Powerlifters raise bar in record-breaking season

Powerlifting Titans brought home state champ trophies on Feb 26. With girls raw and boys equipped both placing first at the 2023 state championship. Having multiple state champs this year, Olivia Brodersen stood out by being a 3x state champ in the 148 lb weight class. When she first started lifting, she broke the goals she’d set for herself, but she wouldn’t stop there, she would put out harder challenges for her to build her strength and she would always achieve them. This year’s goals she’d set were for her to break all the state records in her weight class and win best lifter. She ended her night doing exactly that, with an overall total of 804 lbs beating her last year’s overall total by 76 lbs. Getting 286 lbs for squat, 165 lbs for bench, and 353 lbs for deadlift. 

Lifting wasn’t always in the mind for Brodersen, but things took a turn for her four years ago, when she took a weightlifting class, that is offered to student athletes. Brodersen used to be involved in gymnastics and her strength carried over to weightlifting. Powerlifting coach, Kurt Polman, noticed Brodersen’s strengths and suggested she’d join powerlifting. Brodersen saw a difference in this sport, from other sports. Brodersen said “This is just all by yourself, so it’s very mental. You have to learn how to overcome obstacles.”

Not everything went right for her in the lifting room, despite having a good athletic career by being 2x state champ with the volleyball team and 3x state champ in powerlifting. She would have to work for her goals every practice. Her days consisted of eating clean and lifting weights, and she would also have to work through her failure. “Everyone is going to have a bad practice. Obviously, I didn’t have good practice every time. Everyone is going to fail but that’s just a part of the process.” Brodersen said. Learning how to fail was a big obstacle for her, but at the end, she found a way to bounce back. 

Another Titan powerlifting state champ, Johnpaul Johnson, 198 lb weight class, left his mark in the records by setting 3 state records. 474 lbs for squat, 298 lbs for bench and 1291 lbs for the overall total. Beating the past state champs overall total by 31 lbs. He’s worked since freshman year to break the records, starting out by barely squatting 225, to setting numbers in the books. Johnson said “I was motivated to beat the records and have my name in the records.”

Not being able to see himself breaking records 4 years ago, he also got into this sport through weightlifting class. He then joined powerlifting with his friends. Johnson found this sport more self-enjoying, due to the individuality it offered and the easy-seeing results he was getting. From freshman to senior year Johnson had broken out of his shell in lifting the bar, he had gained confidence over the years, Johnson said, “you got to be confident when you lift the weight, if you’re not confident going up, then you are not going to get the weight. It’s all mental.”

Johnson was able to fulfill his goals by setting state records and now he wants more. He will start competing in the USAPL Federation. The USAPL Federation is an American drug free powerlifting federation, where lifters can continue to set records at; which Johnson plans to do just that. As he moves on to higher levels in this sport, Johnson left a message for future titan lifters. He said, “You got to have good discipline and you got to stay consistent, because if you just put in the work once a week, it’s not going to get you there, you got to eat right, not over-train.”