CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Powerlifters now have a gym to call their own.
"There's not really a home for powerlifters here in Corpus," U.S. Army vet Ramiro Hernandez said. "There's obviously a lot of gyms here but none of them that have the equipment that a power lifter would need to prep for a powerlifting meet or anything of that sort."
After leaving the Army, Hernandez found himself searching for a more structured lifestyle. He says he went through a small depression and fell down a spiral of bad eating habits. During this time, Hernandez was approached by his friend and former Squadron Leader to try heavy lifting.
"So I ended training to be in a powerlifting meet, that started kind of being my go-to, my vice," he says.
Hernandez soon met another veteran while attending Del Mar College.
"Come to find out we were competing in the same competition against each other and that's how it sparked our friendship," says Lance Spooner, a Marine Corps veteran, certified trainer and state referee for the U.S. Powerlifting Association. "He told me his idea of opening the gym and I said dude, that's awesome, do it. And then, here we are 2 years later."
Hernandez opened the doors to the first powerlifting gym in Corpus Christi, Third Coast Strength Solutions.
"Strength is the most important thing, it's kind of like a 401k. You gotta keep cashing into it, one day we're gonna be old and frail and you're gonna have to cash out on that 401k. And the more you invest into it, the better your quality of life is going to be in the end," says Spooner.
Third Coast Strength Solutions is open to anyone, whether you are an advanced lifter or just beginning.
"Strength is all relative, everybody is strong in their own ways; and so, powerlifting is a way to just get out there and show it," Hernandez said.
You can check out Third Coast Strength Solutions at 5233 IH 37, suit A-4. Form ore information check out their Facebook Page and
Instagram Page.
