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Riley Bresky

@_bresky_

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IPF -93kg (18) Powerlifter
🇨🇦 Sub-Jr Deadlift Record
Sub-Jr Worlds Team ‘24 🇲🇹🇨🇦
All Time MPA Sub-Jr

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Happy thanksgiving from our little family to yours 🎃🦃

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Maybe the real Winnipeg was the friends we made along the way 🇨🇦

From “offical” attempt cards and “cricle”-ing all the attempts, t-shirt swaps and chaos in warm up rooms to the zoo, hockey and an unholy steak size, the first international debut was an overall success.

Ever since I started coaching, the big goal was to get on an international coaching team - to say I’ve finally done it and taken that step feels unreal, it’s a feeling like no other than surpasses all sorts of doubts and impostor syndrome you may encounter along the journey. Beyond grateful to @tm_performance_coach and @welsh_powerlifting for this opportunity and I hope to run it back with the talented lifters and coaching staff again 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

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2026 Commonwealth 3-Lift 63kg Jr 🥉🇨🇦

Squat: 155kg / 342lbs (PR match) (tied 🥉)
Bench: 95kg / 210lbs (+5kg) 🥈
Deadlift: 177.5kg / 391lbs (+5kg) 🥉
Total: 427.5kg / 943lbs (+10kg) 🥉

7/9 lifts — 20/27 white lights 🫶

BW: 62.3kg / 137.4lbs — 19 years old
GL: 94.21
DOTS: 462.93

We did what we came here for, and I couldn’t be prouder!! ❤️

I came into Commonwealths with 3 goals: win Bench-Only, win Best Junior Lifter in Bench-Only, and podium in 3-Lift. I came here hoping at least 2 of those 3 goals would come true, and somehow I’m leaving having accomplished all three. My heart is so so full. 🫶

It wasn’t quite the total I was hoping for, but I’m proud of how I handled the day and controlled what I could. It was an incredibly fast-paced session, which put a lot of pressure on my lungs, especially coming into 3-Lift already feeling not so good. I also had to adapt to new technical bench calls, but I came back out, fixed it, and hit the weight again.

More than anything, I’m proud of what it took to get to this platform.

This prep was far from easy. Between a lower back injury, constant chronic illness flares, emergency dental surgery, and everything else my body threw at me, this prep looked completely different from what I had planned. Some weeks were about pushing, while others were about doing what my body allowed and finding a way forward.

Squats took the biggest hit from my back injury, so still matching my best platform squat at 155kg means so much more because of what it took to get back there.

This prep wasn’t perfect, and neither was the meet. But I kept showing up, adapted when I needed to, controlled what I could, and walked away with my first international 3-Lift podium.

Thank you so much to my incredible friends and family for all the support throughout this prep and on meet day. Every message, check-in, and person cheering me on means more than you know. None of it ever goes unnoticed, and you all mean the world to me. 🫶

And finally, I still can’t believe I can say, that I’ve finally redeemed myself from Nationals. This one really meant a lot.

I’ve got 3 more years in the Juniors, and I can’t wait to see what I can do. 🇨🇦❤️

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Commonwealth 63kg Jr Bench Champion 🥇
+ Best Jr Lifter 🏆

85kg / 176.4lbs ⚪️⚪️⚪️
90kg / 198.5lbs ⚪️⚪️⚪️
Scratched my third (Did some handshakes ❤️❤️)

BW 62.58kg / 137.99lbs - 19 y/o

The only word I have is wow.

My first international win and my first international Best Lifter award, all on my planned opening attempt for 3-Lift. 🥹

Standing on top of that podium meant more to me than I can put into words. It’s been over two years since I’ve been able to stand on an international podium, and now I’ve finally done it again—a weight class and an age class above. I’m shocked, I’m grateful, and I’m so so happy.

What made it even more special was doing it surrounded by so many people I love. My grandparents got to watch me compete internationally for the first time, alongside my parents and all of Riley’s incredible friends and family. Having that many people there cheering me on meant the absolute world to me. ❤️

And to know I had so much more left in the tank and still walked away with the win and Best Lifter makes me incredibly proud of how far I’ve come.

Thank you so much to every single person who supported me, whether you were there in person, watching the livestream, or cheering me on from afar. I felt all of it. ❤️

Chronic illness and injury have made this prep unpredictable in just about every way possible, but I can finally say: I did it.

And if there’s one thing I want you to take from my experience, it’s that one day, you can too.

Keep your head up high, my loves. You are worth it. You are deserving. And you are worth celebrating.

Keep being you. Keep showing up. Not only for your friends and family, but for that version of yourself stuck in a hospital bed wondering if you’ll ever get your chance.

One day, you will.

Keep fighting. ❤️

Now it’s time to dial back in.

