Many boys look up to their father and want to be just like him, but for Erik Marsh and son Landon Marsh, the father has also been inspired by his son. In fact, when Landon, a seventh-grader at Donegal Intermediate School, decided to try weightlifting, he invited his dad to join him. Now the two have taken their sport to the highest level, winning first place in their divisions in the International Powerlifting Association competition at York Barbell in June.
Landon started lifting in fifth grade, after learning that he had a medical condition that prevented him from participating in contact sports. He realized weightlifting was a sport he could enjoy with his father, so he asked his dad to join him, and soon the pair was training for competition with Eric Schwarz of Showtime Training in Lititz.
"I love weightlifting because I get to spend time with my dad," Landon stated, "but I also like that it's about setting goals and pushing yourself."
Erik, who played football in high school and college, had some experience with weightlifting and was excited about joining his son in their first competition in 2020, but just weeks before the event, he tore his triceps and couldn't compete. Still, he was happy to cheer on Landon, who went on to win first place in his division at the 2020 competition.
Erik worked on healing and the pair continued to train, with the goal of competing together in 2021. At the competition in June, Erik benched 320 pounds to win first place in his division and Landon benched a personal best of 135 pounds. That weight not only brought him first place in his division, but he also set state and world records and earned the Most Valuable Youth award.
"My highest bench before the competition was 130," Landon recalled. "I had tried 135 in training, but I didn't get it. I was pretty nervous trying it in the competition, but I thought I'd just go for it." Landon's feat is especially impressive when you consider he benched 3 pounds more than his own body weight.
Landon plans to keep competing and has set his next goal of benching 150 pounds. "I want to keep pushing so I can make my dad proud and because not a lot of kids get to break two world records," he said.
For Erik, however, weightlifting will now just become a hobby he can do with his son. "I think that's it for me as far as competing, but I still plan to keep on lifting," he remarked. "We train every Wednesday, and it's wonderful to get that time with my son. I look forward to it every week."
Landon's mom, Michelle, said she's proud of both Erik and Landon, noting, "I could not be prouder of Landon. It blows my mind how much he's grown and how much he's progressed in this sport."
Michelle and Erik, who also have an 8-year-old daughter, Lillian, said weightlifting has provided Landon with life skills beyond the bench.
"It has taught him discipline, setting goals, building a work ethic," Erik said. "It's taught him about finding success, but also about disappointment. It's really taught him a lot about many different aspects of life."
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