Renegade Powerlifting Team Raise Bar To Success
MADISON- A team of athletes from Madison has certainly lifted the bar for others to try and reach.
The Renegade Powerlifting Team from Empire Fitness of Madison recently set state and national records while participating in the Golden Ape Powerhouse Drug Tested Powerlifting Meet held in Decatur. The meet was sanctioned by the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA). The team is coached by Jeremy Bailey and features Roger Kitchen, Jr., Griffin Harris, Gerdono Wade and the husband-wife combo of Ryan and Amberley Kuhlman. The competition featured each participant in the squat, deadlift and bench press.
Kitchen set a new Alabama state and National record in both the deadlift (457.5 pounds) and overall total (1,102.3 pounds) and a new state mark in the bench (242.5 pounds) in the Men’s Class Raw division. Amberly Kuhlman in her first competition came away with state records in both the deadlift (363.8 pounds) and overall total (782.6 pounds) in Woman’s Raw division. Wade set a new state mark in both the bench (292.1 pounds) and overall total (1,201.5 pounds) in the Men’s Raw division.
“I’m surprised I did so well considering I suffered a lower back and core injury 30 days prior to the meet and had to take a week off my training,” said Kitchen, 48, who works in human resources at the Marshall Space Flight Center.
The same can be said for Kimberly Kuhlman as she, too, had an injury prior to the meet. Her’s was a left hip injury. “I’ll probably take some time off before doing another lift meet,” said Amberly Kuhlman, 33, who works as a dental hygienist. “I decided to try this sport last July and it soon has become a passion of mine.”
The final results for the five team members included: Gerdono Wade, 33, 1st place, 67.5kg weight class-Open Division, 402.3-lbs squat, 292.1-lbs bench, 507.1-lbs deadlift, 1,201.5-lbs total; Griffin Harris, 1st place, 90kg weight class- 20-23 age division, 463-lbs squat, 226-lbs bench, 446.4-lbs deadlift, 1,135.4-libs total; Ryan Kuhlman, 33, 3rd place, 75kg weight class- Open Division, 396.8-lbs squat, 253.5-lbs bench, 479.5-lbs deadlift, 1,129.9-lbs total; Amberly Kuhlman, 33, 1st place, 67.5kg weight class- Open Division, 275.6-lbs squat, 143.3-lbs bench, 363.8-lbs deadlift, 782.6-lbs total; Roger Kitchen, Jr., 48, 1st place, 82.5kg weight class, Masters Division and 2nd place, Open Division, 402.3-lbs squat, 242.5-lbs bench, 457.5-lbs deadlift, 1,102.3-lbs total.
The USPA is the leading powerlifting organization in the U.S. and was created by lifters providing opportunities for a range of lifters from beginners to elite level.
Kuhlman and her husband, Ray, have been married for two years and both are beginners in lifting competitions, but have found the sport to be uplifting. They met while working out at Empire Fitness. To hear the story from Kuhlman, Ryan was a life saver.
“I was on the bench press and I got to a point I couldn’t lift the bar,” said Kuhlman. “Ryan just happened to see me in distress so he came to save me.”
“I picked up the sport in college lifting at a local gym,” said Kitchen. “I gave up competition for 23 years and got back to lifting in 2016. I felt like I was good at it, but not with other sports. I put on weight and it was sort of a natural transition into the power of the lifting.”
The Power Challenge meet was the first drug tested meet in Alabama sanctioned by the USPA. Participants were randomly tested for performance enhancing drugs that are deemed illegal.
Kitchen dips into a second career as a mental skills coach. He met the lifting team while working out at Empire Fitness and right away came back to the sport he called more than just muscle.
“There’s something beautiful about lifting and setting down the weights and then lifting again,” said Kitchen. “In the December meet, my goal was to break 1,100 pounds.”
In 2007, Kuhlman tipped the scale at 200 pounds and decided she had enough and to change her life so she began a bodybuilding program. Her scale now sits on 130 pounds.
“I’m always looking for a goal to achieve. I like the challenge,” said Kuhlman. “It’s always me versus me.”
Kuhlman added the lifting meet experience helped in her growth as a person and built confidence that many women strive to achieve.
“God gave me this opportunity. I have no limits,” said Kuhlman.
