By MIKE BEACOM
of The Gazette
At 6'5" and weighing between 240-250 pounds, even in the weight room, Alex Kostuck towers over others.
Due to a disciplined workout regiment and a strong knowledge of nutrition, the 1998 Stevens Point Area Senior High School graduate has developed a physique others in the weight room have become envious of.
This February in Marshfield, Kostuck put the hard work to use in competitive lifting. In his second of three attempts, he broke the state bench press record for 19 to 22-year-olds (227-250 pound bracket) with a lift of 380 pounds. That first-place finish secured him a spot at the national meet, to be held June 23 in Flora, Ill.
Kostuck's size and recent success (last month he launched 430 pounds from his chest at a meet in Wisconsin Rapids) might give the idea that he's been training his body for competitive lifting all his life. But, surprisingly, Marshfield was Kostuck's first experience with the sport. And, according to him, he's only been serious about weightlifting for a short period of time.
"I really only got serious with lifting and my nutrition this year," said Kostuck who started to lift his senior year at SPASH.
Kostuck, who resides near Custer, was kept out of competitive sports at the high school level after a glass-related incident his sophomore year caused great damage to his dominant hand. After losing out on playing basketball and football at SPASH, he turned to weightlifting.
A large reason he decided to test his strength against that of others was the constant attention he was receiving in area fitness centers.
"A lot of guys at the YMCA were asking me about my training program and about supplements," said Kostuck.
His workout routine consists of hitting the weight room six to seven days a week for two to three hours at a time. But what Kostuck credits with getting him ahead is his well-balanced mix of eating habits and workout.
"A big reason people fail in weightlifting and don't see results is because they don't understand recovery," said Kostuck. "The quicker you repair the muscle you tear through weightlifting by replenishing it with protein, the better.
"Someone in a workout program should be just as excited to do the workout as they are to eat a lot of protein afterwards. The two are equally important - half is your workout, half is your recovery."
In a given day, Kostuck estimates he eats an average of 500 grams of protein. He relies heavy on beef to supply a large part of that protein in the six meals he eats everyday.
"When you're eating that amount of protein, it's easier to just go for the beef because it has the highest ratio of amino acids," he said.
And despite the emphasis the medical profession puts on eating a low-fat diet, Kostuck suggests that certain fats, such as those that might have a short shelf life are good for people to include in their diets.
"Society views fat as being all bad and that's not true," he said. "There are good fats and bad fats."
At some point, Kostuck hopes to use the knowledge he has gained through training his body to open up a nutritional food store and work with other people's training programs.
"I'd love to help people with dieting and nutrition," he said.
Another goal he has his sights set on is to become involved with professional bodybuilding. He admits though, that because he's nearly a foot taller than most competitors in the sport, his height might work against him.
"In body building, you have to watch every part of your body," he said. "At 6'5", it'll be really hard for me because there's a lot of acreage to cover."
For now, he is just focused on doing well in the national meet coming up next weekend.
He is confident about his chances and is not overly concerned about anyone at the meet other than himself.
"My body's a machine and I have to nourish it and make sure I have enough rest and enough to eat," said Kostuck. "I don't worry about the competition, I just worry about taking care of myself."