BEN LANGLEY – POWERING AHEAD!
An Uplifting Experience
By Brock Ormond – For Bay of Quinte Total Sports
A Trenton athlete has a couple of rare accomplishments that most people never experience: serving one’s country in the military, and representing Canada nationally in sport.
26-year-old Ben Langley is on the rise in Canadian weightlifting, competing in – and winning – the Canadian championship in the 74 kg (163 lbs.) men’s open weight class in Ottawa in March. The national title means he’ll compete in the world championships in Helsingingborg, Sweden.
Langley, originally from Brandon, Manitoba, started powerlifting at the age of 21, and weightlifting at 15.
His passion began with high school wrestling, which developed into a love affair with powerlifting.
“In the military, I stopped wrestling but continued weight training and I met somebody on my QL3 course in Borden (Ontario) who was a power lifter who said I should try it, as I would likely excel at it,” he said.
Langley took the advice and entered a junior weightlifting competition in Dauphin, Manitoba five years ago, winning his weight class and getting first overall for the junior ranks.
Since then, Langley has lifted in several competitions, including the North American regionals, the European Arnold Classic and the Commonwealth championships in South Africa.
In competitive powerlifting, you get three attempts at maximum weight on three lifts – squat, bench press, and deadlift. It requires a strict training regimen for his entire body that helps him in all areas of life.
“Being a loadmaster in the Canadian Forces, I find powerlifting and strength training help in my day-to-day life,” he said. “Lifting heavy boxes and pushing heavy pallets are great complements for heavy lifting.”
The road to success hasn’t been easy. It began with trips to the gym for training to increase his weight.
A big step was reaching out to his current coach, Alfred Jong, from ‘The Strength Guys’ online powerlifting coaching organization in Calgary, to keep his career going in the right direction.
“Getting a true professional to program for me has made a night-and-day difference, ” he says.
Ben Langley. Powering upward on a mission for greatness.
Langley says he will continue to aim higher. He wants to train hard and get back on the world stage and achieve more.
“I plan on putting up some big numbers this year in preparation for next year’s nationals and the worlds (International Powerlifting Federation) in Belarus next year.”
Even as he surges to the peak of his powerlifting career, Langley says his supporters will still be at the top of his mind in every competition. “Everyone in my personal life is a big supporter.”
“Obviously, my mom getting up at 3 a.m. to watch a livestream of me when I’m in Sweden is a big commitment. But my most important supporter is my girlfriend, Nicola Paviglianiti, who has done so much for me – helping me through bad training days, and cheering me on.”