The sport of powerlifting is big in Texas!
As in ‘Texas big!’
Many natives of Texas are perhaps familiar with the sport, or at least have an idea of what it entails, but you may not know that Texas is a national leader in the sport — and West Texas has a legion of powerlifting athletes, teams, and coaches right here in the Concho Valley.
A Little Background
First let me give some context: I have been a competitive powerlifter for 8 years within the USAPL, one of the country’s largest organizations for drug-free powerlifting athletes.
I first competed in 2017, and I have since competed in eight official meets, four of them in Texas, since October 2020. Many other organizations exist in the US, and across the globe such as the IPF, USPA, ADFPF, and PLA.
A Distinct Sport
Powerlifting is NOT weightlifting, let me make that very clear. The three lifts are very different in each sport.
In powerlifting, the three key lifts in every meet are as follows:
A one-repetition maximum-effort barbell back-squat, barbell bench-press, and deadlift in that order.
Each athlete gets three separate attempts for each movement, to lift as much weight as they possibly can according to a strict set of rules and technique requirements, in order to qualify it as a “good lift” by three trained judges.
Here is a very good video link to explain this.
The highest of the three attempts for each lift is recorded as the athletes total (all 3 lifts combined).
That total weight can then be matched to the athlete’s body-weight to produce a Wilks Score, which essentially gives a pound-for-pound strongest lifter score.
There are several divisions and classes to compete in based on one’s gender, age, weight and status (novice, collegiate, open, masters, raw, equipped, etc.)
Those exact divisions are listed in each respective organization’s websites linked above.
How Big is Powerlifting in Texas?
According to the USAPL calender, 500 meets are held per year across the United States. According to Wes Zunker, CEO of Texas Strength Systems, and current chairmen of the Texas USAPL Chapter, a total of 63 sanctioned meets were held in Texas during 2024 alone.
Taking a look back in recent history, in December 1964, at the Amateur Athletic Union’s national convention in Houston, the AAU officially adopted powerlifting as a sport and approved its governing rules.
This marked powerlifting’s formal debut in Texas as a sport sanctioned through a national organization.
It was in the mid to late 1960s when the sport really took off in Texas due to the influence of just a two key people who brought the sport to the masses with their own record setting performances but also their promotion of the sport itself.
These two critical icons who brought powerlifting to Texas were Dr. Terry Todd and Don Young.
The USAPL in Texas
The first recorded USAPL sanctioned meet held in Texas was the 2001 USAPL Texas State Meet, which took place in Killeen, on May 19, 2001.
Wes also informed me that at least 53 meets are set for 2025, with 28 of those still remaining in calendar year 2025.
Currently, there are 3,483 active athlete memberships in the state as of December 2024, with 2,370 males and 1,113 females.
I discovered that Texas has the highest percentage of females (32 percent) competing of any state.
There currently are 15 official USAPL Regional Training Centers in Texas, which is a status conferred on gyms by the organization.
The Bar Athletic Club is currently the only local platinum level RTC. This does not imply that a gym without RTC status does not allow or support powerlifting training and competing, it simply does not guarantee that a certified USAPL coach is available or that a formal team(club) exists at that gym.
A Visit with the Experts
To show just how close to home powerlifting is to all of us in the Concho Valley, and here in San Angelo, I reached out to two local peers and friends of mine who also own gyms and coach teams of powerlifters in town.
Both men have done so for over a decade with tremendous success at all levels of lifters, at every level of competition from local, state, regional, and national stages.
Below are the interview questions I asked to both of them and the answers I received.
JM: Juan Martinez, owner of West Texas Strength Nutrition & Training Center
TNJ: Tommy Nolan Janusz, owner of The Bar Athletic Club
- When did you start formally coaching powerlifting/lifters and where do you coach now?
JM: Formal coaching of powerlifters began in 2017. I’m currently coaching out of West Texas Strength Nutrition & Training Center, since 2019.
