Grad student muscles way to top

At first glance, Michelle Amsden looks and sounds nothing like a champion-caliber powelifter. But, Amsden, a softspoken, 5-foot, 1-inch graduate student, has become one of the premiere competitors in her sport. \nAmsden attended IU as a freshman and was a member of the IU cheerleading squad. After finishing her freshman year she decided to transfer to Ball State, where she became involved with their powerlifting club. There, she discovered she had a knack for lifting. Amsden received a bachelor's degree in exercise science and returned to Bloomington as a graduate student. \nIn 1999, Amsden was the collegiate national runner-up in powerlifting, and in both 2000 and 2001 she won the collegiate nationals. Also in 2001, she won the Open National Champi-onship.\nIn April, Amsden won the International Federation Student Cup competition in Russia where she lifted a combined total of 942 pounds in the three required fields in a powerlifting competition: squat, bench press, and dead lift. Her 942 pound total set a collegiate American and Junior National record. \nAfter her spring semester last year, she traveled to Riesa, Germany, for the Women's World Championships and placed third in the 123-pound division. Amsden broke several records at the competition and recorded personal bests in all three events. She squatted 363 pounds, benched 220 pounds, and dead-lifted 396 pounds, all of which bettered previous American records. Her bench press performance earned her a silver medal.\nAmsden participated in many sports while growing up. During her teen years she suffered three major knee injuries and had two reconstructive surgeries to repair them. \n"When I got hurt I started going to the gym in town and learned how to lift and from there I developed a passion for it and kept on doing it," Amsden said. \nAmsden routinely trains at the Iron Pit Gym in town, where she lifts five times a week, for three hours a day. Doug Ballard, owner of the Iron Pit Gym, said Amsden is one of the most dedicated athletes he's encountered.\n"We've had a lot of lifters come through here and she might be the hardest worker we've had," he said. \nAmsden's coach Greg Simmons said it is a combination of a variety of training techniques that makes Amsden so successful. \n"It is a year long effort that takes a serious commitment," he said. "We stick to basics on the competitive lifts but also incorporate innovative and unconventional training methods to attack weak areas. I am always thinking, analyzing and tweaking her training to make her stronger."\nOn Saturday, Amsden and Simmons left for Sochi, Russia, where Amsden will compete in her final junior division competition. Amsden arrives at the competition as the No. 1 ranked junior lifter in the world. The date that Amsden is to compete is Sept. 11. \n"It's an awesome feeling to know I'll be there with our team and representing our country on Sept. 11, and I think that the other countries there are going to be very supportive of us and I'm definitely going to show my colors, red, white, and blue that day," Amsden said. \nAfter her final junior competition, Amsden is still undecided where her future will take her.\n"Everyone asks me that question and I don't know the answer right now," she said. "I do know one thing, no matter what I do I want to work with athletes, especially supporting female athletes"