The Panciolis
When I started the GGC I never imagined it would be what it is today, in a number of ways. One of the biggest pieces is how it has been a stepping stone for so many people to take the first leap into lifting competitions. Because the GGC is so easy to do, inviting, and all around enticing, we seem to be able to break down the barriers most face when looking to complete. And after they have an excellent time doing so, they catch the bug and go for it!
This was never the plan, but is an awesome side effect of doing something cool. People want more, they bring in their friends and family, and they chase down goals left and right. That is exactly what our family today is all about. They’ve gone from couch potato to competitive strongmen/powerlifters. Life has thrown a number of speed bumps to the fitness plan, but they kept coming back. And as we know, those that keep showing up, eventually win! And the GGC was there for them when they wanted to take a step in the direction of competing.
Quick Note – This write up will come 100% from the words of Tim, the dad.
Let’s meet The Pancioli Family
As we sat on the couch enduring another Michigan winter, we realized how de-conditioned we had become. Once an active athlete playing hockey up through college, I was now a 4th year medical student who had allowed physical activity to take a back seat. My fiancée at that time, Jamie, joined me in finding a local gym to get ourselves out of this rut. I was not unfamiliar with the weight room, but had never focused on lifting itself as a hobby. I was drawn to the efficiency of the compound lifts, and soon addicted to the beginner strength gains. Jamie had little athletic background, and at the time struggled to complete more than a few push-ups. She found herself gravitating toward the standard HIIT workouts opposed to heavy lifting.
I convinced Jamie to let me teach her the compound lifts, which she caught onto quickly. Her strength improvement in the coming months was astounding. What she had lacked in initial strength she made up for in determination and stubbornness. Following medical school, we purchased our first house, and being sick of waiting for squat racks at the gym, immediately put together our own bare-bones gym in the basement. A short rack, Barbell, and a 270lb set of bumpers. At the time, this combo cost less than $800 brand new. Ah, the good ol’ days.
I began pathology residency soon after. My time was immediately and completely consumed. My lifting schedule became irregular, and within 6 months was nonexistent. Jamie continued to regularly lift and steadily progress for the following 3 years, introducing lifting to a few friends and gaining training partners along the way. I contributed by slowly upgrading the home gym. I watched as Jamie lifted throughout the entirety of her first pregnancy. A giant belly on her tiny 5’2″ frame wasn’t going to stop her from squatting in her third trimester.
All training was put on hold following the birth of Leonardo, who reluctantly entered the world via c-section at a massive 11lbs 1oz (maybe future World’s Strongest Man?). It was a rough recovery and adjustment period, but eventually Jamie was back in the home gym. Inspired by her resilience, I started my training again from scratch. I added more gear to the gym, including dumbbells and additional bars and bumpers. The gear addiction began to take hold.
Some months in the future, I looked up strength standards and realized just how strong Jamie had become. Despite never specifically training for powerlifting, she had accumulated a very respectable total. I brought up the idea of competing, but she was hesitant. It was around this time I discovered the Garage Gym Competition on Instagram. This seemed like a great way for Jamie to dip into the competitive waters, and to give myself a goal to work toward.
We entered our first Garage Gym Competition in 2021, holding our own mock meet with friends. It was a blast. Even Leo participated with his 5lb kids bar. Since then, Jamie has competed in 3 powerlifting meets, including 1 which we competed at together. Currently, I’m training for my first Strongman competition later this year. I’ve found signing up for competitions to be the absolute best way to maintain motivation and accountability. Jamie has been running Juggernaut AI with great success, and is looking to compete at USAPL Raw Nationals in 2023. Leo is now 2.5 years old and is usually playing with the chalk, climbing the sandbags, and picking up change plates while yelling “HEBBY WEIGHTS!”.
Our gym has evolved from the early days. Deadlift platform, yoke, sandbags, thousands of pounds of deep dish plates, Lego pieces all over the ground, it’s really the best. Soon we will be moving to Grand Rapids Michigan, and have grand plans in store for our new strongman/powerlifting basement gym. No doubt the Garage Gym competition will remain a staple in our home. For us, it is a celebration and benchmark of strength as we continue to set competitive and life goals.
Thank you to Joe, and all the sponsors who make these events possible!
For More from the Paciolis
Follow Tim on Instagram – @panciol1
Follow Jamie on Instagram – @jama_llama1
Thank You to our 2022 Family Sponsor, Surplus Strength. Their belief is that strong families are made at home, in the gym. And our family today is proof of that exact concept.
