BT: CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?

Roger Broeg: I am 47 years old. I have been married nearly 25 years. I have 2 daughters and 3 grand daughters. I work for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad as a locomotive electrician.

BT: WHAT ARE YOUR BEST LIFTS?

Roger Broeg: I normally lift as a 148. My best lifts are 375-285-425

BT: WHAT TRAINING STYLE DO YOU TRAIN?

Roger Broeg: I use a modified Gaugler routine. I have been recently experimenting with Rick Wiel's bench press routine. But haven't been able to complete a cycle yet.

BT: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN POWERLIFTING?

Roger Broeg: I started in 1978 and retired in 1984. I came out of retirement in 1996.

BT: HOW IMPORTANT ARE TRAINING PARTNERS TO YOU?

Roger Broeg: I train alone. But I wish I had partners. A good training partner always knows exactly how I want to be spotted and I derive energy from friendly competitions from workout to workout.

BT: WHAT MADE YOU BECOME A POWERLIFTER?

Roger Broeg: I started lifting weights on April 8 1977. I was 21 years old and only weighed 112 pounds. I originally started out to bodybuild. A year later, on April 1 I entered a powerlifting meet. I had no idea what it was going to be like. I thought it would be a bunch of guys benching on a universal machine. When I got there I saw squat racks, trophies, and some of the biggest men I have ever seen walking around. I weighed 126 pounds and had never tried a squat or even seen a deadlift. Mike Bridges was there doing an exhibition. He was a half a pound over the 148 limit and did a 655 pound squat. I ended up squatting 180 pounds, bench pressing 190 and deadlifting 275 pounds. I got 4th place in the novice 132s. From there on out I loved the sport of powerlifting.

However I didn't make a lot of gains over the years because I also did distance running and bicycle racing. It was only after I turned 40 that I decided to just lift.

BT: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ASSISTANCE EXERCISE?

Roger Broeg: I do a tricep extension press. Where I lower the bar slowly in skull crusher fashion, then bring the bar to my chest and close grip bench press it back up.

BT: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKES THAT BEGINNERS MAKE?

Roger Broeg: Overtraining, they think they have to go pedal to the metal all the time. And that is really counter productive. The body needs time to recoup. Also beginners often don't realize how important rest and nutrition is to their training.

BT: WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS?

Roger Broeg: Don't read the magazines you get on the newsstands. Talk to advanced lifters there are plenty of good forums on the Internet. I own a very good one for lifters of all levels.

BT: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE POWERLIFTING EXPERIENCES?

Roger Broeg: My most memorable experiences are the times I have spent with the people I have met at the various meets I have been to.

BT: WHAT IS THE CRAZIEST THING YOU EVER SEEN IN POWERLIFTING?

Roger Broeg: A guy who was a headbanger before lifting knocked himself cold smacking his head on a wall.

BT: WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS?

Roger Broeg: I want to hit a triple bodyweight deadlift and double bodyweight bench press.

BT: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO UPPING YOUR LIFTS?

Roger Broeg: BELIEVING you can lift more. When you accept that you can't get any stronger you won't.

BT: DO YOU THINK POWERLIFTING SHOULD BECOME AN OLYMPIC SPORT?

Roger Broeg: No. The Olympics are too burdened down with politics and formalities. Powerlifting becoming an Olympic sport would just drag all that into it. I like Powerlifting the way it is. It is fun and I hope it always stays that way.

BT: HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF BENCHING?

Roger Broeg: Benching has come into it's own and is now a sport in and of itself. And that is fine. I am sure it will continue to grow.

BT: WHAT DOES YOUR DIET CONSIST OF?

Roger Broeg: A lot of chicken, eggs, and milk. I have a protein shake every morning and try to eat beef twice a week. I try not to eat sweets any more than once a week. I try to take in some protein every 3 hours. I avoid carbs when cutting weight but I don't cut them out altogether.

BT: WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN AVERAGE LIFTER AND A CHAMPION?

Roger Broeg: I am sure genetics plays a role, but a lot of it is the drive a person has.

BT: WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE RAW/GEAR DEBATE DRUG/DRUG FREE DEBATE?

Roger Broeg: I am tired of these debates. I am a single ply poly guy who has never taken drugs but I will lift in any federation, regardless of the gear allowed, or whether it is tested or not. People need to quit arguing and just lift.

BT: WHAT TRAINING STYLE DO YOU THINK WORKS BEST?

Roger Broeg: I think that varies from one individual to another. I don't believe there is any one "best" training style. I like learning from people who train with a style I have no intentions of ever trying. We all have so much to offer each other and it all goes to waste when we start arguing about training philosophies.

BT: DO YOU THINK BODYBUILDING EXERCISES SHOULD BE IN A POWERLIFTERS ROUTINE?

Roger Broeg: For some people yes for others no. Again different individuals get results from different techniques.

BT: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SUPPLEMENTS?

Roger Broeg: Whey Protein, multi vitamins, and creatine

BT: WHAT HAS POWERLIFTING TAUGHT YOU?

Roger Broeg: That I am never too old to achieve.

BT: WHAT DOES POWERLIFTING MEAN TO YOU?

Roger Broeg: It is a hobby that allows me to achieve goals and meet great people.

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