The owner of a local gymnasium is one of the world's best in the sport of powerlifting. Several of his clients say he's made them champions, too.

Ryan Celli, 35, owner of Celli's Fitness Center at 3356 Spring Way in Lawrenceville, set a world record for his weight class at the U.S. Powerlifting Federation national competition last year. He'll defend his title at the USPF nationals in Anaheim, Calif., over the Fourth of July weekend, and will put in a cameo appearance Saturday at the USPF's Pennsylvania state championships, which will be held at the Holiday Inn Airport in Pittsburgh.

Unlike the more popular sport of bodybuilding, powerlifting focuses on strength and explosiveness. It consists of three events -- the squat (lifting with shoulders from a deep squat), the bench press (lying down, pressing up from the chest) and the dead lift (pulling up from the floor) -- in various weight classes. (There are 11 for men, 10 for women.) Ryan competes in the 198.5-pound weight class. Last year he squatted with 611 pounds, bench-pressed 534 pounds, and did the deadlift with 661 pounds. The actual weight totaled 1,807 pounds, a world record.

Mr. Celli was the proverbial 90-pound weakling -- in his case, 95-pound weakling, when he started lifting weights at age 15 in the family home in Upper St. Clair.

"I was small, tiny, about 95 pounds," he said. "My dad said: 'Why don't you try lifting?' I liked it."

He was especially good at the bench press. A year later he entered his first powerlifting competition. He's been in about 25 meets since.

Mr. Celli trains three days a week, for about three hours a session. In each session, he focuses on one lift each session, plus exercises that strengthen supporting muscles.

His training comes at the end of a gruelling day. Celli's Fitness Center is open 16 hours a day Mondays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Either Ryan or his wife, Dana, 33, are there for all those hours, except for Wednesday mornings, when they have part-time management help. The Cellis also have a 5-year-old son to care for. Usually either Dana or Ryan is home with Noah, though Dana's parents also help.

"I open at 7 a.m., do the cleaning and janitorial stuff," Mr. Celli said. The bulk of his day is spent on bookkeeping, marketing, and personal sessions with clients. He typically works out from 6 to 9 p.m.

Powerlifting burns a lot of calories.

"I pretty much eat whatever to hold the weight," he said. "I can eat Oreo cookies, Ben & Jerry's [ice cream]." He eats three or four meals a day, and supplements them with protein shakes, creatine drinks, flaxseed oil and a multivitamin.

Ramona Patterson, 48, a court administrator in Cranberry who lives in Baden, took up powerlifting two years ago. She comes to Celli's Fitness Center three mornings a week to work out.

"It's challenging. It's fun. It's a full body workout," Ms. Patterson said. "I've dropped 30 pounds and 27 inches."

Ms. Patterson was doing her training closer to home, but was dissatisfied with her results.

"I'd reached a plateau," she said. "I wasn't improving the way I wanted to. Since I started working with Ryan, my lifts have improved phenomenally."

Under Ryan Celli's tutelage, her dead lifts increased from 135 pounds to 275 pounds.

Natalie Freed, 23, of Robinson has been a powerlifter for three years. She's bench-pressed 188 pounds and dead-lifted 303 pounds, impressive numbers for a girl in the 105-pound weight class.

"I'd been in a car accident," Ms. Freed said. "When I finished physical therapy, I wanted to get stronger."

She makes the trek to Celli's because "it's a really good facility, and Ryan's a great trainer. He strengthens your weaknesses."

Though he isn't into powerlifting himself, attorney Jason Levine, 28, said he joined Celli's in part because he likes being around powerlifters.

"The atmosphere is inspiring because several nationally ranked powerlifters, including Ryan himself, train there," Mr. Levine said. "Although I have no intention to compete in powerlifting, their presence motivates me to attain my fitness goals."

One of those champions is Dave Smiley, 39, of Monessen, who holds the USPF records in the 242-pound weight class, but isn't sure he would if didn't work out at Celli's center.

"The support is second to none," Mr. Smiley said. "Ryan and Dana are awesome."