Sam Funderburk
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But what do you do when live collapses your left lung in your 20s? Well if you are anything like Sam Funderburk, you say F*&K it! I’m gonna be a powerlifter. Sam has gone from collapsed lung to competitive strongman and powerlifter, while doing it all from his home gym. He tackles the GGC every year, and he lends his hand as one of our top GGC Coaches.
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Let’s Meet Sam Funderburk
I was born and raised in Savannah, GA, but have been a midwesterner ever since. Currently reside in Columbus, OH. I’m a Neuroscientist by training, and by day I help develop gene therapies for rare genetic muscle disorders. When I’m not in the lab, I enjoy hiking, and watching The Expanse and Lord of The Rings on repeat, forever.
Tell me about your athletic experiences
I was a rower (stroke seat, wink wink) for the better part of my formative years. After I stopped rowing, my brother talked me into doing a mud run, so I figured I better get back in shape! Then I got into powerlifting. I enjoy powerlifting and strongman. My latest hobby is doing back-to-back powerlifting and strongman competitions. Same day, if possible.
Any injuries or issues you have overcome?
Not many people can say that a spontaneous pneumothorax got them into hardcore lifting. When I was in college, my left lung spontaneously collapsed. I was told that this happens to two kinds of people:
- 60-70 year olds with COPD
- otherwise healthy 20-something year old men.
After a week in the hospital with a tube in my chest, I was discharged and told I had about a 42% chance of re-collapse within two years, and there wasn’t really any guidance on best practices, just “good luck!”. I wallowed for a few months, took more oxy than I probably should have, and then decided “fuck it, if I don’t collapse it deadlifting 600lbs, it probably won’t happen.” Ten years later, I’m still going strong.
Tell me about your gym…
I put together a garage gym when the pandemic hit. Well, okay, first it was a yoke broken down into the trunk of my Toyota Prius and reassembled every day to squat because I was in a tiny apartment, but soon enough we expanded into a house with a garage. Unfortunately, a job relocation pushed me back into apartment life, so I’m back in the commercial space for now. But we’ll be back.
Started with a yoke, added a power rack. Then some strongman implements, then a rower, and then…. You know the rest. I doubt I would have kept up with lifting after my son was born if not for a garage gym. The convenience of just being able to walk downstairs and lift is second to none. It also taught me to lower my deadlifts with intention…. Hamstring gains for days.
Lets talk about the Garage Gym Competition…
I got into it like I imagine most did. There was a pandemic and we wanted to feel connected and put up some big numbers for the world to see. Stayed for community and camaraderie. I still do in-person powerlifting and strongman comps, but I always put something up for the GGC.
What motivates you to lift, day after day, year after year?
Being strong as fuck.
What’s the most important thing people should know about you?
My brother and I hiked down into the Grand Canyon on a whim once on a road trip. We got to the campsite before sundown when the Ranger came up and introduced himself. I asked him if it was realistic to hike down to the Colorado River still that late in the day. He looked me straight in the eye and said “well, if you’re into ultra-marathons late into the night…” The water felt great on my toes as the sun finished setting. We only lost one flashlight hiking back to camp in the dark… I should probably also mention here that I haven’t warmed up for lifting since 2020. I can’t remember the last time I had a squat on my back that weighed less than 405. I stopped warming up when my son was born and I had 16 minutes at a time to lift. A few years later I realized I hadn’t lost anything, so I never looked back.
How are you preparing for the 2022 Garage Gym Competition?
Step 1: acquire garage. Step 2: profit (maybe win a prize this year?)
Thanks Sam!
You can find more from Sam on his Instagram.
What Are the GGC Coaches?
In 2023, we opened up a new part of the GGC, Coaching Feedback. It was a way for us to bridge the gap between “Real” Powerlifting Meets, and the Garage Gym Competition. It let us provide feedback from trained individuals, judges, and coaches, to our competitors, without focusing purely on Red and White lights. Our GGC Coaches offered up their time and expertise, and each took roughly 20 athletes.
Feedback has been fantastic so far, with athletes stating they were able to take the notes with them and immediately make changes and improvements. Even the kiddos got feedback to help them improve!
If you’d like to be a coach, hit me with some details. You simply need the ability to review lifting videos and provide constructive feedback on how to improve their form and abilities moving forward.
