Power Lift Used Equipment

I have been a Power Lift fan boy ever since I purchased a used Power Lift GHD from a CrossFit gym.  This behemoth was sturdy, comfortable, a pleasure to use and a pain to move.  I unfortunately sold it due to the large footprint and the minimal use it was receiving in my home gym.

I have tried to purchase Power Lift benches in the secondary market, but have not been successful.

Finally, I looked into adjustable plyometric boxes.  Power Lift offers a really cool design with 2 inch adjustments and a minimal footprint.  I reached out to Mike Richardson and was quoted $1000 for a small adjustable plyometric box plus $290 for shipping.  The price was unfortunately high for a home gym purchase.

Power Lift offers used equipment from time to time including racks, benches, selectorized equipment, plate loaded machines, platforms, misc equipment and misc plates & bumpers.

My most recent interaction was inquiring on Uesaka 45 lb Platinum Bumper Plates.  These have varied back stories.  Ones and twos are typically overstock from custom orders and larger quantities may be pulled out of facilities that are upgrading their facilities.  I am always interested in professional sports teams and sometimes universities.  I am rarely interested in high schools.  When perusing the website on October 11, 2023, the list was impressive and included:

I am a proud supporter of military, law enforcement and first responders and could not help inquiring about the  22nd Special Tactics Squadron and Air Force Prep plates.  Power Lift did not have pictures available as the equipment was in storage, but they could provide the following representative items.

The Air Force Prep program is a gap year for Air Force Academy hopefuls that may need a boost to transition from high school to the rigors of the Air Force Academy.  Cool plates to be sure.

The 22nd Special Tactics Squadron is cool on a whole other level.  These are the "First There" unit out of McChord Air Force Base.  The USAF Combat Control Teams are an elite special operations force who specialize in all aspects of air-ground communication, including air traffic control, fire support, and command, control, and communications in covert, forward, or austere environments.  They are trained in underwater and maritime operations, freefall parachuting and many other deployment methods.

The plates themselves are austere and very much in the spirit of quiet professionals.  I actually started reading Chop Wood Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf after seeing these plates.  So far the story focuses on the process rather than outcomes.  I was exposed to that through Hindu philosophy and believe it is relevant for everybody.

The plates themselves are reasonably priced as well.  Uesaka Platinum Series 45lb Plates retail for $325 each.  Even with a generous discount they would be $162.50 each.  In the secondary markets, I have seen random pairs for $300.  At $112.50 ($2.50/lb) each plus $40 in shipping, plus tax, the plates are a great value for high quality Japanese plates.