2008 Woodie Awards
Junior breaks lifting record
Hoots sets bench press record at 425 pounds in championship
By: Kayla Bryant and Mary Fordham
Issue date: 3/29/06 Section: News
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Online Editor
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Mary Fordham
Features Editor
Reo Hoots, junior youth ministry, is now the junior drug-free Southeast champion.
"I won the Southeast champion, so I'm the junior drug-free Southeast champion between the ages of 20 and 23," said Hoots.
Hoots started this type of training for power-lifting his freshman year of college, and he has been training constantly for the past three months.
"I did sports in high school, and I helped my dad and my brother build the house we live in now," said Hoots.
"The record I broke was for the state record for the 308's bench press record. It was at 350 lbs., and I opened up with 375 lbs. and broke it. And then I broke it two more times with 400 lbs. and 425 lbs.," said Hoots. "To be in the 308 weight class, I have to weigh between 276 lbs. and 308 lbs., which I weighed in at 278 lbs."
"I'm actually very serious about the competition. I have until I'm 24 to get another record. The world record for the 308 weight class, which is what I lifted in this past time, is 525 lbs., and the world record for the 275 weight class, which I plan on being in, the record there is 568 lbs. I plan on breaking both of those," said Hoots.
"The next two records I'm going for are world records in the drug free APA, which is the American Power-lifting Association, in the 308 weight class, 525 lbs., and in the 275 weight class, 568 lbs.," said Hoots.
"I've received a lot of support. My roommate, Matt Sain, asks me after I work out how I did and if I pushed any big weight today, anything like that. He'd always say, it's kind of funny, he'd always say, 'Well, you better push some more weight, fatty.' He came to the competition and was right there, right next to me, probably just three feet away from me, just yelling at me, encouraging me. He played a big part in it," said Hoots.
Hoots's trainer is Brad Kelly, the world's strongest bench presser in his weight class. "He [Kelly] lifts about 772 lbs., so I've always got something to work towards," said Hoots.
"I really appreciate all my professors, from past and present. Dr. Mathis, Dr. Moore, Dr. Wilbanks, they've been real supportive, curious and shown a genuine interest in what I do. That helps a lot. The coaches down in Younts just let me use the weight room, and their open policy about students using the weight room is real good. They're really supportive, and I appreciate that," said Hoots.
"As far as God being involved, you know, there's no way I could, from the time I did my first feat in December 2004, doing 375 lbs. as my top lift and moving on a year or so later and doing 375 lbs. as my opener and finishing with 425 lbs., that's all God because nobody can make that kind of growth. I work hard, but it is definitely all to His glory," said Hoots.
"I lift to get opportunities. Eventually it will bring me opportunities to speak, opportunities to go places that I wouldn't normally get to speak at, people I wouldn't normally have the opportunity to speak to, and also I would get to be a light shining as a drug free Christian lifter in a world of weight lifters that have been corrupted by steroids. I would say in the big leagues that probably 75 percent are users and that is just staggering," said Hoots.