By Capt. Heather De La Cruz, 300th Sustainment Brigade
On Feb. 24, 2019, 20 Soldiers from the U.S. Army Reserve's 300th Sustainment Brigade gathered to compete in deadlift competition held at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, with six competing in the same weight class and five placing in the top three in their class overall.
For Sgt Nolan Johnson, brigade petroleum inventory control sergeant, it was his second deadlift competition this deployment.
“I go by this quote by Ronnie Coleman that tends to inspire me, ‘Everyone wants to be a bodybuilder, but no one wants to lift these heavyweights.” Johnson said, “I work out two times a day every day for an average of two hours.”
“Deadlift is my favorite workout in the gym, but it is a love/hate relationship. I have no goals of going higher in deadlifting just yet, but I do want to get in the 1200 club here in theater.”
The 1200 pound club is a status achieved by having the sum of one’s maximum lift on the bench press, squat, and deadlift equal to or greater than 1200 pounds.
Spc. Benjamin Dean, brigade helpdesk specialist, is also competing in his second deadlift competition.
“I work out five to six days a week at anywhere from 1.5 hours to 2 hours.” Deans also adds, “And my workouts? They come to me in my dreams.”
He won his weight category with a weight of 635 pounds but aims to deadlift 705 pounds by the end of the deployment.
“I just hired a coach back in the United States who will help me hit the goals I need. He easily lifts a lot more than I and I know he will really get me there,” said Dean.
Sgt. 1st Class Steven Zellner, brigade helpdesk noncommissioned officer in charge, is a newcomer in the deadlift competition in theater.
“I work out about six days a week for about two hours. I’ve been working out for 12 years now,” he said. “I also work out with Capt McClain, my OIC, and I, actually, am training him to improve his goals.”
While he did nothing in particular to train for this event, Zellner said that “I aim to hit 500 pounds in deadlift before I leave here, and to be in the 1200 club.”
The deadlift is a powerlifting exercise where a weighted barbell is lifted from the floor to hip level, then returned to the floor. Athletic competitions boost morale and push Soldiers to focus on positives of being here, as well as enabling them to push their physical limit to maintain their physical fitness.
Date Taken: | 02.24.2019 |
Date Posted: | 03.09.2019 07:19 |
Story ID: | 312872 |
Location: | KW |
Web Views: | 154 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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