See you all Saturday, where I’ll leave absolutely everything I have on that platform. 🇨🇦❤️

A big big thank you to Susan and Brock for hosting an amazing meet 🫶

#powerlifting #teamcanada #theipf #commonwealthpowerlifting #womenempowerment

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Thank you so much to @innerstrengthproducts and @sbdcanada for sending me this lovely kit!

See you all soon on the platform!!

#powerlifting #powerliftingwomen #teamcanada #gymmotivation #canadapowerlifting

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Taper take me awayyyy 🤭🫶

See you all in Winnipeg this week!!!

#powerlifting #powerliftingwomen #teamcanada #chronicillness #injuryrecovery

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Provs Recap:

Squat: 237.5kg ✅ | 250kg ✅ | 260kg ❌
Bench: 145kg ✅ | 152.5kg ❌ | 157.5kg ✅
Deadlift: 242.5 ✅ | 257.5 ✅ | 267.5 ✅

Went into this meet wanting a PR of some sort and a solid baseline to build from for Nats. Managed a 7.5kg PR on my total, but the biggest wins were (a) grinding that deadlift and (b) being pain free for the entire meet.

For the past 2 years, I’ve struggled with my 3rd pulls. Always tired. Not locked in. That turned around at my last meet in April and got even better for this meet. I was focused and I didn’t stop pulling. A year ago, I would have given up on that pull.

And boy oh boy. No shoulder pain or elbow pain on squats?! Going into bench without a single pain or ache? I must be aging backwards. This was unthinkable just 2 months ago. Gonna ride this wave.

Thank you @adamfkatz for keeping me dialed in during a crazy phase of my life with the birth of my second son. @msaparwani, ❤️, thank you for giving me the opportunity to train and compete while we grow our family. I’m lucky to have you in my corner.

Much love to my @afootabovefitness crew. @jtnichol.lifts @grrrayday @_bresky_ @srwbandit @emxxlifts @math_gougeon @madigician.lifts. Ya’ll made sure I was ready.

And to all my opps. It was bad news for you when the spotters saved my life on my 3rd squat. Now you gotta face Ontario’s champ at nats 🤣

To everyone else: #stayHENCH

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Couldn’t be happier!! Completely pain free too!! See you in Winnipeg ❤️

11 Days Out - Bench-Only
13 Days Out - 3-Lift

First time using @cleangrip.ca 🫶

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“Health is a crown that the healthy wear, but only the sick can see.”

Remember that movement is a privilege. Independence is a privilege. Waking up and being able to take on the day without wondering whether your body will cooperate is a privilege.

Live your life to the fullest. Live in the present. The future is never guaranteed.

One day, you can feel like you’re on top of the world and in the best shape of your life. You can travel, train, go to school, make plans months in advance and never question whether your body will allow you to follow through with them. Meanwhile, someone else is lying in bed mourning the body they once had.

I know because I became that person.

At 16 years old, I had the privilege of exploring the world as an exchange student. I could walk around for hours, experience new places and simply trust that my body would carry me through the day. I never stopped to think about how lucky I was to have that freedom, because I never imagined it could be taken away from me.

Now, at 19, I find myself mourning the body I had at 15.

Over the years, several incurable chronic illnesses have slowly changed what my body is capable of. I have watched things that once came effortlessly become difficult. I’ve had to think about things I never imagined I’d have to think about at this age.

Will I be able to get out of bed tomorrow?
Will I be able to take care of myself?
Will my body let me do the things I love?
Will there ever be a treatment that gives me some of what I’ve lost back?

There is a very particular kind of grief that comes with remembering exactly what your body used to be capable of while still living inside the body that can no longer do those things.

And yet, I’m still here.

I’m still lifting. I’m still chasing goals. I’m still finding ways to experience this life, even when it looks different from the one I thought I would have.

Chronic illness has changed the way I look at life because it taught me just how quickly “normal” can become something you would give anything to have back.

Anyone can become sick. There isn’t always a warning, and there isn’t always a cure.

So please, don’t wait for someday.

Continued in comments 👇

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400lbs here I come…

#powerlifting #powerliftingwomen #teamcanada #gymmotivation #chronicillness

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Rough week, but hey, we are hitting the heaviest Week 1 ever! Chronic illness has definitely been kicking my butt this week, but regardless, I’m still putting up a pretty cool total. All I can say is screw chronic illness. 29 Days til showtime… let’s get it.

#powerlifting #powerliftingwomen #teamcanada #gym #chronicillness

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It only took an injury to learn how to deadlift 🤷‍♀️

I was a bit scared, so don’t mind my hips lol, but week 1 is off to a pretty nice start!! Only 3 more heavy pulls to go!!! So so excited for Commonwealths!!

#powerlifting #powerliftingwomen #gym #teamcanada #chronicillness

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