"Heaven wheels above you, displaying to you Her eternal glories, and still your eyes are on the ground" -Dante Alighieri

4 weeks until show time and I am extremely reserved and at the same time, extremely confident. Not of my ability to beat the other lifters at the US Open, but of my ability to perform to the highest level I have ever done before. I Have no power over what Belkin will achieve, or what the other contenders for best wilks may do, but I know what I am capable of and it is within my power to make the opposition work.

I never dreamt it possible that I would be knocking on the door of an above 10x BW total when I first competed at 14 years old and totaled 1075lbs in single ply gear. I never imagined I would be where I am as I lifted for girls and worked up the courage to ask girls out or text someone I had a crush on in high school.

Blacking out on benzos and alcohol in college left me wondering where I would be in a career let alone on the platform, but still I persevered and poured my soul into this stupid thing we call powerlifting.

Choosing not to attend DPT school upon graduating, and subsequently contemplating suicide due to an abusive relationship and being on the verge of homelessness in a new city cast the shadow of doubt over every waking moment of my life, and still I stood up under the bar.

Unhappiness in corporate wellness sales and a terse confidence of reapplying to DPT school and becoming the greatness I believe I can be shakes my resolve to the core with fear and worry. Yet I am on PTCAS and I am in correspondence with department heads.

And yes, I am preparing for the US Open, where all of these swirling whirlwinds will collide and either tear me apart at the atomic level, or electrify my entire being and propel me to where I see myself.

The Colossus is the Russian, the Colossus is myself, The Colossus is life itself, and The Colossus is the barbell loaded.

I know what I am capable of, it is merely a matter of testing it. Stay tuned for Apr 15th.


835 pause squat
485 pause bench


735x3 Deadlift