Written by Team Juggernaut
Name: Pete Rubish
Age: 21
Height/Weight: 6’0” 235 lbs.
Hometown: Cambridge, WI
Current City: Madison, WI
Years Training: 7 years
Years Competing: 3 years
Competition PRs: 661 lb. Squat (no knee wraps), 352 lb. bench press, 777 lb. deadlift
Where You Train: My basement, Capital Fitness, University Weight Room, Pro Gym
Day Job: Student
What Would Be Your Personal Theme Song: “D3mons” by Machine Gun Kelly & DMX or “Hate Me Now” by Nas
What Got You Into Training/Competing: I tried pretty much every sport out there: football, basketball, track & field, bodybuilding, and running marathons, but I enjoyed powerlifting the most. I just loved lifting heavy weights and seeing my physique change and the power I felt from it, so I stuck with it.
Who Have Been Influential People in Your Training/Life: Josh Bryant has helped me out a lot with my training along with the Lilliebridge family at meets. They’re always willing to lend a hand and they’ve been a huge influence on my success.
What Are the Greatest Challenges You Have Faced In Training/Competing: Overcoming injuries has been the biggest challenge for me. I pretty much always have something that’s banged up, whether it’s a torn muscle or something as simple as tennis elbow. You just have to learn how to train around them. It’s the only way when you’re lifting this heavy.
How Do You Structure Your Training Going Into Competition: Much higher volume and shorter rest periods when I’m between fifteen and five weeks out from a meet, and then low volume, heavy weight, long rest periods, when I’m under five weeks out. I lift four days per week. I have one squat day, one deadlift day, and two bench days.
What Is Your Typical Diet Like: Unless I’m trying to lean out, which only takes me about a week of strict dieting, I’ll eat whatever I want. That being said, my diet is structured around a combination of four cheese rice a roni mixed with a pound of ground beef. I’ll eat about 3 lbs of that a day and that seems to work well as far as having something that gets you stronger and tastes good too.
What Upcoming Competitions Do You Have? What Are Your Goals:
March 16 – SPF Pro Am in Oswego, Illinois
April 20 – UPA Nationals in Dubuque, Iowa
July 20 – UPA Iron Battle on the Mississippi in Dubuque, Iowa
As of now, I’m not sure about the dates of some of the meets I plan on doing in the second half of the year, but I’ll probably do three more.
My big goal right now is to hit a 750 lb. squat with just a belt in the 242 class. That’s my main focus, I’m not really thinking about anything else right now since that is such a big goal. I’d like to do that at UPA Nationals.
What Advice Do You Have For Someone New to Your Sport: Just start competing as soon as possible. Meet personal records are the only thing that matters, and you’ll become a lot better lifter the more often you compete. I would never recommend taking off an extended period of time from competing.
Where Do You See The Sport of Powerlifting in 5 Years?: I think we’ll see an even greater shift than what we’re currently seeing towards more people choosing raw lifting. I see the sport growing and starting to get a little more mainstream as people realize how beneficial powerlifting can be to all other types of athletics. It’s going to take time to get the sport more recognition, but it will happen slowly if we keep things moving in the direction they’re currently going. Younger lifters, leaner lifters, and more charismatic lifters are the characteristics that will appeal to the general public.
Any General Thank Yous, etc: I’d like to thank Josh Bryant for helping me with my programming, as well as my sponsors USP Labs for providing me with my supplements, and Alpha Clothing Company.
