PL DEN | The Powerlifter's Den

In this episode of The Powerlifter’s Den, Cam sits down with Kyle Shreve, a Detroit-based electrician and multi-ply / unlimited powerlifter whose path into the sport was shaped by Westside Barbell influence, hard work, and using the gym as a way out of depression. Kyle talks about starting his training in 2017, stepping on the platform for the first time in 2021, and building himself into a serious competitor through discipline and consistency.

We get into training at RPS, the mindset required for unlimited lifting, what separates real training environments from commercial gyms, and what it means to truly establish yourself as a lifter. With a 2920 total at NOTB and bigger goals still ahead, this episode is about grit, identity, and earning everything you get under the bar.

In this episode of The Powerlifter’s Den, Cam sits down with JT Krivinskas — the University of New Haven football player who also happens to hold the heaviest teenage squat and total of all time. At just 19, JT already has a top-15 all-time total and top-12 squat in the 242 class… and he’s nowhere near done.

We get into how he started lifting in his garage at 15, the moment a Facebook-Marketplace bench shirt changed his life, and what it was like building himself into an elite lifter before he was legally allowed to drink. JT opens up about missing 1100, coming back to smoke it when it mattered, balancing college football and powerlifting, and how he thinks young lifters should approach the sport.

Raw, driven, and already built like a veteran — this is one of the strongest 19-year-olds to ever touch a barbell.

In this episode of The Powerlifter’s Den, Cam sits down with Tyler Williamson to break down his journey through the sport of powerlifting — from early training days to the mindset it takes to chase long-term success under the bar. Tyler opens up about the discipline, setbacks, and sacrifices required to keep progressing when motivation fades and pressure rises.

Whether you’re a competitor or just someone obsessed with getting stronger, this episode dives into what it really takes to level up — mentally and physically.

Steph Mager (@stephm.fit) went from collegiate gymnast to ATWR-holding powerlifter in just a few short years — and she didn’t take the easy route to get there. In this episode, Steph sits down with Cam to talk about walking away from gymnastics after a national title, finding powerlifting by accident, and learning how to fail forward after bombing a meet and immediately signing up for another.

We dive into raw vs equipped culture, training in an environment that actually raises your standard, and the mindset shift from “just training” to training to win.

Jared Maynard (@jared.unbreakable) is a strength coach, physical therapist, and powerlifter whose story is one of the most powerful comebacks in the sport. In 2023, Jared was diagnosed with a rare and often fatal immune condition (HLH), spent weeks in the ICU, lost over 40 lbs of muscle, and had to relearn basic functions — walking, talking, breathing on his own. A year later, he returned to the platform and pulled a lifetime deadlift PR while navigating progressive vision loss.

In this episode, Jared and Cam dive into resilience, rebuilding from rock bottom, the flaws in powerlifting rehab, and the mindset behind Jared’s message: “You’re not done yet.”

Sam Belliveau (@sambelliveauu) is a 5x Canada’s Strongest Woman, North America’s Strongest Woman, and a world record holder in the circus dumbbell. In this episode, Sam sits down with Cam to talk about her journey from hockey player to powerlifter to one of the most dominant strongwomen in the world. She opens up about training at Westside Barbell, rebuilding after a major pelvis injury, and the no-excuses mindset that keeps her climbing to the top of every stage she steps on.

If you love strength, grit, and athletes who train hard and stay humble — this is your episode.

AJ Roberts is a Westside Barbell legend, former world-record-holding powerlifter, and one of the few lifters to total nearly 2,900 lbs. In this episode, Cam sits down with AJ to talk about his journey under Louie Simmons, the evolution of strength culture, and what happens when you step away from chasing numbers to chase purpose instead.

From breaking records at Westside to redefining success beyond the bar, AJ brings perspective, grit, and the lessons learned from a lifetime in strength.

Amanda Smith (@thesmithmachine75) is one of powerlifting’s rising stars — a 631 DOTS lifter who’s already competed internationally and has her sights set on the IPF stage and Sheffield. In this episode, Cam talks with Amanda about her comeback from life’s toughest chapters, rebuilding confidence on and off the platform, and keeping the focus on lifting — not the drama.

From spotting at the American Pro to competing on it the next year, Amanda’s story is about courage, consistency, and doing it scared anyway.

Amanda Smith (@amandanicoleee_) is one of powerlifting’s rising stars — a 631 DOTS lifter who’s already competed internationally and has her sights set on the IPF stage and Sheffield. In this episode, Cam talks with Amanda about her comeback from life’s toughest chapters, rebuilding confidence on and off the platform, and keeping the focus on lifting — not the drama.

From spotting at the American Pro to competing on it the next year, Amanda’s story is about courage, consistency, and doing it scared anyway.

JP Carroll (@jp_carroll_fyfm) has spent 15 years under the bar — benching 600 raw, totaling 2282 lbs, training with some of the strongest crews in the country, and helping shape powerlifting’s culture from the inside. In this episode, JP joins Cam to talk about his journey from football to powerlifting, what it was really like training at Westside, and the lessons he’s learned running his own gym and hosting meets.Unfiltered, old-school, and brutally honest, JP brings stories, humor, and perspective from a lifetime spent chasing strength.

Kyle Sheridan (@sheridanstrength) is a 2000+ total lifter, coach, and co-owner of Legends 24/7 Gym. In this episode, Kyle talks about powerlifting through the eras — from his early bodybuilding days and training under Paul Childress to building The Crew at Legends and bouncing back from a string of brutal injuries.

We dive into gym culture, learning from legends, old-school vs new-school lifting, and what it takes to stay in the sport when things get tough.