New Training Program Worked Wonders For Bobby Body In Santiago

Bobby Body was far from satisfied with his performance at the Para powerlifting world championships this past August in Dubai, UAE.

He won a pair of silver medals in the legends division — for athletes 45 or older — of the men’s 107 kg. class, but finishing ninth among the entire weight class left him wondering how to match his top competitors.

“How is it that a lot of these other guys from these other countries are so strong?” Body asked himself. “And what are they doing to make themselves that strong?”

Body approached some of the best lifters and found one on the verge of retirement who was willing to discuss his country’s approach to the sport.

The powerlifter told Body that he benches 10 times a week.

“I was benching four times a week, and that was it,” Body said.

Body had always been taught to limit his bench work and incorporate rest and recovery to avoid injury and burnout. For nine weeks after the world championships, he embraced a new program that included two bench workouts a day, Monday through Friday, with two recovery days on the weekends.

To keep each day different, Body varies the workouts using weights, heavy chains and resistance bands. But no matter the variables, he makes sure to bench twice a day.

“I train an hour and a half in the morning and an hour and a half in the afternoon,” he said. “My (bench) volume is a lot higher.”

At first, the 49-year-old from Eaton Rapids, Michigan, was concerned with how he would react to the increased workload. His doubts proved to be unfounded.

His body responded well to the new routine. In nine weeks, he added several kilos onto his max and said he felt like a “brand-new bencher.”

This new training program was geared towards Body’s debut in the Parapan American Games, which took place Nov. 17-26 in Santiago, Chile.

Going into the competition, Body’s personal best lift had been 217 kg., something his competitors in the men’s 107 kg. weight class all knew. What they didn’t realize was that under his new program Body had since hit 230 kg. in training.

Body opened with a successful lift of 216 kg. He followed up with a new personal best of 223 kg. and finished by hoisting a Parapan Ams record 228 kg. to secure the first gold medal ever by a U.S. powerlifter at the Games.

Body’s lift of 228 kg. boosted him to No. 6 in the world in his weight class. However, there are two Iranians ahead of him, and each weight class can only qualify one powerlifter per country to the Paralympics. That, in essence, puts him fifth in his class, with the top eight making the trip to Paris in 2024.

Body has solidified his standing in terms of qualifying for the Games, but there are still ways for him not to qualify.

“I would either have to get injured,” said Body, “or (in) our last two mandatory competitions, I don’t get a good lift.”

Body won’t compete again until a world cup event next May in Cancun, Mexico. By then, he hopes to have pushed his personal best beyond 240 kg. The Paralympic record is 245 kg., so his sights are set on a medal in Paris.

“I have a really good shot at getting on the podium,” he said. “Obviously, the ultimate goal is to compete for that gold medal spot.”

Body got a taste of what that would be like when he won gold at the Parapan Ams. The atmosphere for that competition was unlike anything he’s experienced before.

“The arena was completely packed,” Body said. “I’ve never competed in front of that many people before. So, that was really cool to see.”

Those in attendance began chanting his name before his third and final attempt, which pushed his adrenaline to another level.

“I got even more excited,” Body said. “I like to play with the crowd. I like to point at them and throw hearts at them and get them all excited. When that happened for my third attempt … I left every emotion I had on that platform to get that 228.”

Choking back tears during the medal ceremony, the Marine Corps and Army veteran tried to sing the national anthem but was physically and emotionally drained.

“I had nothing left,” Body said. “I wasn’t even on fumes anymore. If you had asked me to do a push-up, I would have failed.”

His wife, Erin, was in attendance and similarly affected by the moment.

“She cried. She balled,” Body said. “During the national anthem, they were showing both she and I on the big screen. We were both a disaster.”

Bob Reinert spent 17 years writing sports for The Boston Globe. He also served as a sports information director at Saint Anselm College and Phillips Exeter Academy. He is a contributor to usparapowerlifting.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.