Hillsborough power lifter Mark Salandra won his division at the 2007 USA Powerlifting American National Bench Press Championships. The National Competition took place at Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa. American National Championships is the largest National contest in the North East. Top lifters from the Northeast including 12 different states all competed for national rankings.

   Salandra, who is currently ranked 15th in the United States in the Masters 181-pound class, was competing to keep his national ranking for the 2008 season. Weighing in at 178.2 pounds, Salandra opened with a 255-pound bench, second attempt 270-pound lift and missed his third attempt at 280 to win his division with 270-pound bench press. Winning this national competition will keep Salandra ranked in the top 15 in the United States in his weight class and masters division for the 2008 competitive season.

   Salandra, who has been competing for the past 25 years, continues to test himself every year. One of only a handful of 181-pound lifters to ever bench 400 pounds at 28 years of age, Salandra continues to test his strength as a master in the 181 division.

   ”It is truly my passion to continue to test my strength every year. It provides me the opportunity to be the best I can be at any age,” Salandra said. “I get the same thrill in competing benching 270 pounds at age 45 as I did when I benched 400 pounds when I was younger.”

   Salandra trains all year for these national competitions. Training at the Body Shop on Rt. 206 in Hillsborough he can be found in the gym around 5:30 a.m. Training at 5:30 a.m. allows him to finish his training in time to get his three children on the bus and off to school.

   ”I like to say the hardest part of my day is over by 9 a.m.,” he said.

   Salandra, who travels throughout the U.S., has a busy schedule. On the weekends, he and his wife Diane, a Physical Therapist, are both certified as strength and conditioning coaches through the National Strength & Conditioning Association.

   They own StrengthCondition.com, a Personal Training business, that allows them to share their expertise in the training of clients who want to get stronger and in better shape. Their company http://www.strengthcondition.com/ also gives back to the community by donating 10 percent of all revenues to charitable organizations. It’s a win-win situation.

   ”Our clients get in great shape and we can give back to the community at the same time,” Mark Salandra said. “What I have learned over the past 30 years of training is you need to be focused on what you want in life and once you decide what you want then go get it and don’t let anything or anyone stop you. At the end we all have choices and it is important to choose to be the best you can be at anything you choose to do in life.”