T-bolts power push to limits

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Pedro Mota
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Thunderbolts took part in a powerlifting competition Oct. 18 at the Luke Air Force Base Combat Fitness Center.

The men's event had four weight classes between 143.5 pounds and 198.25, while the three women's weight classes ranged from 114.5 pounds to 125.5 and above.

"I enjoyed the challenge of pushing myself to the limit," said Airman 1st Class Gabrielle Asalin, 756th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons load crew member.

The first event was bench press. The lift didn't count if the participant bounced the bar off the chest, failed to complete the set or struggled too much to complete the lift.

Weighted squats came next. Just as with the bench press, if participants failed to complete the set with proper form or failed to stand up, they received a zero score.

The final event was the dead lift. Participants were given three chances to complete each workout set and could not decrease the weight lifted.

During this competition, the scoring system counted all of the pounds lifted in every set and in all categories, whereas, most competitions of this type add the total single-repetition maximum from each event.

Staff Sgt. Kurtis Buchawiecki, 56th Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler, was the winner of the men's combined weight category with a total of 3,660 pounds. The female winner of the combined weight category was Airman 1st Class Gabrielle Asalin, 756th AMXS weapons load crew member, with a total of 1,260 pounds.