Pushing the Limits

Hi, my name is Willis McCoy, I am a powerlifter out of The Iron Chamber Gym in Canton Ohio. I was born on March 25th, 1969. Growing up, I played baseball and ran track. Once I hit high school, I stopped playing sports and got a job until I graduated.

After graduating, I joined the United States Marine Corps. From ’87-92, I served in many different places including Operation Desert Storm and the Persian Gulf. This is where i really found the gym and got my first taste of powerlifting. My first powerlifting meet took place aboard the USS Saipan. I benched 245 lbs and deadlifted 390 lbs at 145lbs. Shortly after I returned home from the Gulf, I left the Marine Corps and returned home.

I spent the next 20 years living a normal life. Getting a job, married, house, and kids. Never really touching a weight. During childhood, my father had a heart attack at the age of 39. I had also lost both grandfathers to heart attacks. So here I was at the age of 38 realizing it was time I did something to make sure I wasn’t next. So I started running again. I bought a Bowflex and started working out in my basement.

Over the next two years, I ran and continued to lift as I found the time. Then in 2009, a friend asked me to compete in the Arnold Pump and Run. The bug had started to bite. He also asked me to compete in a local non-sanctioned powerlifting meet. I did, and you guessed it, the bug was back in full force.

Then in the summer of 2009, I found The Iron Chamber Gym. I started to learn from this great group of lifters and started doing sanctioned meets in WABDL and WNPF. For the next 2 years, I continued to compete and get stronger – breaking state records in both federations along the way. As well as winning a few World Titles.

In 2010, things really took off for me. I did I believe a total of seven meets that year. The most notable being invited to compete in the NOTLD (Night of the Living Dead Deadlift comp) in Tennesee, and the Mr. Olympia Deadlift Comp in Vegas. While at the Mr. Olympia, I discovered Quest Bars. I started buying them wherever I could find them.

I also realized during this time, I was getting closer and closer to a Masters (40-46 years) Deadlift World Record. I took my first shot at it in Canton Oh., a week after my father passed away in April of 2011.

In 2012, I continued to push myself. I did a bodybuilding show, ran a half marathon, and continued trying to pull a world record. I became a promoter for ViSalus and the Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge. My wife asked me if I was going to quit buying the Quest Bars. HaHa I told her no way I love those things.

On May 11th in Toledo Ohio at the WABDL Nationals I got another shot. After setting a new Masters bench record of 337 lbs I came out and hit my opener deadlift of 501 lbs. Then on my second attempt at the age of 44-years-old, I called for 552.1 lbs at 145 lb bodyweight. I was successful, and became a New Masters World Record holder. My Vi shakes, Nutra cookies, and Quest Protein Bars were a big part of my diet.

Never stop believing in yourself. Never stop pushing the limits of what your mind tells you you can not do.

My next Quest? To pull 600lbs.