TNJ: I first started coaching powerlifting at ASU. I had formerly been a student at Texas A&M where I was on their powerlifting team for three years. I transferred to ASU. I decided to get back into powerlifting and discovered that the university gave funding to clubs that covered all travel expenses as well as food and equipment. I started a club unofficially in 2009 and in 2010 it became an official university sponsored student organization. I was the founder of Ram Powerlifting, the coach, and president for several years.
- How long have you been powerlifting for yourself?
JM: I have been competing for a total of 12 years—three years in high school and 9 years with the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) in Texas.
TNJ: I have been involved in powerlifting as early as 7th grade back in 1999. I am from Abilene Texas where I was a student at Madison middle school, where we had some really great strength and conditioning coaches for football. So I have been involved in powerlifting for over 25 years.
- Why do you enjoy coaching powerlifting?
JM: I enjoy coaching powerlifting because I help people become their strongest selves, physically and mentally. There’s nothing more fulfilling than watching someone lift a weight they once thought was impossible. The confidence, determination, and resilience built in training all come together when it matters most—on the platform and in life.
TNJ: I enjoy coaching powerlifting perhaps even more than I enjoy competing! I enjoy observing people getting stronger, becoming more confident, making new friends and connections. These are all things I received from powerlifting as a lifter, and I still do as a coach. I learn more and more and network with others and it makes me a better coach, a better lifter, and a better person.
- What are the benefits of being a powerlifter compared to other sports?
JM: Powerlifting teaches you how to bet on yourself. Even when you’re part of a team, your progress and performance come down to what you do on the platform. It’s a unique blend — you get the camaraderie and support of a team, but the competition is still individual. Plus, powerlifting is a sport you can continue throughout your life, giving you strength, confidence, and a sense of competition long after other sports may no longer be an option.
TNJ: An athlete does not require a team be involved. Team sports can limit a person who wants to be involved because they may not know people to build a team. Powerlifting can still be a team sport and it is great to have people lift and train with, but a person can travel solo and compete by themselves but still have the opportunity to socialize and meet new people or have reunions with many of the same people at various competitions. There are research studies that show that powerlifting compared to many other sports, has one of the lowest rates of injury per 1000 hours of training/competing. Additionally it helps keep people healthy and aging healthy across the lifespan.
- Is this a sport men and women can both do just the same?
JM: Powerlifting is an unisex sport. Men and women can train for competition similarly and can reach similar relative levels of strength. At West Texas Strength, I’ve been fortunate to train strong men and women in this sport.
TNJ: Powerlifting is for both men and woman and people of almost any age. In addition to men and women classes, we have age divisions and weight classes to keep the sport level and give everyone the same opportunity. There is even an adaptive division for those that may have physical limitations from birth or permanent life changing injuries.
- What one thing do you wish people knew about powerlifting?
JM: You don’t need to be strong to start, and that’s the whole point. It’s about building strength, not proving it on day one. And it’s not just physical. It’s mental, too. It teaches you discipline, confidence, and how to show up for yourself. You don’t have to be a specific size, age, or fitness level. If you’re ready to challenge yourself, grow, and feel strong in your own skin, powerlifting might be exactly what you’re looking for.
TNJ: Powerlifting is rewarding physically and mentally, every person I have ever gotten involved has fallen in love with the sport. If I can manage to get a person to train and compete in one competition, once this experience is had, they love it. Powerlifting is an amazing sporting community of positive people supporting one another.
Author’s note: If you are interested in learning more about either gym or coach, or considering getting involved with powerlifting, you can do so by reaching out directly to either guest from these interviews. Below are email addresses for each gym owner.
West Texas Strength Nutrition & Training Center: Juan.martinez@thedietdoc.com
The Bar Athletic Club: sanangelohero@gmail.com
Joshua Hockett is a professional strength-and-conditioning and fitness specialist, and an adjunct instructor of Kinesiology at ASU; he writes about food and wine, and other interesting subjects for the Concho Observer.
