Hunter Poole Interview

May 2011 - Hunter Poole

1. Please introduce yourself. Who are you? How old are you? Where are you from? What are your hobbies

(other than powerlifting)? Please give the readers an idea of what it’s like to be you.

My name is Hunter Poole and I am 20 years old. I am from Thomasville, Georgia, currently attending Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. As a college student, I spend most of my time studying and working out. Some of my hobbies are swimming, throwing shot put and discus, strongman activities, and watching movies.

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

I am currently in Statesboro Georgia. Last year I saw a need at Georgia Southern for a powerlifting team. I met with school officials and created a Georgia Southern powerliting team, Georgia Southern Barbell. I train with everyone on my team. I also lift with people who are not in my group. I want to learn how to lift heavier, and more efficiently.

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

I am from a military family, and lived in Japan for 4 years. I have moved around all my life until settling down in Georgia close to my relatives at the age of 9.

4. What is your occupation?

I am currently a full time student at Georgia Southern University, and seeking a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, as well as Chemistry.

5. Do you find that your occupation interferes with competing or visa versa?

No, as a college student and athlete, I always find time to compete no matter how busy my schedule is. I always find time to lift. Powerlifting is a priority for me.

6. How many years have you been competing?

I have been competing for 6 years; I started when I was 14 with my first sanctioned meet.

7. How did you get into powerlifting?

I started off at the YMCA, and they said I was too young to use the free weights, so I bought my own at 12. Once I ran out of weights I bought more, and updated my equipment accordingly. I have always lifted since, and have never taken a break.

8. What are your biggest squat, bench

press, deadlift and total numbers?

Raw: 556 Squat 440 Bench Press 672 Deadlift = Total 1668

I am looking forward to breaking 1800 at my next meet and 2000 while I am in the junior division.

9. What titles, records and achievements did you accumulate in your powerlifting career?

I hold two world records in WABDL, four American records in the USPF, and recently set 4 American records for USAPL 18-19 275+ last November.

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

I train 4 days a week, two upper days and two lower days. One day is for strength and one day is for speed with a lot of board presses on upper body and box squats on lower body. I work my abs everyday I train. I use many different bars, exercises; I also use a lot of bands and chain work as well. I always use some variation of the big 3 during training.

11. Do you compete equipped (squat suit, bench press shirt & deadlift suit) or unequipped (no suits) or both? I have competed equipped and unequipped, but I am currently competing unequipped in USAPL.

12. What weight class(s) and divisions(s) do you compete in? Junior/open

275, 308, SHW

13. What is your favorite lift, squat or bench press or deadlift or all three? My favorite lift is the deadlift, because it always goes up for me no matter what, I have never stalled on my deadlift I always increase meet to meet.

14. Who is the most impressive lifter you have competed against? Back in 2005 I saw Jeremy Hornstra bench press 630 raw, which was the most impressive lift I have seen in person to date.

15. Who do you think is the greatest lifter of all time? I think Andy Bolton is the most impressive lifter of all time to squat and deadlift over 1000, and nearly 1000 on bench press says, a lot.

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

My last competition was South Carolina’s annual “Battle on the Border meet”. I set a Personal best on every lift with every opener, and some more. I was very pleased with my 1668 total. It could have easily been higher, but I decided to take a chance at the American records that were in my reach, and came very close. They will be mine at my next meet.

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

I am competing at the North Florida USAPI meet in Tallahassee, Florida; thirty minutes from home in October where I am working to break a 1800 raw.

18. How do you prepare for an upcoming competition?

I lift heavy as possible and hard as possible year round, I start benching with a pause two weeks out. One week out I stop lifting heavy, and when I compete in SHW I eat as much as possible the week leading up to the meet.

19. Describe your nutritional intake for an upcoming competition?

I don’t get to crazy over nutritional intake, as I do just being in the

right mindset, focused, and getting my training in order before the meet. I do try to consume more carbs leading up to the meet, which

seems to help my lifts.