All elite athletes carry a heavy load – but for some that’s not so much a figurative reality as a literal one.
Ethan Akerman counts himself among that fraternity, as a rising presence on the competitive power lifting circuit.
Always drawn to the physicality of sports – be it hockey, football, lacrosse or rugby – the 21-year-old Miltonian first took up weight training in grade 11 at Bishop Reding Catholic Secondary School.
The course met with immediate enjoyment, with his potential quickly following suit.
“Near the end of the semester I asked (the coach) if I could try seeing how much I could squat and ended up doing about 440 pounds,” recalled Akerman, now pursuing a mechanical engineering degree at the University of Western. “As far as somebody who’d only been working out for that long, usually you if you’re lucky you can get into the 3s (00 pounds). To get over 400 isn’t easy for anybody.”
With an early window into his power lifting potential, he just kept progressing – with an overall weight class win in his competitive debut in June 2022 in Belleville followed by trips to the podium in all but one of seven subsequent meets.
That prosperity culminated with a second-place finish in the junior 260-pound class earlier this month at the Commonwealth Powerlifting Federation Championships in Sun City, South Africa.
Highlighted by a golden performance in bench press – with a personal-best 413-pound lift – Akerman reached the overall podium with medals in all three events.
He’d also surpass his personal benchmark in the deadlift with a 672-pound effort to secure silver, while his 617-pound squat was good enough for bronze.
“I had a fair idea of how I’d do, but I surprised myself a bit,” said Akerman, who’s been competing only half the time of the Scottish lifter who captured the all-around title. “I only usually hit personal bests in competition, so the last few months of building have come together fairly well.”
The key to power lifting success is really no secret – find the right program and stick to it.
That’s easier said than done at times, but staying vigilant – noted the local standout – isn’t exactly complicated.
“First I’ll see if I can find a friend to go to the gym, to try to keep myself accountable,” he said. “But even if I can’t, I’ll still end up going. It’s just a part of my day that I can’t skip. If I don’t go I’ll feel worse than if I do.”
Akerman will take that drive into the Canadian championships in late February in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where he’ll look to claim top honours after finishing fourth as the youngest competitor at last year’s nationals in B.C.