Barbell Bash 2025
Come join us for the Foundation of Strength's Barbell Bash 2025. This is our 4th annual Special Needs Powerlifting Competition. This competition is a celebration of our Special Olympians successful 2025 season. Lifts will include Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift with traditional Powerlifting Rules.
Divisions/Scoring: Divisions will include Combo 3 (All 3 lifts), Push Pull (Bench and Deadlift) as well as Bench press only and Deadlift Only. A safety bar for squats will be allowed for those athletes that cannot use a traditional barbell to squat. Divisions will be based on age and weight. In addition, we will include an overall Pound for Pound Mens, Women, and Team/Club Awards based on the Wilks scoring method.
Makala Strong Award: This year we will be introducing a new award to honor Makala Perkins, who unfortunately passed away in 2024. Makala lifted with the St. Johns County team and was coached by her grandfather, Marvin Wheeler. Makala loved to deadlift. So this year, and all future years, we will be awarding the #MakalaStrong Award to the competitions heaviest deadlift for both Male and Female.
Deadlift Exhibition: This year we will also include a Deadlift Exhibition open to all the area's strongest powerlifters (non special needs) and a few of our area's Special Olympic coaches to come and show off for our athletes with some heavy pulls throughout the day.
Fees: Registration is $30 for both Special Olympians and Deadlifters. Registration fee includes an Event T-Shirt that will be distribution at check-in. T-shirts will be available for pickup on the day of the event at athlete check-in.
Gear: All lifters should plan on wearing their traditional competition gear to include weight lifting singlet, knee socks, athletic shoes, and weightlifting belts (if applicable).
Food: Lunches will be provided for our Special needs athletes and Volunteers at no additional charge. In addition, food trucks will be available for our spectators.
Sponsors/Vendors: We will also have several of our sponsors and locally owned special needs entrepreneurs showcasing their products.
Photos: Event photos will be available for all our lifters at no additional charge.
Silent Auction: There will be several items up for silent auction at the event. Funds raised go towards the cost of the event. Items will include exercise equipment and gift baskets.
Parking: Parking will be free and available in the parking lot directly across the street from the gym.
Sponsorship Opportunities: If interested in being a sponsor to this event, please complete 2025 Barbell Bash Corporate Sponsorship Form and send to charlie@foundationofstrength.net
Individual Donations: Donations for the foundation of all amounts are appreciated. If you would like to donate to this cause, please go to: Foundation of Strength Donation
Special Needs Owned Business: If you are a locally owned Special Needs based entrepreneur and would like to setup a table in our Vendor area, send email to charlie@foundationofstrength.net
We are looking forward to another great event!
Event website
https://www.foundationofstrength.net
Hashtags
#specialolympics #powerlifting #squat #benchpress #deadlift #autism #downsyndrome #specialneeds #differentabilities #cerebralpalsy #MakalaStrong
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Organized by: Barbell Bash 2025
The Foundation of Strength was founded in 2019 to promote health and fitness in the Special Needs Community. The original mission was to create a network of partner gyms to offer 1-on-1 personal training at discounted rates through our Fitness Club. This program was a huge success through COVID and paved the way to expand into other areas of need. In 2021 we began our Barbell Club program to supplement the Special Olympic Power Lifters in the off-season. This is now the primary focus of our organization.
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