By Peter Stefo -- Eagle Staff Writer
November 11th my be an insignificant day for most, but for junior Richy Stevens it’s one of the biggest days of his life. That day Stevens will be competing for the first time in a weight lifting competition. Why? “I like picking up heavy weights,” says Stevens.
His passion for weightlifting began years ago. “I started lifting weights in the gym in 9th grade, but I did have a home gym in 7th grade," he stated. Stevens enjoys the challenge of lifting. “I enjoy lifting because I like getting stronger and I enjoy the competition,” said Stevens.
It is very obvious from how strong he is that he’s been doing this for a while. Stevens will be doing three lifts at his competition in November: squat, bench press, and deadlift. “I'm going to be benching 355 pounds, squatting 445 pounds and deadlifting 475 pounds,” he explained. This is even more impressive when one realizes Stevens only weighs about 175 pounds.
Stevens says his favorite lift in the gym is the deadlift because of the extreme weight involved. "I like picking up heavy weights and that's the heaviest one you can pick up," he elaborated.
Even someone as strong as Stevens has someone stronger to look up to. In his case, that person is fitness influencer Sam Sulek. Internet sensation Sulek is best known for his physical strength and strength of character. "I like that he's very down to Earth. He's very nice in the gym, and he’s just extremely strong," Stevens shared.
Lifting weights and fitness in general comes with many challenges. The hardest part about it isn’t even the weights, according to Stevens. “It's definitely eating. Because lifting isn't just showing up and picking up the heavy weight but eating is definitely the more physically and mentally demanding part of it,” Stevens claims. Working out in the gym only takes a couple hours of the day, but the diet takes the other 22 hours. Whether you're bulking or cutting, it takes a lot of mental fortitude to stick with a strict diet.
Another part of lifting is the music; the right song can make or break a workout. Just like everything else in the gym though, Stevens has the music part down. ”My favorite song has got to be 'I’m Just Ken' from the Barbie movie,” he said.
Stevens is a strong believer in health and encourages everyone to hit the gym. “I just think everyone should do it at least three days a week just to stay healthy, get some exercise and... some self improvement,” he explains.
Stevens will see how his hard work pays off on November 11th at the USA Strongman competition in North Carolina. Readers interested in Richy can follow his journey on TikTok @richy_stevens
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