On Saturday August 24, Sarnia Powerlifting opened with a bang... actually many! The newest fitness facility located in Central Sarnia, celebrated the grand opening with a deadlift contest. Owners Jon Artale, a national level silver medalist, with aspirations of making team Canada, and his supportive wife Liz kicked off the exhibition with a token lift (Jonathon would re-enter the contest and pull nearly 500lbs) along with a speech on how they got to this moment and what Sarnia Powerlifting is all about.
Sarnia Powerlifting is more than just another gym. While it is a dedicated space filled with competition level equipment for lifters of all levels to train the big 3: Squat, Bench and Deadlift, its main objective is to build a thriving Powerlifting community here in Sarnia. And that becomes obvious with just one conversation with Jon. “Whether you’re a seasoned competitive powerlifter, someone just starting out or someone who just likes to lift heavy, there is a place for you. Powerlifting encompasses every person and every body type”, says Jon.
The space itself, located behind the Starbucks/Subway on London Road, gives off a hangout vibe with large windows, carpet, streaming TV and music, a couch and candy for the lifters, but the actual lifting is anything but casual. Outfitted with a dozen speciality bars, 1000kg of calibrated kilo steel plates, 3 adjustable combination squat/bench racks, 2 deadlift platforms, and a back room filled with more strength equipment, you are well set up for your heaviest lifts.
Jon re-states a famous line in Powerlifting culture (also proudly hanging on the wall among many other banners), “Weight is a number, heavy is a feeling”. He stresses the importance of not being intimidated by others' weights. “Everyone’s ‘heavy’ is different. The true community is just as excited for someone just starting out to hit a 100lb personal record lift as a 600lb lift.” And for those just starting, Sarnia Powerlifting offers a Powerlifting (PL) Introduction. The PL Introduction, which can be done one-on-one or in a group of 2-3 friends (or new friends), meets people wherever they are knowledge/skills-wise with 3x 1-hour hands-on lifting sessions, covering each of the big lifts, going over everything from lift specific stretching + warm-ups, positioning, breathing + bracing, setup + walkout, lifting + form, rules, workouts including accessories to support each lift, etc.
For those looking for continued structure, Sarnia Powerlifting has a Team Training that meets 3x per week with programming and coaching from Jon. Although not a requirement, it prepares its lifters to be able to participate in a Powerlifting meet. Monthly memberships and daily drop-ins are also available. More information on Sarnia Powerlifting, their owners and offerings are available on their Social Media pages @sarniapowerlifting.