August 31, 2009

Lifters outmuscle burdens of age, disability
LEE NESSEL
OFF-BEAT COLUMNIST

If there is something Al Anunziato wants to lift, he picks it up.

For the past few years, it has been powerlifting heavy weights into record books.

"I'm trying to become one of the few over-60 people in the world to do a triple-body-weight deadlift," he said proudly.

Sure, the 63-year-old has deadlifted 450 pounds in the 165-pound class for his age, and 425 pounds at 148.

But along the way, he also has picked up the spirits of those around him. The result is an atypical team, Lifters Without Limits, that calls Anunziato its coach.

There's Ron Crawford, 76, and Vito Lombardo, 77, both of Melbourne. Bill Tinkler of Suntree is the baby at 75.

Anunziato uses different routines to separately train disabled lifters, including Stacie Deusch, 33, of Suntree and Thomas Gerhauser, 21, of Melbourne, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.

The personal trainer is a subcontractor for Community Access Providers, which assists disabled clients.

And now, he's a member of four gyms throughout Brevard County, taking his lifters to Space Coast Barbell on Merritt Island, recently opened The Gym in Melbourne and the Pro-Health & Fitness Center in Viera. Each provides something different. "I try to pick gyms where my very lowest-functioning disabled guys would be accepted without (patrons) being taken aback," Anunziato said. "I'll generally go in ahead of time, and if I don't think it's a good fit, I won't take them there."

"I need role models for (my clients)," Anunziato said, using Space Coast Barbell's Amy DiGiovanni as an example. "It's a long drive for us, and I'll go there because she's a good inspiration to Stacie."

And Pro-Health, in his hometown of Viera, is where the "older lifters" came together, where Anunziato said the population is plentiful in his age group, and the social benefits of that make it tough to get in and out in less than three hours.

"The older guys (don't need) any encouragement because they have so many friends at Viera," Anunziato said. "They're like rock stars now."

When people tell him he has nothing to prove at his age, Anunziato doesn't see it that way.

"It's a challenge. I'm able to set an example for other older people and for the disabled. I'm not only their mentor; I'm also a participant. . . . Look, you can be old and still be strong. You may be disabled, but I can make you all you can be."

So, Lifters Without Limits will be competing next weekend in the RAW United Armed Forces Powerlifting Meet at West Shore Jr./Sr. High. The older lifters, the disabled lifters and their coach. Some will go for national or world records; some will go for personal records.

But all who go will find that they're picking up more than just the weight before them.

Contact Nessel at 242-3640 or lnessel@floridatoday.com. Read her blog at floridatoday.com/fitnessblog.

Additional Facts

If you go

  • What: Armed Forces Open

  • When: Sept. 12, 9 a.m. Session I, 3 p.m. Session II; Sept. 13, 9 a.m. (one session only)

  • Where: The Gym, 2300 Avocado Avenue, Suite E, Melbourne

  • Cost: Free to watch

  • More: 505-1194, rawunited.org

  • Competitors of note:

    Eric Talmant: Best raw lifts in 165-pound class, 485-pound squat without knee wraps, 290-pound bench press, and 635-pound deadlift

    Beau Moore: He turned in these raw lifts at a June RAW United regional in Melbourne in super heavyweight: 730-pound squat, 575 bench, 775 deadlift.

  • Note: Sunday will feature three local girls making their way into national standings: Kathleen Audet of West Shore Jr./Sr. High, Amanda Graham of Heritage and Samantha Shores of Satellite.