I started lifting in 1979 just before my 17th birthday at Lifestyle in Frankston. Six months later I had a job there as an instructor. I later worked at other gyms including Dingley squash and fitness and Mt Eliza squash and fitness. Neither of the last two had squat racks so I got quite disillusioned at the whole commercial gym caper.

In 1992 our first son Max was born. That was the year I first set up our first home gym. By 1993, I had made my best lifts of the first stage of my lifting period. I bench pressed 165kg, squatted 205kg, deadlifted 212.5kg. After a lengthy layoff, I started lifting seriously again in 2006. In 2007, at age 45, I managed a 150kg bench press, 190kg squat and 210kg deadlift. I also discovered the quick' lifts, powercleaning 107.5kg and military pressing 102.5kg. All these lifts were done at a bodyweight of 90kg with no assistance gear, not even a belt.

In the world of coaches, I don't believe you need to have played the game to excel at teaching it, in most cases. When it comes to strength and conditioning, I feel it is fairly important to have tested your theories before trying them on others. When people are paying for your time, you best not be wasting it with theory.

I had lifetime goals of military pressing bodyweight, benching one and a half times bodyweight, squatting double bodyweight and deadlifting two and a half times bodyweight. The last lift being the only one that eluded me, I was 12.5kg short. I managed 212.5kg in 1989 before injuring my back. It remained injured until 2003. I later did 210kg. I might still have a go at a 225kg deadlift at 90kg bodyweight.

These are the exact same goals I have for all my lifters. None have yet managed it, but we are striving towards it. I have 3 who are closing in on it. As soon as one gets all 4, I'll be sure to let you guys know in my newsletter. Achieving these goals will leave you an exceptional all round athlete.

Max is my eldest son, having just turned 17 this month. He is one of the top 3 lifters in the gym. He holds gym records for bodyweight clean & press, having done 7 reps in 60 seconds, is the only lifter in the gym to have done double bodyweight squats and one and a half times bodyweight squats for 20 reps. He also holds the record for The Run, which is a 272m run we do, and has the quickest time for Around The World, which is a cardio complex. He plays basketball and soccer at a high level, having played representative basketball for 4 years, and currently plays soccer for Frankston Pines U21's.

He is strong, fit and fast, but most of all is a nice boy. He is an excellent trainer. He has perfect form on all lifts, and is the only coach in the gym who teaches the powerclean. While most struggle to clean bodyweight, he is up to one and a half times bodyweight.

If you have youngsters who want to train for their particular sport, or simply need to learn correct form on the Olympic lifts,you won't find a better suited coach than Max. You can check some of his lifts by clicking on the Youtube link.

Nina started lifting when we met 21 years ago. She continued to lift while raising our 5 children, and at 44 years of age leaves a lot of male lifters in her wake. Nina has state and national powerlifting records. She first competed at the CAPO 2007 National titles. She no longer competes at powerlifting, being left less than enthusiastic at the level of assistance gear worn by competitors. She is also interested in all the other lifts besides squat, bench and deadlift. Nina can do 16 wide grip chins, bench her bodyweight for 11 reps, has benched 77.5kg at 58kg bodyweight. In full competition gear, she has squatted 125kg at 58kg bodyweight. She has also deadlifted 127.5kg, over double bodyweight. She has pressed 55kg overhead as well.

Nina's strength though is her muscular endurance. Nina joins in on nearly all cardio sessions, she simply loves to train, everyday, most times twice a day. She is a great example of what you can accomplish by being consistent over a long period of time.