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Jason Beck - 220 lbs.
Ht:5'7"
Hometown: Butler, Pennsylvania
Family: Wife Shannon, Dog Niko, and 2 Cats Tank & Dozer
Best Lifts:
SQ: 799 BP: 565; DL: 766; Total: 2,083
"I started powerlifting in high school to get strong for football. When I was 15 years old I attended a bench press competition and got hooked on the sport. That was actually the only single lift competition I have ever done. Since then it’s been all full meets except one push pull meet in my late teens. Competitions were always just a way to test myself and I never really paid attention to what kinds of numbers other people were putting up until I hit a 1700 pound total early in my college lifting. My good buddy Travis Werner found out about the total and told me that I was only 8 pounds from the junior American record for the 198 class. He also explained that I could go to collegiate nationals and earn a spot on the junior world team. My thoughts were something like "that sounds cool...I’ll do that". I never really took powerlifting too seriously up until that point."
"During my college carreer I pushed the junior American record from 1708 to 1800 in the 198 class. I also eventually pushed the open American 220 record to 2083. I have won the men’s national title 3 times and placed 2nd and 3rd at the IPF worlds. After that first collegiate nationals it has been a goal of mine to not only compete at the international level but to one day be a world champion. I have been striving to do just that ever since."
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Years competing:
13 years
Gym you train at:
My garage gym aka Beck’s Gym & Gold’s Gym in Newport News, VA.
Powerlifting Team
Titan Support Systems
Prior sports background:
Played football in high school and briefly threw shot.
Q: What made you decide to compete in powerlifting?
A: My good friend and lifting partner Travis Werner got a subscription to PL USA when we were teenagers. It looked like a fun thing to do so we found a local competition and gave it a shot.
Q: At what point did you have the lightbulb moment and realize "Hey, I actually have a shot at being the National Champion"?
A: In the warm up room at Men’s nationals in 2004. This was my second men’s nationals and my goal was to medal. I only had about 3 good months of training under my belt as I had just got back from a tour in Iraq. I was hanging in there after the squats and during the benches Mike Maistrean and Ray Benemerito both had troubles getting attempts in. After I realized what had just happened I realized I could be just 3 pulls away from a gold medal. I was pretty stunned and even more nervous but I pulled 3 great deadlifts and won my first Men’s Nationals.
Q: Tell us about your profession: what do you do for a living?
A: I am a manager at Gold’s Gym in Newport News, Virginia.
Q: Give us some idea of the types of struggles or hardships you've had to endure in your training…or life.
A: Without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever done in my life is spend 15 months away from my family to fight in the war in Iraq. The biggest hardship in training was my training for the 2006 IPF Worlds. I hurt my back so badly about 8 weeks out that I couldn’t squat my own bodyweight. The rehab and training was not only difficult physically but it was extremely difficult mentally. That was really the first, and hopefully last, injury I had ever sustained that completely prevented me from training for a couple of weeks. It was hard to move around every day let alone put weight on my back and get ready for a competition.
Q: What are the most extreme conditions you've had to go through in training?
A: Right now the most extreme I get is training in my garage in the summer. It gets pretty hot in Virginia in the summer. The most extreme conditions I have ever trained in would have to be the garage gym I trained at in Pennsylvania when I was in my late teens and early 20s. It gets extremely cold in Pennsylvania in the winter!! I’m not that hard core any more. When it gets too cold for the garage now I go to Golds.
Q: Tell the readers what your daily meals consist of as the contest gets closer.
A: In the past nutrition has not been a real strong point in my training. I basically followed a “see food” diet. At worlds this year I talked to Captian Kirk and Ed Coan and they both gave me some good advice for my nutrition. Right now I am concentrating on getting all of my Protein needs from whole foods only. I’m not using any kind of protein powder at all. Simple, solid food. I eat about 5 or 6 meals a day and I don’t count my calories but I’m somewhere in the 3500 range. I also eat pretty clean. Once a week I go out to eat and get whatever strikes me. Sometimes it’s good sometimes its not so good for me.
Q: Now tell us all of the foods you'll eat in the weeks after the Mens Nationals
A: Its become sort of a tradition for me to go out and get either a steak or chicken wings after a competition. I also wash it down with a beer or two.
Q: The all-time best meal you've ever had: where was it and what was it?
A: I competed in an AAU meet once and had to drop something like 8 or 9 pounds in the 181 class. After I weighed in I drank a gallon of Gatorade, ate about 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies, and went to an all you can eat seafood buffet. Needless to say I came in the next day ready to lift!
Q: You are stranded on an island: What CD, book, food and drink would you have with you
A: CD’s? Books? Gosh, can’t I bring an IPod and a laptop? As far as food I should just go with the good ol’ chicken wings and beer.
Q: When not lifting, what are your hobbies?
A: Its really hard to find time for other hobbies. I pretty much just lift weights. My wife and I do go out for a weekly dinner out with friends.
Q: What kind of collection(s) do you own? And what?
A: I have a collection of Pittsburgh Steelers paraphernalia. Its not really great or anything but I like anything with the steel emblem on it.
Q: People would never guess this about you:
A: I have pretty bad scoliosis which means my spine is crooked and I have a muscular imbalance in my back.
Q: You are not too ashamed to admit in high school you used to:
A: I used to have a mullet! I wore it proudly!
Q: What type of intensity can we expect to see from you once the bell rings and the fight to keep your title has begun?
A: The third place in Norway did not sit too well in my stomach. I have already written in my training journal that 2007 is the year of the gold and I don’t mean the national title!! The IPF Gold medal has been very close each of the last 2 years and there is nothing more I would like than to have it hung around my neck. My nutrition has been revamped and my training has been turned up a notch. I invite everyone who qualifies for nationals to join me in a battle royal. I lift much better when I am pushed by other great lifters and I look forward to the challenge this year.
Q: People you would like to thank who have had a hand in your success:
A: My wife has to be first on the "Thank You list." She endures long training hours and countless powerlifting trips each year. I would not be able to do this without her support. My parents who are powerlifting fans. There have only been a couple of competitions they haven’t attended to cheer me on. Travis Werner has to be on the list. Our training styles appear to be worlds apart on paper but in the gym it all boils down to 3 things. 1)Never missing workouts 2)training with intensity and focus from the time you enter the gym until you leave 3)training smart and being analytical about your approach to training Pete from Titan Support Systems - Titan has treated me very well since joining the team in 2004. They truly have the best gear on the market today. Charlie from Ironville.com - Ironville has helped me raise money for the IPF worlds. Don’t forget to support Ironville by getting some of the coolest workout gear on the planet. Scott from 27whitelights.com - Scott is helping me raise money for the 2007 season. The site should be up and running soon. Check out the custom powerlifting programs at 27whitelights.com. Thanks alo to Atlantic Healthcare Group for providing me with the best chiropractic care. They keep my back feeling healthy and help me get back on my feet when injuries do occur.
Q: Single most life changing experience:
A: Living in Iraq for a year has easily been the most life changing experience for me. Don’t take one second for granted!!!
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