Jurgen Spiess of Germany reacts during a successful attempt during the 94 kilograms finals, at the European Weightlifting Championship in Bucharest, Romania, Friday, April 10, 2009. Spiess won the gold medal of the 94 kilograms category.(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Approaching 60 years of age, he weighs less than 150 pounds and is a cancer survivor.

Last month he set a new record in open raw powerlifting in his weight and age category with a lift of 350 pounds in a national weightlifting championship at Rogers. The lift won him the title of national police champion and open raw masters champion. He explains that "raw" means drug-free and no heavy elasticized equipment allowed. He said wearing a simple single-ply suit and leather belt is a "true measure of strength."

Kosarek, also known as Joshua or A.J., is a retired cattle rancher and peace officer who now lives near Green Forest on the Boone Carroll County line. He trains at the Fitness Club and in a barn at his house.

In 2007, he held titles in two weight classes: 375 pounds in 165-175 pound division and 325 pounds in the 148-pound classification. Kosarek said he lowered his weight with "real hard summer work at his ranch in Texas, not eating as much and baling hay all summer long."

A couple of weeks before this summer's meet, Kosarek weighed 152 pounds with 5 percent body fat. He said the next month would be devoted to training, eating and sleeping.

Kosarek said he likes to train with a variety of tools, everything from heavy equipment at fitness centers to carrying anvils, chunks of steel and a chunk of cannon barrel with a handle welded on, to dragging a link of chain around his driveway, three links that weigh 100 pounds each.

"I try to train at places with real heavy equipment," he remarked. "A lot of places don't like you to drop heavy barbells on the floor. I need a place with substantial slab."

Before lifts, Kosarek said he warms up for five minutes and develops an "absolutely can-do-again attitude. It's not arrogance, but I think exactly how I make the goal, believe and achieve."

The deadlift requires competitors to lift the bar "straight up, no hitching, to an erect position. My shoulders have to be back, hold the bar for two seconds, then bring bar down with my hands still on the bar.

"It can't break my grip. If I let go before it touches the floor, I'm disqualified.

"I'm very methodical," he explained "very internalized. I stand over the bar, set my grip, get in position, take a couple of deep breaths and pull for everything I'm worth.

"I try to pull through the bar and bury my feet into the ground.

"The hardest part for me is midpoint," he continued. "Above the knees, bio-mechanically, is the most inefficient part of pull. Time stands still, and I go in a lower gear and keep grinding."

Asked how he felt during the lift, Kosarek said he doesn't feel any pain, "I'm so adrenalized and focused. Like boxers, I don't feel any pain until the next day.

"A couple of days after the meet, everything hurts. My hands hurt from gnarling on the bar. We not allowed to use straps or sticky stuff. Only thick callouses, and they're usually torn off."

Kosarek said he was small in high school and joined the wrestling team. The coach stressed weight training, and he quit wrestling to focus on weight training. He specialized in the deadlift and said he could lift 325 pounds in high school.

He was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkins leukemia in 1997. During three years of treatment, "I lost every bit of hair and got down to 100 pounds," he remembered.

"They all said I would never lift much again," but he started training in August 2000 when doctors said it was in remission.

"I humbly witness that cancer survivors can still be high achievers," he said in a quiet voice.

"It can't break my grip. If I let go before it touches the floor, I'm disqualified.

"I'm very methodical," he explained "very internalized. I stand over the bar, set my grip, get in position, take a couple of deep breaths and pull for everything I'm worth.

"I try to pull through the bar and bury my feet into the ground.

"The hardest part for me is midpoint," he continued. "Above the knees, bio-mechanically, is the most inefficient part of pull. Time stands still, and I go in a lower gear and keep grinding."

Asked how he felt during the lift, Kosarek said he doesn't feel any pain, "I'm so adrenalized and focused. Like boxers, I don't feel any pain until the next day.

"A couple of days after the meet, everything hurts. My hands hurt from gnarling on the bar. We not allowed to use straps or sticky stuff. Only thick callouses, and they're usually torn off."

Kosarek said he was small in high school and joined the wrestling team. The coach stressed weight training, and he quit wrestling to focus on weight training. He specialized in the deadlift and said he could lift 325 pounds in high school.

He was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkins leukemia in 1997. During three years of treatment, "I lost every bit of hair and got down to 100 pounds," he remembered.

"They all said I would never lift much again," but he started training in August 2000 when doctors said it was in remission.

"I humbly witness that cancer survivors can still be high achievers," he said in a quiet voice.