WINTERPORT, Maine — The growth Karen Campbell has seen in her powerlifting over the years has been incremental, but after recently setting a world record in the bench press she insists that seeing even the slightest amount of improvement is encouraging.
“When you get close to your max, baby steps are always great to expect,”she said.
Campbell, 52, and a grandmother of eight, has become a world champion powerlifter and has lifted competitively for over 12 years. She has competed in the World Association of Benchers and Deadlifters (WABDL) powerlifting world championships every year since she started lifting, and she continues to improve each year.
“I think it’s because I love it,” Campbell said about her desire to compete. “I have a great coach and a great team. It’s a way for me to be myself.”
Last March, Campbell set the bench-press record for the 198-pound single-ply open and masters women for ages 47-53 on April 20 when she lifted 501.5 pounds at the WABDL World Cup in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. In the same meet she also deadlifted that exact weight, which put her total amount of weight lifted at over 1,000 pounds, the most of all women in the masters division.
Campbell trains under the tutelage of Al Stork, who has been training powerlifters for 21 years. She credits Stork with giving her the motivation to keep getting stronger.
“Athletes don’t always know what their potential is, and a good coach does,” she said. “Al knows that I’m capable of doing it.”
Stork opened up Stork’s Gym in Winterport and started lifting at the age of 15. He has enjoyed the opportunity to work with an athlete such as Campbell.
“It puts a joy in me every time she walks in the gym,” he said. “She’s in love with the sport, and she’s getting stronger all the time.”
Stork was on hand to watch Campbell compete in Wisconsin when she bench pressed over 500 pounds and called it one of the most memorable moments he’s ever witnessed.
“I was so full of adrenaline for the lift itself,” he said. “My knees felt weak and I was shaking. It was a similar feeling when she first benched 400, too.”
Before eclipsing the 500-pound mark, Campbell benched 402 pounds at the WABDL northeast regional bench press and deadlift competition on April 3 in Portland.
Campbell will compete in a couple meets over the summer, including on June 13 in Portland and on July 11 in Toledo, Ohio. She also has one scheduled in New York in the beginning of August, but Campbell and Stork believe she might skip that meet in order to prepare for the world championships in November.
Campbell has competed in the world championships every year since she started lifting, and she expects to again.
At the 2010 championships, Campbell set the record for the single-ply bench press, lifting 468 pounds, and after surpassing 500 pounds, she is confident she can keep improving her strength as she trains for her next competition.
“I hit 525 [on the bench press] in the gym,” she said. “I’d like to see that come out on the platform.”