Training in Session

WESLACO — It's Tuesday morning, it's summer and that means it's humid.

For the Weslaco summer girls powerlifting team, it's also the middle of an intense, six-week outdoor strength and conditioning six-week training session conducted by powerlifting coach Raul Villarreal.

The training, which runs four days a week, tests each girl's physical and mental ability. The drills include, tire flipping, sled pulling, ab work and a daily one-mile run.

On Tuesday, the 22 girls broke a sweat as they paired up to flip 300-pound tires 20 yards in one direction and then back in the other.

Villarreal is the first to admit his training is brutal.

"It's tough, it's very demanding," he said.

However, the intense workouts paid off for the squad in a June 6 American Powerlifting Association (APA) competition held in McAllen.

A total of four teams competed along with other individuals from South Texas. Eight Weslaco girls captured first place while five of them set APA world records during the stretch.

Entering her sophomore year, Shelbi Forester broke four records in the 132-pound class in the 14-15 age group. Forester now holds the top spot in the squat (270-pounds), bench (140), deadlift (245) and total weight (655) and is now ranked No. 1 in the world. Two weeks later, Forester was crowned Miss Junior Teen South Texas.

"It feels so real," Forester said. "It's the world record, it's pretty cool."

Tanya Roldan, Alexsa Mora and Sasha Martinez each broke three world records while Priscilla Ortiz broke one record in the squat event.

Roldan competed in the 105-pound class where she lifted 110 in the bench, 300 in the deadlift and totaled 640 points, which is also good enough for a No. 1 ranking in the world.

In the 114-pound class, Mora broke records in the squat, deadlift and total points while Martinez owns bench, deadlift and overall total points in the super heavyweight division. Meanwhile, Ortiz placed second overall behind Martinez, but is the owner of the squat record. Ortiz lifted 405 pounds in the competition, but said she's done 420 in practice. Ortiz attributes the tire lifting exercise as the main reason why she now owns a world record.

"I've put a lot of work into it," she said. "I've been doing it for the last four years."

Of the three records Roldan broke, the bench proved to be the toughest for her. At the time of the event, Roldan was competing in a room where there was no air-conditioner and was fifth to lift.

Like Villarreal has preached throughout the training, Roldan had to overcome the uncomfortable situation and wound up breaking a record. 

"I was pretty hot, super sweaty," Roldan said. "I thought I would have nothing left."

Villarreal hopes this is a spring board to a possible state championship in which the Lady Panthers have come in second place the last two years.

"We're due for a state championship," Villarreal said.