Hunter Pooser Interview

1. Please introduce yourself. Who are you? How old are you? Where were you born? Etc. Give the readers some background about yourself.

I am Hunter Pooser. I’m 19 years old and was born in Orlando, FL. I just graduated from Woodstock High School last week.

2. Where are you located in Georgia and where do you train at?

I live in Woodstock and currently train at Growlers Gym

3. What are your hobbies (other than powerlifting)?

I really enjoy going to theme parks and riding roller coasters. And of course eating

4. If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have 3 things, what would they be?

A grill, peanut butter and a plane to get off the island

5. Who is your role model and why?

My Dad. As a coach, he knows when to push me and when to hold back and let me work through it.

6. What is something that most people don’t know about you?

I was born about a month premature and weighed 4 lbs.

7. If you could ask anyone from history any question, who would it be and what would you ask?

Great question. Not sure.

8. Is there anything about powerlifting you would like to change or wish was different?

I wish all federations had the same rules/standards. I wish the sport was more unified.

9. What is your occupation? Does it interfere with competing or vice versa?

I just graduated from high school, so no job yet. I ultimately want to be a Chiropractor and right now I have the opportunity to help out / volunteer at Colby Chiropractic in Woodstock. I get adjusted regularly, and it helps my training and keeps me in the gym.

10. How did you get into powerlifting and how many years have you been competing?

I’ve been competing for 6 years. My dad has coached football most of his life. He was in charge of strength and conditioning so I grew up in weight rooms. I started lifting at the age of 10. A friend of my dad’s saw me lifting when I was 13 and suggested I start competing.

11. Are you involved in powerlifting in any way besides as a competitor?

Not yet but I would like to eventually coach.

12. What are your biggest squat, bench press, deadlift and total numbers?

Equipped: Squat 628, Bench 407, Deadlift 633 Total 1,668

Raw: Squat 578, Bench 352, Deadlift 600, Total 1530

13. What titles, records and achievements have you accumulated during your powerlifting career?

2012 Team USA Sub-Junior / Junior World Championship, Szczyrk, Poland, Silver Medalist

2012 USAPL Men’s National Championships, 1st Place / National Champion, 120kg Class, Teen III

Hold the Current USAPL National Record, 275 lbs. Class, Teen III (18 -19), Squat and Total

14. Can you describe your training philosophy and/or a typical training session?

I’m a strong believer in muscle confusion. So I’m always changing my routine with different types of bars, bands, chains, etc. But I always end with something max effort. Go heavy or go home.

15. Do you compete equipped (squat suit, bench press shirt & deadlift suit) or unequipped (no suits) or both and what weight class(s) and divisions(s) do you compete in?

I compete both equipped and raw. I’m competing now in the 120kg class for USAPL and the IPF

16. What is your favorite lift, squat or bench press or deadlift or all three and why?

Definitely deadlift. Deadlift is my strongest lift. It has saved me many times in competition.

17. Who is the most impressive lifter you have competed against?

Hubert Dudziak from Poland.

18. Who is your greatest rival?

Garrett Chandler from Louisiana. Every time we compete against each other it’s a dog fight.

19. Who do you think is the greatest lifter of all time?

I’m a deadlifter, so Andy Bolton

20. When was your last competition & how did it go?

Southeastern High School State Wars. Still won my division, but missed a couple of lifts I shouldn’t have

21. Do you have any upcoming competitions? If so, when and where?

USAPL Raw Nationals, in Orlando, in July.

22. How do you prepare for an upcoming competition? Describe each aspect that you focus on as you prepare for a competition.

After each meet, I take a couple of days off then start immediately preparing for the next. For the first month or so I don’t worry about my body weight, it’s all about getting stronger. I use multiple bars, chains, bands etc. to make my body react to the different stresses and get stronger. The closer I get to the next meet, I start checking my weight and get more into a fine tuning phase. Several weeks before a meet, I’ll start training with judge commands and get mentally ready. USAPL and IPF meets run faster that other meets, so I decrease time in between sets and get ready for the faster pace of National and World level meets. The week before a meet, I rest and don’t touch a weight.

23. Is there anything you will do differently to prepare for your next competition that is different from your last one?

No.

24. How many competitions do you compete in each year?

Around 4-6 meets each year

25. What advice & tips would you give to a powerlifter that is just beginning? If you are just beginning, what advice have you received from other lifters or coaches?

You have to put the time in, and focus first on technique. Find a good powerlifting gym that focusses on preparing for competition lifting.

26. Has powerlifting had a big impact on your life? If so, how?

Powerlifting has shaped every aspect of my life. It’s made me the person I am today. When I was younger, it gave me the confidence to attack every challenge and fight through obstacles

27. Do you stay in touch with lifters you compete against?

Yes, I stay in contact with several World Team Members as well as other lifters I’ve competed against and with

28. What is your #1 or most prestigious meet you ever competed at in your career?

2012 IPF Sub-Junior / Junior World Championships, Szczyrk, Poland

29. Do you compete in any other strength sports such as Olympic lifting, strongman, highland games, etc?

Not yet, but I have trained both Olympic and strongman.

30. What is your favorite memory from any powerlifting competition or event?

The IPF World Championships in Poland. It was a great experience. Met a lot of friends, that I will have forever

31. Do you see yourself still competing in ten years? If so, what are your goals for ten years from now?

Yes, I would like to make as many World Teams and Championships as possible. There’s nothing like representing your country in competition

32. Do you have any funny or interesting powerlifting stories that you can share with us?

I have several funny stories from North Georgia Barbell, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy.

33. If we're sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it's been for you, what would be the reason?

Hopefully, I’ve had a great first year in college. I will have competed in my first USAPL Collegiate Nationals and will hopefully be preparing for the 2013 Raw / Classic World Championships in Kazakhstan and the IPF World Championships in Hungary

34. Anyone you would like thank for helping you along the way in your Powerlifting career?

I’ve had so many people help me along the way. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without guys like Jon Grove, Glenn Baggett, Brant Bishop, Rob Wilkerson, Jason Dean, Chris Coaker, and of course my Dad.

35. Is there anything else you would like to add?

Remember, Victory Comes To Those Who Weight

Thank you for your time and best of luck in your upcoming powerlifting endeavors!

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