As the holder of the heaviest bench press in the U.K.’s under-16 category, Dash Granite (’28) said he’s proud of how far he has come. Despite this, he said fitness wasn’t always his strong point.

“I was a pretty out of shape kid when I was a lot younger,” Granite said. “I didn’t do too much physical activity.”

Granite said despite spending several years playing other sports, he never truly felt passionate about them. However, he said he initially made the shift to gym training in hopes of improving his basketball capabilities.

“While I was doing basketball, I started working out with a trainer because I wanted to be able to be more physical and stronger while playing,” he said.

Furthermore, Granite said he enjoyed being able to track his growth in the gym.

“I really enjoyed the process of training, making small improvements over a long period of time,” Granite said. “It felt good to be able to quantify my progress. That’s what made me want to keep going.”

Granite said he first wanted to begin lifting on a competitive scale after watching a video that emphasized the benefits of competition for athletes.

“I saw that competing can make you push yourself harder,” Granite said. “It gives you a bigger drive to improve and can bring out the best in you.”

In order to become a competitive powerlifter, Granite said he dedicated himself to structured training, following programs that increase in difficulty over time. He said he currently trains four times a week, focusing on cycles that challenge his limits while also considering his recovery.

Motivated by the challenging nature of powerlifting, Granite said he enjoys pushing himself.

“The way weightlifting challenges you is something that you don’t see anywhere else because it’s hard to go to literal failure,” Granite said. “That’s not something you see in many other sports. You can’t just take a couple more steps like in running. You either lift the weight or you don’t.”

Moreover, Granite said he appreciates the ability to measure his progress through weightlifting.

“In basketball or soccer, you don’t always know how much better you’ve gotten,” Granite said. “With lifting, it’s clear if you lifted 10 kilos more than before, you’ve improved.”

Granite holds silver medals in both national and international bench press competitions, as well as several Greater London records in the under-16 and under-18 categories.

In preparation for a national/international competition in February, 2025, Granite said he was hoping to set a British record for the under-16 bench press. He had already surpassed the record during a regional competition, but to break a record, competitors must set them at national or international competitions, which he ultimately did.

Additionally, Granite said his best lifts are currently a 155 kg squat, 135 kg bench press and a 165 kg deadlift. Despite his successes, he said he has faced setbacks with injuries.

“I had an injury a couple of months ago, so now I make sure to stay mobile and stretch after every session,” Granite said.

What’s more, Granite said balancing schoolwork and training is another struggle he has faced with intense training sessions, leaving him exhausted due to the nature of the workouts and the time it consumes.

“By the time I get home, I’m mentally and physically fatigued,” Granite said. “It’s hard to switch from training to studying. Some nights, I get home at 7:30, and I still have schoolwork to do.”

Looking ahead, Granite said he hopes to win a national or international competition and qualify for the British national squad for all three lifts: squat, bench and deadlift.

“I want to get my squat and deadlift up to the same level as my bench press,” he said. “I’ve always seen bench as my best lift, but I want to be more well-rounded.”

Granite said he views powerlifting as “a passion, but not a career,” noting the limited financial opportunity in the sport.

“There’s not enough money in powerlifting to make it a career,” he said. “Even at the top level, you don’t make much. You rely on sponsorships, and even then, it’s not enough.”

Still, Granite said he remains committed to the sport and plans to keep lifting while balancing his school work.

“I really want to just be the best version of myself.” Granite said. “I love powerlifting and will always do it.”

This story was originally published on The Standard on March 6, 2025.