Our Top Athlete
Leon Brown
I've been lifting weights since I was 13 years old, played football in high school, and then two years of league football afterward. I really enjoyed lifting and during my adult years, I trained on and off but without a purpose or goal.
In 2006 when I was 40 years old, I was introduced to Olympic weightlifting and I really enjoyed the challenge. I trained hard and competed for 6 years in the Ontario Weightlifting Association. While I was training in early 2012, someone introduced me to powerlifting and that was quite the eye-opener. I was always training with the squat and bench press in my regular routine and the clean was so similar to the deadlift. The powerlifting training style was a natural fit for my body and I began to excel in my training.
Competing
I decided to enter my first competition in July 2012 at the age of 46 and wow, what an entrance. I competed in bench press only in the morning and powerlifting in the afternoon and did really well. I entered the contest as a novice lifter and came out as a top ranked bench press athlete in the open catagory.
Support Leon In person
Upcoming Events
(Leon Brown) Feb 23, 2025 – Mar 02, 2025 CPU National Championships
Location: Moose Jaw, SK, Canada
Date: Feb 23, 2025 – Mar 02, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
Description: CPU National Championships
Stream Link: TBD
More Events Coming Soon, Please check back later
How To Support Leon Brown
When you buy Leon Brown's merchandise, you're not just getting high-quality gear; you're directly supporting Leon who inspire us all. Most of the profits from your purchase go straight to the athlete, helping fund their training, competitions, and the pursuit of their dreams. Together, we can lift each other up and celebrate strength, faith, and unity. Thank you for being a vital part of the SpiritLifter community!
About Powerlifting
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The Sqaut
The lift starts with the lifter standing erect and the bar loaded with weights resting on the lifter's shoulders. At the referee's command the lift begins. The lifter bends his knees and lowers him into a squatting position with the hips slightly below parallel position. The lifter returns to an erect position. At the referees command the bar is returned to the rack and the lift is completed.
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The Bench Press
With his or her back resting on the bench, the lifter takes the loaded bar at arm's length. At the referee's command the powerlifter lowers the bar to the chest. On the chest the bar must be hold motionless until the referee give the “press” signal. The powerlifter pushes the weight up until the arms are straight and the elbows locked. Then the referee will call 'rack' and the lift is completed as the weight is returned to the rack.
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The Deadlift
The deadlift is often described as the king of the powerlifting disciplines. In the deadlift the athlete grasps the loaded bar which is resting on the platform floor. The powerlifter pulls the weights off the floor and assumes a standing erect position. The knees must be locked and shoulders back with the weight held in the lifters’ grip. At the referees command the bar will be returned to the floor under the control of the lifter.
What I do Today
My training is three to four days a week and I train for about two hours at a time. The harder I train the more I seem to lift. I believe that weight training is a lifestyle and it can improve our quality of living. I currently work in a christian ministry called Athletes in Action, where I am a Sports Chaplain and Strength Coach. I am connecting with college and university students to share about faith in Jesus Christ, life and sports. I also volunteer at the university in the High Performance Training Center to help the athletes develop strength skills in lifting weights.
My current goal is to retake the three lift Open record in the bench press. I currently hold National, Commonwealth and IPF World records and keeping them has been quite a challenge. I believe that I still have a lot of lifting left in me! I also believe that genetics and hard work has a lot to do with my lifting success and this is what God made me for.
Some people are born to run, some are born to swim, but I was born to lift (and especially, the bench press)!
