Today, we are thrilled to spotlight a long-time Body-Solid customer who is putting his home gym equipment to ultimate use!
Meet Ron Shotts of Springfield, Ohio.
Ron has been lifting weights for 44 years and relying on Body-Solid equipment for over two decades to fuel his incredible competitive journey.
Ron’s history with Body-Solid dates back to 2005, when he purchased his very first piece: the GLPH1100 Leg Press/Hack Squat machine. Since then, Ron’s basement gym has expanded to include a huge lineup of Body-Solid equipment, including the GPR370 Multi-Press Rack, GFID71 Heavy-Duty FID Bench, and his favorite/newest addition, the Body-Solid GPR400 Power Rack!
Watch Ron’s GPR400 in action:
Training primarily in his basement, Ron faced major constraints in space and ceiling height. The GPR400 Power Rack’s 79-inch height made it the ideal high-performance option for his low-clearance training space.
Ron sourced his dependable Body-Solid equipment through authorized dealers FitnessFactoryOutlet.com and Barry’s Barbell.
“My Body-Solid equipment has enabled me to develop the muscle and strength to be successful on a competitive level.” — Ron Shotts.
Ron’s love for fitness started at just 4 years old, inspired by his brother. But things took a championship turn on Christmas Day in 1985 when his parents gifted him a Hulk Hogan Hulkamania Workout Set.
He parlayed that early passion into high school baseball, football, and wrestling.
In 2007, at age 29, Ron entered his first adult powerlifting meet, taking 1st Place in the Bench/Deadlift (Push/Pull) Division at the Ohio State Championship (242 lb Class).
Shortly after, Ron took an 18-year hiatus from competitive lifting to focus on running his Tool & Die business—but his story was far from over.
In 2025, he made a triumphant return to the platform, and he has been completely unstoppable ever since:
- May 2025 (Ohio State Powerlifting Championships): 1st Place in Retro Powerlifting (Squat/Bench/Deadlift, belt-only), 242 lb Class Masters 1. Broke the Ohio State Squat record.
- October 2025 (Ohio Regional Powerlifting Championships): 1st Place in Retro Powerlifting, 242 lb Class Masters 1. Broke the Ohio State Bench Press, Deadlift, and Total Weight records.
- February 2026 (Natural Nationals – Oklahoma City, OK): 1st Place in Retro Powerlifting, 242 lb Class. Broke all 4 of his previous records and was named the 2025 Masters 1 Athlete of the Year.
- April 2026 (Ohio State Championship): Moved up to the 275 lb class, took 1st Place, and set 4 brand-new Ohio State records (Squat, Bench, Deadlift, and Total).
To date, Ron is a 3x Ohio State Champion, a 1x Ohio Regional Champion, and a 1x National Champion, currently holding 8 Ohio State records across two weight classes.
Ron is currently training for the 2026 Ohio Regional Championship this October. Looking further ahead to June 2027, Ron will celebrate his 50th birthday and plans to retire from competitive powerlifting.
His next goal? Transitioning his training toward high-volume, lighter-weight repetitions to stay fit, lean, and healthy for the long haul.
Everyone at Body-Solid congratulates Ron on his historic achievements, and we are proud to be a part of his home gym!
