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Powerlifting Hillsdale Instructor Teaches As He Trains

HILLSDALE, N.J. — Former college football player Chris Della Fave has long found comfort in knowing that his teammates would have his back if he messed up on the field.

Chris Dell Fave dead-lifts nearly 500 pounds in Bergen County Barbell on Broadway.

Chris Dell Fave dead-lifts nearly 500 pounds in Bergen County Barbell on Broadway.

Photo Credit: Chris Della Fave
Peter Lembesis

Peter Lembesis

Photo Credit: Chris Della Fave
Nicole Balkau

Nicole Balkau

Photo Credit: Cecilia Levine

On the powerlifting platform, the owner of Bergen County Barbell gym on Broadway has only himself to fall back on.

“In football if you miss a block the team can still score,” said Della Fave, a Fort Lee High School teacher who placed first in his weight class at his first national competition in Pennsylvania in 2010. “If you mess up on the platform, it’s all on you.".

After a monotonous year of working for J P Morgan in 2011, Della Fave of Park Ridge switched career paths to teach, coach and train local youngsters and athletes.

He gives his students and athletes the same advice: "How well you do depends on how much work you put in.

“If you don’t put in work in class your grades will suffer," Della Fave said, "and if you don’t put in work on the practice field you won’t see results in the game. It all translates to real life.”

All Della Fave needs to chase his dreams is his gym and 1,000 pounds or so of iron bars and plates.

Powerlifting is a way of life for both Della Fave and one of his Bergen County Barbell charges, Nicole Balkau.

“It’s shown me what I’m capable of and that has carried over into my everyday life," said Balkau of Wallington. "It’s given me a type of mental strength and resilience that’s allowed me to get through some pretty tough times.”

Bergen County Barbell’s athletes compete individually and placed first as a team last May at a regional competition.

The reason was simple, Della Fave said: "It's more work ethic than anything."

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