Page 26 - Desert Lightning News Sept. 2015

26
Face of Defense: NewYork Guard Officer Becomes Champion Powerlifter
ArmyMaj.AlPhillipsNewYorkArmyNationalGuard
WEBSTER, N.Y.— What started as a weight-
lifting hobby at the gym while deployed at Guan-
tanamo Bay in 2011 and 2012 has become a
record-breaking event for New York Army Na-
tional Guard Capt. Jeremy Hillyard.
Hillyard, a battle-staff officer in the 27th Infan-
try Brigade Combat Team headquarters based in
Syracuse, took five prizes in the Aug. 8-9 Revolu-
tion Powerlifting competition in Rochester.
More than 300 weightlifters took part in the
regional competition, one of the largest on the
East Coast.
“Nothing compares to the adrenaline when you are
competing against yourself; it takes mental and physi-
cal strength when you are no longer in front of just a
mirror but instead hundreds of people,” Hillyard said.
“Getting your body to do something you may not have
been able to do a month ago is something special.”
Hillyard discovered weightlifting when he was
serving as part of Joint Task Force Guantanamo
with the New York Army National Guard’s 107th
Military Police Company.
He looked for something to fill time in a produc-
tive and positive manner and followed the path of
fellow soldiers to the base gym. Hillyard said he
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excelled at lifting weights but he stopped lifting Courtesy photo
weights when he redeployed here from Cuba.
New York Army National Guard Capt. Jeremy Hillyard pushes
Looking to Increase Physical Fitness upward during a powerlifting competition in Rochester, N.Y.,
Hillyard said he was capable of doing military- August 8. Hillyard, who began weightlifting while stationed
style pushups, sit-ups and making the two-mile at Guantanamo Bay in 2011-2012, successfully defended his
run but not much more. weightlifting records set in previous competitions.
Hillyard and his wife, Katie, then decided to
join a gym. tions in 17 states and Canada. He holds three RPS
The two became “gym rats,” he said. New York state records and two RPS International
“I lift more for power lifting and physical and men- Records in the deadlift and squat events. He plans
tal strength; she lifts for overall fitness,” Hillyard said. to defend his state records and pursue national and
At this month’s weightlifting competition, international records in future competition.
Hillyard was defending weightlifting records he
had set at earlier events. Hillyard said he wants to set a fitness example
Hillyard competed in two weight classes: the for his fellow soldiers.
198-pound Military Professional Open; and 198
Amateur open weight class division, referred to “People must get past the mental block of be-
as a “Full Power” event consisting of bench press, ing afraid to hurt or feel tired and have pride in
squats and dead lift. He successfully bench- themselves to ultimately see great results and
pressed 295 pounds, squatted 605 pounds and reach their full body potential,” he said.
deadlifted 560 pounds for a total of 1,440 pounds.
The 198 refers to Hillyard’s body weight in pounds.
Champion Powerlifter
Hillyard competes in the Revolution Powerlift-
ing Syndicate, one of several large powerlifting
federations in the United States that hold competi-
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