Julien Demaria Sets New State Records
A while back, Julien Demaria set a goal to squat 600 lbs or over by his
senior year in high school. He is a junior now and is well on his way. Demaria
just captured the tile of his weight class at the 35th annual Arizona State
Powerlifting Championships held March 26th (every 6 months) at Mesa's Westwood
High School. Demaria set four state records in his first competition as well as
his competing in the shot put and discus events for Chandler High. We plan on
seeing much more of him at the semi-annual event held by the Natural Athletes
Strength Association. For those who don't know, the competions are based
around four exercises. One separate excercise is the curl competition, but, the
other three are the bench press, the squat, and the dead lift. Those are
considered all-around powerlifting activities. The combined weight total of
those three is how the winner is selected. At around six feet tall, Demaria is
in the 275 pound body-weight division. Old school thinking is that one has to
weigh at least one half of the weight he will be able to lift. (Demaria's goal
of the 600 lb. squat would show that one is no longer valid.) His attempts were
as follows; bench press - 270 lbs, squat - 512 lbs., and dead lift - 523 lbs.
His total weight was 1,305 lbs. was over 240 lbs. of the previous record for
that weight class. His coach at Chandler High suggested he try Thorbecke's gym
since the small place has had a long history of turning out winners in several
sports competitions. The Thorbecke's Team has produced state team championships.
The weight lifting records are plentiful at Thorbecke's.
DeMaria credits the technical knowledge and what got him to these
records to the help he got in the little "monument to old-school weight-lifting"
that's walls are decorated with the pictures of champions of the past. The
helpful nature of the other weight lifters, some of which are the winners of the
past, is a constant help to the winners of the future. DeMaria is going to
compete at Red Mountain High School for prep football lineman. Breaking he
present goal of 56 consecutive 225 lb. squats is his next goal. Julien is hoping
to set a record 65 consecutive squats. Marty Einstein of the Thorbecke's Team,
who has been helping train DeMaria, and who also broke records in the past,
believes Julien will accomplish it, based on his attitude. |
