This article is from page 26 of the 2011-07-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 26 JPG
LIFTING A car off the ground is little more than a dream for most people, but a Sixmilebridge man does it at ease.
37-year-old Tom Cusack is reflecting on his recent powerlifting world title, at his home at Ballylidane, Sixmilebridge, and demonstrates the skills that have propelled him to the top of the world.
Tom, who weighs in at 12 stone and four pounds – which is relatively modest for a powerlifter – lifts up a Volkswagen Golf which is parked in his driveway, before dropping it, all at relative ease. He puts it all down to a combination of his healthy lifestyle and tremendous willpower.
“I like to keep myself fit. You have to be fit and lean in powerlifting,” he says.
“I have great willpower. I never give in. I feel tired sometimes but I don’t give in. You get nothing from being lazy and not getting up off the couch,” he adds.
“When I make up my mind about something, that’s it,” he says.
His recent success did not come about overnight; rather it was through several years of dedication.
“I was always into weights. When I was 11 or 12 years of age, I was fierce strong. At 14 years of age, I was 13 stone. When I was about 17, I saw Gerry O’Connell from Crusheen, who is retired from powerlifting, in the paper. I got his number and got in contact with him,” he says.
“I didn’t play much sport when I was younger. All I liked was weights. I liked the Incredible Hulk. I was always interested in being strong and healthy. Arnold Schwarzenegger was always an inspiration to me,” he says.
“At 10 or 11, I started training by swinging a crowbar. I did it for a half hour in the morning before school and for another half hour in the evening. At the age of 14, I got my first 50 kilo dumbbell set. I was fierce strong. I was doing the weights on my own. I loved building up the strength and doing muscle exercises,” he says.
Over the years, he progressed from enjoying it as a hobby to taking part in competitive events, winning a hand ful of All-Irelands in recent years and a European title last year. The World Drug Free Powerlifting Association was set up about 10 years ago and Tom started taking part in some of their competitions, which culminated in him winning the title in the 82.5 kilo dead weight lift in Chicago last month.
Dedication is at the centre of his efforts and last year Tom set up his own gym on the grounds of his home at Ballylidane, Sixmilebridge, where he trains several times a week. His motivation is immense and he trains by himself.
He also credits his mum Ita with much of his success. “She is a very strong woman. She was my training partner for 10 years,” he says. While weightlifting forms a central part of his training – lifting up to 40 stone in weight on a regular basis – he also runs, clocking up around 13 miles every week.
“I am ambitious in everything that I do. Hopefully I will be world cham- pion when I am 90 years of age. A 65-year-old American came second to me in Chicago. There are lots of people in their 70s and 80s competing and breaking world records,” he says.
But it has not all been plain sailing for Tom. Five years ago he got ME and this set him back in his powerlifting ambitions.
“I got ME at 32. I lost my health. I put on two or three stone weight. I was burnt out. I couldn’t exercise. I used to work about 80 hours a week in my nursery (Hill View Nursery) for five to 10 years. That’s how I burnt myself out. Thankfully I got my health back a year ago and I came back better. Now I just work 40 hours a week and I relax,” he says.
Now that he is back to full fitness and with one world title under his belt, Tom is very much geared towards the future and has his eye on securing another world title in France next year.
“Hopefully I will defend my title next year,” he says.
Long-term plans are also on his mind and he has his sights set on taking part in strongman events next year, which he compares to “lifting a car”.
“I am going to compete for Ireland’s strongest man. I’m going to demonstrate you don’t have to be a 350 pound man to win it. I’ll demonstrate that a 170 pound man can do it. I can lift cars and carry 40 stone the length of a sports field on my back. I can lift a 200 pound steel log over my head. It’s all strong man events I will be doing after France,” he says.
“What motives me is I am going to demonstrate to the people of Clare how strong I am. I will never work 80 hours a week again. I am now more relaxed about life,” he says.
He believes that further successes will be achieved as long as he mingles his dedication and determination with his healthy lifestyle.
“The key to success is being natural, fit and healthy and having a high protein diet. Every day I eat a tonne of pasta and fish. That’s where I get my strength from. I don’t believe in supplements. I eat fresh fruit and vegetables every day. I drink six pints of water a day. I don’t drink or smoke. It stands to you in old age,” he says.
“If you life a healthy life you can break records at the age of 80. That’s what I will be doing hopefully,” he says.