Building Strength and Knowledge

     Building Strength and Knowledge

     For Clemente Martinez, powerlifting wasn’t a lifelong thing, it started a year and a half ago. Currently a Nursing major in his sophomore year, he entered college knowing he wanted to challenge himself in something outside of academics before fully stepping into the medical field. And that opportunity came during our “Welcome Bash”, where student organizations and clubs recruit new members, where our very own Powerlifting team, led by John Moral, was hosting a deadlift competition for a gift card. Clemente stepped up and pulled off the heaviest deadlift in the contest.

     John and the rest of the clubs’ leaderships offered him to join the club, and after a few weeks of indecisiveness, officially joined. He immersed himself in training, built meaningful friendships, and absorbed guidance from the more experienced lifters on the team. He went on to compete in the “Collegiate Showdown”, where five Colorado collegiate powerlifting teams competed for top honors. And after that, he competed in his first USAPL-sanctioned meet, which would be huge milestone for any new lifter. Now, he stands not just as a competitor but as an officer for CU Denver Powerlifting. 

     When asked about his goal in leadership, he gave a simple but strong answer, to create an environment where everyone feels empowered to lift, regardless of experience. The welcoming culture he experienced when he first joined is what motivated him to keep improving, and he wants everyone to feel that same sense of belonging and drive.

     A piece of advice that continues to guide him comes from his father: “Don’t think about the people around you, how much they lift, or how much experience they have. Focus on yourself to work on making the best version of yourself. Let your work translate to others the dedication that you have and how much you want to change for the better. The results will speak for themselves. You’ll look back at the past and laugh about how worried you were. Then you’ll look at how far you have come, and realize it was all worth it.”

     Looking at the future, his long-term goals extend beyond the deadlift platform. He plans to become a Nurse Practitioner, working in either a small clinic or hospital setting. Driven by a desire to help others and increase his knowledge of medicine, disease, and patient care, he is already building a start as a Certified Nursing Assistant. He is considering going for a MD or doctorate in the future but knowing that’s in the future, is taking it day by day. We wish Clemente good luck in his academics and future competitions and cannot wait for what he accomplishes next!