Powerlifter Andy Childs is hoping the third time’s a charm when he steps back into the international spotlight in Belarus.
Childs will be making his third trip to the International Powerlifting Federation World Championships in June. In 2007, he finished in sixth place and in 2009 collected a bronze medal.
“I feel very confident,” said Childs. “I’ve been lifting very strong in the past year.”
The Ancaster resident enters the competition ranked No. 1 in the world after a Canadian National Powerlifting Championship performance last month that saw him lift 572 pounds from the squat position, bench press 341 pounds and deadlift 613 pounds. The deadlift — the equivalent of hefting a large vending machine over his head — is a Canadian record.
Childs, who turns 50 a month after the international competition, competes in the Masters II division in the 105-kilogram weight category.
In his quest for the world title, the general manager of 5 Star Fitness and Nutrition Centre’s Stoney Creek location will face competitors from the United States, France, Finland, Libya, Germany, Czechia and Kazakhstan.
A Westdale Secondary School graduate, the five-foot eight-inch powerlifter played baseball and football as a teen before discovering his passion was the gym. But as sometimes happens, life intervened.
“I had a career, got married and had kids,” said Childs. “I let myself go and was overweight.”
He credits two trainer partners for helping him get back into tip-top physical shape — chiropractor Aras Kvedaras and physiotherapist John McCluskie.
These days, Childs spends six or seven hours in the gym each week, completing a program developed by McCluskie to assist in successfully completing the three lifts.
“As I get older, my body can’t tolerate as much. Less-is-more seems to work better for me,” said Childs of his workout routine.
To prepare for the championships, he’s also been “eating clean, getting lots of sleep, taking supplements and lifting lots of heavy weights.”
To qualify for the world competition, Childs won the provincial event last November and the national contest last month.
Powerlifter Andy Childs is hoping the third time’s a charm when he steps back into the international spotlight in Belarus.
Childs will be making his third trip to the International Powerlifting Federation World Championships in June. In 2007, he finished in sixth place and in 2009 collected a bronze medal.
“I feel very confident,” said Childs. “I’ve been lifting very strong in the past year.”
The Ancaster resident enters the competition ranked No. 1 in the world after a Canadian National Powerlifting Championship performance last month that saw him lift 572 pounds from the squat position, bench press 341 pounds and deadlift 613 pounds. The deadlift — the equivalent of hefting a large vending machine over his head — is a Canadian record.
Childs, who turns 50 a month after the international competition, competes in the Masters II division in the 105-kilogram weight category.
In his quest for the world title, the general manager of 5 Star Fitness and Nutrition Centre’s Stoney Creek location will face competitors from the United States, France, Finland, Libya, Germany, Czechia and Kazakhstan.
A Westdale Secondary School graduate, the five-foot eight-inch powerlifter played baseball and football as a teen before discovering his passion was the gym. But as sometimes happens, life intervened.
“I had a career, got married and had kids,” said Childs. “I let myself go and was overweight.”
He credits two trainer partners for helping him get back into tip-top physical shape — chiropractor Aras Kvedaras and physiotherapist John McCluskie.
These days, Childs spends six or seven hours in the gym each week, completing a program developed by McCluskie to assist in successfully completing the three lifts.
“As I get older, my body can’t tolerate as much. Less-is-more seems to work better for me,” said Childs of his workout routine.
To prepare for the championships, he’s also been “eating clean, getting lots of sleep, taking supplements and lifting lots of heavy weights.”
To qualify for the world competition, Childs won the provincial event last November and the national contest last month.
Powerlifter Andy Childs is hoping the third time’s a charm when he steps back into the international spotlight in Belarus.
Childs will be making his third trip to the International Powerlifting Federation World Championships in June. In 2007, he finished in sixth place and in 2009 collected a bronze medal.
“I feel very confident,” said Childs. “I’ve been lifting very strong in the past year.”
The Ancaster resident enters the competition ranked No. 1 in the world after a Canadian National Powerlifting Championship performance last month that saw him lift 572 pounds from the squat position, bench press 341 pounds and deadlift 613 pounds. The deadlift — the equivalent of hefting a large vending machine over his head — is a Canadian record.
Childs, who turns 50 a month after the international competition, competes in the Masters II division in the 105-kilogram weight category.
In his quest for the world title, the general manager of 5 Star Fitness and Nutrition Centre’s Stoney Creek location will face competitors from the United States, France, Finland, Libya, Germany, Czechia and Kazakhstan.
A Westdale Secondary School graduate, the five-foot eight-inch powerlifter played baseball and football as a teen before discovering his passion was the gym. But as sometimes happens, life intervened.
“I had a career, got married and had kids,” said Childs. “I let myself go and was overweight.”
He credits two trainer partners for helping him get back into tip-top physical shape — chiropractor Aras Kvedaras and physiotherapist John McCluskie.
These days, Childs spends six or seven hours in the gym each week, completing a program developed by McCluskie to assist in successfully completing the three lifts.
“As I get older, my body can’t tolerate as much. Less-is-more seems to work better for me,” said Childs of his workout routine.
To prepare for the championships, he’s also been “eating clean, getting lots of sleep, taking supplements and lifting lots of heavy weights.”
To qualify for the world competition, Childs won the provincial event last November and the national contest last month.