds. Yeah, he's not a towering hulk.

The USPA event will be held in July Las Vegas at The Gold Nugget. I'll be watching for a good result, and cheering for a guy that did some of his training here in Sioux Falls.

 

 

 

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