Luke athletes place in USPA military nationals

  • Published
  • By Airman David Owsianka
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Three Luke Air Force Base members competed in the United States Powerlifting Association National and Military National Powerlifting Championship July 1 through 3 in Costa Mesa, Calif. 

They all qualified to compete in the USPA World competition Nov. 19 in Las Vegas.
Damon Thurman, 56th Maintenance Operations Squadron, Ben O'Brien, Detachment 12, 372nd Training Squadron, and Emily Jones, 56th Maintenance Group, all placed in one of the top two spots in their respective weight class.

The competition consisted of three events: the squat, bench press and dead lift.
Ben O'Brien won the men's 220-pound weight class by squatting 611 pounds, bench pressing 529 pounds and lifting 644 pounds in the deadlift. O'Brien also won the best lifter award for the open military class.

Damon Thurman placed second in the men's 181-pound weight class by squatting 424 pounds, bench pressing 363 pounds and lifting 474 pounds in the deadlift.

Emily Jones won the women's 132-pound weight class by squatting 215 pounds, bench pressing 121 pounds and lifting 314 pounds in the deadlift.

Each Airman prepared for the competition differently.

O'Brien begins a specific routine eight to 12 weeks prior to each competition.

"I will sit down and work out a program that involves math and a variation of resistance to ensure I can reach my maximum potential," O'Brien said.

Thurman trained by completing his typical workouts, which consist of two upper body workouts and two lower body workouts each week.

Jones does cardio or circuit training and lifts weights five days a week, and trains heavily on Saturdays with a powerlifting team. She begins a form of cycle training six weeks before each competition. The training involves a variation of light weights with more reps and heavy weights with fewer reps.

Having the three Airmen compete with each other provided them with enough motivation to be successful, according to Thurman.

Working out with each other on a regular basis allowed the group to know their limits and help each other as far as knowledge of the workouts.

"I feel the level of comradery we have helped us become successful and motivated," Jones said. "It was great being able to represent the Air Force during the Military Nationals."