Jeff Peshek having a record-breaking year

Sunday, August 20, 2006 He began his training at Sunsation Fitness & Tanning in Campbell. By JOHN KOVACH VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF CAMPBELL — Jeff Peshek of Campbell has a message for all of the young people who are lifting weights and want to be champions: Stay away from drugs because they are bad for your health and you don't need them to achieve. Peshek should know. The former Mount Union College fullback, a native of Austintown and a 1981 graduate of Fitch High where he also played football, is drug-fee and broke four world records in the bench press this year. The records The 300-pound strongman bench-pressed 825 pounds at the American Powerlifting Federation Advanced Strength Concepts Bench Press Championships on July 16 to set a world record in the 276-308 pound class for that association. The win also qualified him for the Arnold Classic in Columbus set for the first weekend of March. Peshek also bench-pressed 801 pounds at the World Association of Bench and Deadlift-Penn Ohio Bench and Deadlift Championships in Erie Pa., on Feb. 18 to set world record in the 276-308 pound class for that association. In the process of breaking the two world records for his weight class, he also set two more world marks for the master's division (over 40 years old) and open class division (all ages) for both associations. "These are all drug-free [competitions]," emphasized Peshek, 43, who is a truck driver for BFI. "They do drug testing after the meet, usually just the [people who] set the records." Wants to help kids Peshek said he hopes that his world records will encourage young lifters to stay away from steroids and other drugs. "Being drug free, I like when kids find out about it. I just try to be a role model and help out the kids. We have kids that train with us. You can achieve things without steroids," said Peshek, who believes taking drugs to perform better could prove to be suicide in later life. "There are higher records in the non-[drug] tested events, but they are not that far away [from the drug-tested meets], and some of them are lower. Peshek's progress as a powerlifter has been impressive to say the least. Although he lifted weights at Mount Union, he took off about eight years and didn't begin his competitive powerlifting career until he was 30. But in 13 years of training, Peshek has added 360 pounds to his bench press — an average increase of about 28 pounds per year. "In my first contest, I bench-pressed 465 pounds when I was 30. I weighed 275 pounds," said Peshek. "It's been a long route with ups and downs." Never thought it would happen He said that early in his training, he never thought that he would achieve what he has. "When I first started, when I did 500 [pounds], we were ecstatic," said Peshek, referring also to his wife, the former Carlie Terek of Campbell. "My wife is a big fan. Then I kept moving up to 600 and 700 and 800. It has been a long road." They have a daughter, Jordan, 14, a junior varsity cheerleader at Springfield High. But sometimes he would go backward. "I did the 801 and then had a few contests of 761 and 750," he said. "I tried over 800 [but failed]." And sometimes he would go forward. "Then this last contest, my second lift was 805 and then 825." Peshek said he also trains in the two other powerlifting events (squat and deadlift), "but obviously my specialty is the bench press." His training program He works out five days a week, from 11/2-2 hours per session, but trains in only one event per day and also does other accessory work which will help him perform each event better. "It's not always just getting on the bench and doing bench presses. You do different weight training accessory work to help you bench, squat and deadlift." said Peshek, who began his training at Sunsation Fitness & Tanning in Campbell. Then he shifted to Dick Hartzell's Jump Stretch gym and now trains with Rick Lucklan in Canfield at Lucklan's home gym. They also are joined by a group of young lifters, including promising Mike Bartos, a 2005 Ursuline High graduate and former Irish football player. "[Bartos] is going to be an up-and-coming lifter," predicted Peshek. "He is going to start at Slippery Rock University this year." Peshek is looking forward to the World Natural Powerlift Federation meet in Atlantic City in October, and the World Association of Bench and Deadlifters meet in Las Vegas in November. "It's a chance to break more world records," said Peshek. who has learned that he has no limitations as a powerlifter. kovach@vindy.com