ND powerlifters to compete in world championship

NORTH DAKOTA — 4 North Dakota powerlifters will showcase their abilities on the 2023 Arnold Traditional XPC World Championship.

David Stensland from Fargo and Devin Lawrimore, Ashley Omsberg and Denise Minard from Williston are slated to compete within the Arnold Traditional XPC in Columbus, Ohio on March 2-3.

The group will compete among the many nation’s finest lifters within the squat, bench press and deadlifts. Athletes are given three makes an attempt in all occasions to raise probably the most weight attainable.

A Fargo native, Stensland contemplated retirement after a first-place end in final yr’s Arnold XPC Traditional.

Stensland received the Elite Uncooked occasion within the 242-pound weight division and totaled 1,715 kilos with the three workouts, together with a 640-pound squat, 400-pound bench press and 675-pound deadlift.

His physique’s well being was a driving issue for considering retirement from powerlifting.

“I used to be nervous in regards to the wear-and-tear on my physique,” Stensland mentioned. “Simply the coaching alone, and the consuming and getting every part dialed in. I might wish to have some longetivity and be capable of proceed to maneuver round and have just a little mobility.”

On a typical day, he’ll eat between 3,800 to 4,000 energy — about six to seven meals — which is a exercise in itself.

Past simply bodily well being, Stensland mentioned the steadiness between work and household life additionally generated causes to retire from the game. He talked about that he generally takes his children together with him to the health club, and his 8-year-old usually asks him if he is stronger than standard cultural icons.

“His large factor currently has been ‘are you stronger than the Rock, John Cena and other people like that?’ and I am like I do not know,” Stensland mentioned. “And you realize, I look some these guys up and I am like ‘Yeah, I am squatting, benching and deadlifting greater than these guys,’ so in a manner it is fairly cool for them.”

Stensland will head into the Arnold XPC with boosted confidence after hitting final yr’s 640-pound squat for 3 repetitions in coaching. He’ll head into this yr’s competitors with excessive hopes.

4 years in the past, a work-related accident led to the loss of a big a part of Devin Lawrimore’s proper arm.

In the present day, Lawrimore is ready to compete within the Arnold XPC Traditional, and he is stronger than ever.

He nailed a private document within the deadlift — an train he admits is not his specialty — with a 419-pound pull in final October’s North Dakota Open in Fargo.

Lawrimore saved voicing encouragement to himself however would not keep in mind tackling the feat.

“I keep in mind wanting down on the bar, grabbing it and telling myself ‘I am not going to fail,’ ” Lawrimore mentioned. “The following factor I do know, a dude within the background goes ‘dude, you possibly can set it down.’

“I held (the load) for few seconds after they instructed me to place it down. And I felt nothing. The roar of the viewers was type of muffled and it was simply tremendous surreal and intense.”

Lawrimore participated within the 2022 King of the North competitors in Dickinson and received the Males’s Uncooked 308-plus pound 35 to 39-year-old division. He respects that being an amputee has its drawbacks nevertheless it additionally serves as a supply of motivation.

“I am not going to squat 8 or 900 kilos or bench 3 to 400 kilos, however I am doing it with one arm,” Lawrimore mentioned. “I do have a prosthetic arm and harness, however I am nonetheless at a drawback competing towards a full, able-bodied particular person. It conjures up lots of people only for me getting on the market and doing it.”

The following month shall be hectic for Lawrimore, who’s collaborating within the Arnold XPC Traditional and the 2023 King of the North competitors on April 2.

Few folks can say they’ve had a spinal fracture. Even fewer can say they’ve fought in an expert mixed-martial arts bout with a spinal fracture.

Ashley Omsberg is likely to be the one particular person on this planet to say she’s achieved each, and he or she began to compete in powerlifting competitions a pair years after the damage.

The deadlift train helped reel Omsberg into powerlifting.

“The second I did the deadlift, I used to be like, that is my space,” Omsberg mentioned. “From there, I began doing it for enjoyable. A yr in the past, I began going to a unique health club and had a coach method me and requested me if I wished to attempt some competitions.”

Within the early phases, Omsberg was just a little hesitant about competing within the sport and mentioned she was “nervous and scared.” These emotions would quickly disappear.

Omsberg received the Ladies’s Uncooked 123 Open within the No Retreat No Give up competitors in September 2021, the Uncooked 123-pound Queen of the North in March 2022 and the Uncooked 132-pound division within the North Dakota Open final October.

As she continues to compete in powerlifting, Omsberg will proceed to work in the direction of her aim within the sport.

“My aim is to be an precise ‘Elite lifter,’ ” Omsberg mentioned. “To take a seat and qualify and be within the Elite standing.”

Omsberg mentioned she likes the place her coaching is at forward of the Arnold XPC and can look to indicate off her expertise on the nationwide stage.