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Justin

@jbubz91

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followers

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Dad of 3, Engineer, Powerlifter, Cancer survivor🎗️
✝️ Isaiah 43:2
90kg Open USPA State & Regional 🥇 (1 of 1)
@holstrength 10% off code: CARRYYOURCROSS

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2026 USPA Florida State Championship

Blessed to have come so far from rock bottom in cancer treatment 2.5 years ago to be here today. Thank you Lord for this opportunity and for the strength you have given me. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” - Philippians 4:13.

First, huge shoutout to @uspaflorida @uspaflorida @the_fitfest and everyone else involved in making this yet another master class in how powerlifting meets should be run!

Next, big shoutout to coach @the_sheriff_lifts for another really good prep cycle and putting me into a great position to compete at the level I wanted to compete at!

Overall the meet didn’t quite go the way I hoped, but after a decent setback < 2 weeks out with some hip issues I’m very happy with how it turned out!

🥇90kg raw open and 🥈90kg raw open deadlift only.

Squat:
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 202.5 (446) - SANK this boy ATG to get on the board
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 215 (474) - moved well just like in training
🔴🔴🔴 220 (485) - just rushed my brace and fell short on a lift I would hit 9/10 times. Happens on the platform, but we move on!

Bench:
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 127.5 (281) - flew
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 137.5 (303) - flew
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 142.5 (314) - 14 pound PR and felt great even with a tough time gripping the floor for leg drive. This was a big goal for this comp with weightlifter shoulder flare up all prep so was very happy to hit this

Deadlift:
🔴🔴🔴 230 (507) - I pulled it so fast that I lost balance 🤣🤣🤣 wanted to secure the total and went too light. Lesson learned.
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 245 (540) - absolutely flew. RPE 8. Secured the nationals qualifying total and decided to just send a 3rd.
🔴🔴🔴 262.5 (579) - I’m still not sure what happened, the bar FLEW to my knees and I lost positioning and SPLAT. Just set it down once I felt it was off to avoid injury.

Learned a few lessons this weekend and will come back stronger 💪. Had fun, and got to show my kids something I love to do so cannot ask for much more than that!

Came away with the 2027 Nationals qualifying total which was the ultimate goal here so I will see you all in Orlando next summer! by @jbubz91

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2 months ago

USPA Regionals Battle of the Bay 12

First, all glory to God for righting the ship when I was beginning to crash out several weeks before this competition. Just filled with doubts and stress I was very close to pulling out of this competition..

Lifts in prep was going amazing, but my body was pretty beat up. I had not slept well at all the last 8-9 weeks, and I had been hemorrhaging bodyweight from 209 -> 194. I weighed in at 193.7 when I had been hoping to be right on the border at 198 but I just could NOT get enough food down. On top of that, I had been dealing with a few small nagging injuries that really stalled me out right when I needed to peak… But come meet day, all of that was in the past and the only focus was on executing what I had planned (with the help of Icyhot and Advil the real MVPs).

Ended the day 8/9 and honestly think I still had some left in the tank which was great! I just let nerves get me on my squat opener and stopped a little (very) high which is a habit I do in training and need to correct on my first rep.  Squat:
🔴🔴🔴 430 lbs (195kg)
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 463 lbs (210kg)
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 480 lbs (217.5kg) - 15 pound PR

Bench:
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 270 lbs (122.5kg)
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 287 lbs (130kg)
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 298 lbs (135kg) - 3 pound PR

Deadlift:
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 491 lbs (222.5kg)
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 524 lbs (237.5kg)
⚪️⚪️⚪️ 551 lbs (250kg) - 27 pound PR (there had to have been another 5-10kg in the tank here too)

Overall, finished with a 1328 lb (602.5kg) total @ 193.7 (87.9kg) and I am very happy with that outcome which is right where we wanted to land! Looking forward to dialing in some sleep/nutrition variables over the next few months and competing again in late summer!

Of course none of this is possible without the amazing spotters, loaders, judges, and meet director. All of these people are volunteers who spend their entire day (or weekend) helping us lifters have an awesome experience! taken in OCC Road House by @jbubz91

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8 months ago

This is a little (okay, very) cheesy but this is more for me than anyone else.

This past weekend I was lucky enough to step on the platform and compete. I say lucky because not everyone who is diagnosed with cancer will ever recover to this level so I find myself very blessed.

It has been just a little over 10 months since I finished treatment and I’m astonished at how fast my body and strength has recovered. I was unable to lift for the better part of 5 months. I sat around feeling immense fatigue while I watched years of progress slip away so quickly and lost nearly 30 pounds in the course of 2 months.

When I finally got back to the gym a few days a week in mid February I felt miserable. I was embarrassed at how weak I felt across the board. For the next couple of months I struggled to find motivation to do anything in the gym. I would go a few times a week and leave within 30-40 mins after doing sometimes only 3-4 total sets.

I don’t know what it was but sometime in May something clicked. My body started to feel normal again. I suddenly was reinvigorated with ambition for training. Shortly after that on a whim I decided to sign up for a powerlifting meet. I didn’t really have any expectations going in, but I had some goals in mind to hit this year.

That actually came to fruition this past weekend. I was able to work up the courage and step onto the platform while knowing I may not be the strongest version of myself yet… but I was strong enough.

