Limestone Barbell Club Athletes Set Personal Records At Competition

Three members of the Limestone University Barbell Club competed earlier this month against the best in North and South Carolina at the USA Powerlifting Battle on the Border that was held in Greer, with each Saint setting personal records in the Junior Division (for ages 20-23).

Limestone junior Nathan Burgess of Pendleton placed first in the 120+ kg (264+ lbs.) weight class with a personal record total of 510 kg (1,124 lbs.) – a 15 kg (33 lbs.) improvement over his previous competition results. His total was achieved via a 195 kg (430 lbs.) squat, 115 kg (253 lbs.) bench press, and a 200 kg (441 lbs.) deadlift. The squat and deadlift were a respective 10 kg (22 lbs.) and 5 kg (11 lbs.) personal record for Burgess.

Alexander Register, a senior from Elgin, SC, placed second in the 120 kg (264 lbs.) weight class with a personal record total of 637.5 kg (1,405 lbs.) – a 10 kg (22 lbs.) improvement from his February 21 competition results. Register achieved his total with a 232.5 kg (512 lbs.) squat, a 165 kg (364 lbs.) bench press, and a 240 kg (529 lbs.) deadlift. The squat and deadlift were personal records.

Setting personal records in all three lifts and total on the day, sophomore Jaylan Ferguson of Spartanburg placed third in the 105 kg (231 lbs.) weight class with a total of 602.5 kg (1,328 lbs.). He achieved this total with a squat of 222.5 kg (490 lbs.), a 130 kg (287 lbs.) bench press, and a 250 kg (551 lbs.) deadlift. Ferguson’s total was 30 kg (66 lbs.) above his competition results last month.

Limestone’s Barbell Club traveled to Suwanee, GA in February to compete in the USA Powerlifting Georgia Winter Classic. The Limestone athletes competed in the Junior Division against lifters from Blue Mountain College, Kennesaw State University, Georgia Tech University, and the University of South Carolina.

Placing first in the event was Register with a total of 627.5 kg (1,383 lbs.). He achieved the total with a 230 kg (507 lbs.) squat, 167.5 kg (369 lbs.) bench press, and a 230 kg (507 lbs.) deadlift, all of which were personal records up until that point. Ferguson placed fourth with a 572.5 kg (1,262 lbs.) total. He hit personal records at that time in the squat with 212.5 kg (468 lbs.), bench press of 125 kg (275 lbs.), and equaled his best deadlift with a 235 kg (518 lbs.) effort to achieve his USAPL Collegiate National Championship qualifying total. Burgess placed sixth with a 495 kg (1,091 lbs.) total, a 35 kg (77 lbs.) increase over his previous competition in December. He achieved his personal record total at that time by squatting 185 kg (407 lbs.), bench pressing 115 kg (253 lbs.), and deadlifting 195 kg (429 lbs.).

The Limestone University Barbell Club has been competing regularly in powerlifting and weightlifting since 2014, and it is now supported by the institution’s intramurals program. Adam Blalock, an Assistant Professor of Physical Education, serves as the head coach of the Barbell Club. Blalock has worked in the field of Strength & Conditioning at the collegiate and high school level, as well as in the private sector, throughout his career.

USA Powerlifting is affiliated with the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), the oldest and most respected powerlifting organization in the world. The IPF has strict and enforced guidelines regarding technical performance and drug testing.

(Accompanying photo: Jaylan Ferguson in competition)