Reed Gilbert is a recent Georgia State graduate and co-founder of the Fantastic Beasts, Atlanta’s LGBT+ Powerlifting Club.
He competed last month in his first powerlifting meet, the 2018 LGBT+ International Powerlifting Championships in London.
He won Best Novice Lifter at the competition!
Gilbert makes a successful squat at the 2018 London LGBT+ IPC event.
Here’s an interview with Reed about his experiences competing in London:
How did you feel going into the competition?
“The couple days before the comp, I really wasn’t that nervous. I was just planning to go and lift as much as I could. I didn’t try to focus on winning or whatever, just to go in and do my best. However, after weighing in I started to get nervous. This was my first ever comp, and naturally I had performance anxiety.”
Did you perform as you expected?
“Honestly, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect going in. The day of, I was still feeling wonky from the time difference [between Atlanta and London], my stomach hurt, and I was nervous and hungry. Despite all of that, I lifted weights that were very close to my PRs or better so I was happy.”
What were your prior personal records, and what did you lift at the meet?
[These are in pounds]
Prior PRs were 385 squat/ 280 bench/ 501 deadlift
Meet Lifts were 391/277/501*
*Note from Coach Lis – “His prior 501 deadlift was on a deadlift bar, which is easier to grip and has more give to it, making it easier for most lifters to pull big weights. His 501 deadlift in London was on a stiff bar, so although the numbers are the same, this should be considered a PR!”
Reed deadlifts 501# at Pull for Pride Atlanta.
What was your highest point of the competition?
“My highest point in the comp was my last deadlift attempt at 501. I was so drained and tired, and I wanted to go for less than my PR. My coach Lis believed in me, and I stepped up the weight and lifted it.
The feeling was amazing!
I finally completed my first full PL comp and I lifted something I really didn’t think I had in me!
Lis and I hugged afterward and I was so happy!
Such an amazing, wonderful, inspiring feeling.”
What did you learn most regarding the competition that you will carry over to future comps?
“I learned that I need to place more time for warm ups. I am not the type to be late, and during this comp I was rushed on my warm ups and was still warming up when my flight started.
That gave me anxiety lol.
Also, I need to learn how to better manage my food intake. My stomach hurt and I wasn’t able to eat that well, but I was starving. I didn’t give myself enough time to eat in the morning, but it was hard because I was in a foreign country and wasn’t able to prep food the best that I could’ve.”
What is going through your mind while you’re attempting a heavy lift?
“The only thing that was going through my mind during the heavy lift was ‘push push push, pull pull pull.’ Once I stepped up to the bar all thoughts went away and I was just focused on not dying under the weight lol.”
Why was this competition important for you to participate in?
“This comp was important for me not only because it was my first comp ever, but because this comp stood for more than just an event to see who was the strongest.
This comp was about promoting opportunities for not only LGBTQ+ powerlifters, but all LGBTQ+ people in general.
This comp paved the way in having the first ever MX category, in addition to promoting support for LGBTQ+ athletes worldwide.”
What was your favorite part of the entire LGBT IPC weekend?
My favorite part of the LGBT IPC weekend was meeting people and having fun with them.
I definitely had fun taking “news updates” with various people and getting to know about them.
Anything else you’d like to share with readers?
“Strength has no gender!”
New friends celebrating post-meet in London.
The countries of Iceland, USA and England are represented here.
To join the Fantastic Beasts, get more info HERE.
Team USA will be back in England for the 2019 LGBT+ International Powerlifting Competition. Get more info about the event HERE.