As for how the meet went:
Squats:
363 ⚪️⚪️⚪️
391 ⚪️⚪️⚪️
418 ⚪️⚪️⚪️

Bench:
248 ⚪️⚪️⚪️
265 ⚪️⚪️⚪️
287 🔴🔴🔴 - just wasn’t strong enough

Deadlift:
463 ⚪️⚪️⚪️
496 🔴🔴🔴 - I guess I hitched so I retook same weight
496 ⚪️⚪️🔴

Overall, I know I had more in me so I was disappointed with myself for a few days. But not every day is going to go the way you want it to, but only up from here!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me - Philippians 4:13 by @jbubz91

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2 years ago

Happy 7th birthday to my beautiful little girl, Leighton!

You are growing up to be such a loving, funny, and nurturing child. I am so proud of how much you have grown this year and I’m eternally grateful to be your dad. I look forward to seeing your growth this year and the amazing child you continue to become!

I love you Lei Lei ❤️ by @jbubz91

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8 days ago

I’ve always said that social media will really make you feel like you’re not good at anything when you constantly get fed the top 0.1% from the algorithm.

At times seeing 17-year-olds weighing 30 pounds less than me and pulling 200+ pounds more than me definitely made me second-guess trying to compete.

Sometimes it is cool to take a step back and look at the bigger picture outside of just the social media powerlifting community. @strengthdan over at @strengthlogapp has released a really cool feature that lets you compare to other others who use the app for tracking their workouts. It gives you a really cool perspective on your strength levels among typical gym goers. If you haven’t used StrengthLog before I would definitely recommend it!

Seeing the “elite” label gave me a little bit of pride, because when I compare myself to other powerlifters using https://powerliftingtrends.com/calculators it shows me that I have a long way to go to be where I want to be!

Comparison can be the thief of joy, but using these tools can also be extremely motivating to show you how far you have come and how much further you can still go! by @jbubz91

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10 days ago

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3 months ago

Flying your flag for the first time today, mom.

It’s been 9 years and I’ve never felt ready to express just how much I miss you. But today, on the 9th anniversary of your passing I feel ready.

I know you’re in heaven smiling down on us. It makes me so sad that you never got to meet your grandbabies. You were always so excited to spoil them, and I know how amazing of a grandmother you would’ve been for them.

I miss you more than I’ll ever be able to adequately put into words. You were taken from us way too soon and I’ve always thought that it wasn’t fair to lose you so young… but I have come to accept that this life is so short and no day is guaranteed.

God gave me some peace today with a daily verse that appeared on my phone at just the right time. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” - Matthew 5:4

I find comfort in knowing that I will see you again one day. Until then, fuck cancer. by @jbubz91

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3 months ago

2026 USPA Southeast Regionals - Battle of the Bay 12

Got the photos back from @andrearadfordphotography with @zerodarkthirtymedia and they are BANGERS. It was hard to pick my favorite 10 to share but here they are! by @jbubz91

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7 months ago

Long time no post… but finally 12 weeks out from next competition in Feb!

Hitting some big PRs block after block thanks to @the_sheriff_lifts coaching even when I frequently crash out 🫡

Squats: 405x3 @ 7.5 - plenty left for a huge meet PR and this was a solid 15 pound rep PR

Bench: 270x3 @ 9ish - which is amazing since I’ve been dealing with shoulder issues for several months and 315 is really beginning to come in sight. Good 5-10 pound rep PR

Deadlift: 475x3 @ 8ish - DLs have not been my friend the last few months but this felt good. Very slight RPE PR so I’ll take it!

Big lifts to come later this year 🍻 taken in EōS Fitness by @jbubz91

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a year ago

@jbubz91 loved powerlifting. Then life, and a rare cancer, took him off the platform. What brought him back?

White Lights in the Darkest Hour, Volume 1.

PS come to @uspaflorida Battle of the Bay 12 and see Justin hit the platform! by @jbubz91

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8 months ago

Decided to finally do the thing and get a tattoo.

There’s a ton of symbolism to me in this piece all referring to images from @nfrealmusic. The burning mansion symbolizes the trials we face and the fear that we have in those moments… but the white hooded figure references “hope” which can always be found even in the toughest of times. It’s a daily reminder to me to always look for hope and to turn to the Lord… especially when it feels like my world is burning down around me.

Finally, the Isaiah 43:2 which says, “…When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.“ meaning even in the trials God is with us.

Huge shoutout to @nbrakocevic who brought my idea to skin! He took this idea and transformed it into something I love and can every day. taken in Ministry of Ink by @jbubz91

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10 months ago

Probably my last lifting session at @brokenbarbell_gym before we move to Florida next weekend! Didn’t quite go the way I envisioned but have had a lot stacked against my training the last few months so will take even the smallest of wins right now!

The deadlift may not have counted in competition and barely counts as a gym PR but we’re just going to say it’s good 👌

Huge shoutout to everyone I’ve met at Broken Barbell over this last year! I’ve been training for nearly a decade and this has been the first time I’ve ever felt like part of a community in the gym. What @beardedbrawn23 and team are building here is something truly special. If you’re in the STL area I definitely recommend you check this gym out!

Shoutout to @the_sheriff_lifts for an excellently planned YOLO peak before moving. Had a lot of life stuff happening these last few months so I’m happy with where I’m at going forward for some huge comp PRs later this year!

Squat 1: 403
Squat 2: 425 fail (I had this I just whiffed but it’s in the bag next time)

Bench: wasn’t on track for a PR so just stopped at 260x1

Deadlift 1: 484
Deadlift 2: 518 - fought for my life past my knees to hit the ugliest soft lockout you’ll ever see 🫡 taken in Broken Barbell Gym by @jbubz91

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a year ago