Fernando Reis Interview

I spent last 3 winter months in Miami with my family and one day I decided to pay Fernando a visit at his gym to finally meet and talk about sports, life, business and dreams. I’d like to highlight that I liked the gym right from the start. I was very pleased to observe how Fernando works with his athletes: always open, attentive and responsive. At that time a training camp was held in his gym, so there was a large number of athletes from Latin America (including some friends of mine) – a very friendly and pleasant atmosphere reigned.

Let me remind everyone that Fernando Reis is the first Brazilian weightlifter that won the Pan American Games gold in the men’s 105 + kg category. He is also a participant of two Olympiads. In 2012 in London he was the 11th. At the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, by the amount of attempts, he took the 5th place.

– It is written in your biography that you started training when you were 11 years old.  

– To tell the truth, I had no other option. In my family, men practised sports and were friends with iron: my dad was a weightlifter. Therefore, at the age of 11, I came to the weightlifting gym. That was how my story as a weightlifter started.

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– Today you are the only well-known weightlifter from Brazil. How does this sport develop in your country? 

– When I started training, few people heard about weightlifting – it was not a popular sport at all. Today everything has changed drastically. Weightlifting has grown so much and became very popular mainly because of functional training. And people started practicing more Olympic Weightlifting. In fact, the same tendency can be observed in many countries of the world. I noticed this when represented my country at the international competitions. And I really hope that in the near future the world will meet new TOP-athletes from Brazil.

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– Despite the fact that you represent Brazil at the competitions, most of the time you spend in Miami. What is the reason? 

– Nowadays I live in Miami and I have a Weightlifting gym, FReis Weightlifting at Ferrino Sports Fitness Club. I moved because of a business opportunity my great friend and my business Partner Eduardo Ferrino granted me with. I took the opportunity and it has been a blast. I enjoy every day of my job and the training process.

– Nowadays are you an athlete, coach or businessmen? How do you combine all these titles?

– I would say that I am trying to combine these 2 two roles and it seems to me that I am doing quite well.  Nowadays I’m a professional athlete placed rank 4 in 2018 Worlds Championships. I own my company FReis Weightlifting which has affiliates throughout the world that follow my training method. I conduct seminars and share my experience with coaches and athletes.

– How does  your average training day look like? 

– I shared my daily training routine on IWF Instagram the other day, where I showed all the details of my daily routine and workout. By the way, it was an interesting experience. For many athletes, it is useful to see the real truth about the TOP athletes training process in order to understand how hard it is. I train six days a week twice a day around 5 hours a day.  The rest of the time is occupied with coaching, business issues, food and, of course, recovery.

– Are you satisfied with your participation? Have you completed your tasks at 2018 Worlds Championships?

– To tell you the truth – no, I’m not. Sport is not a simple thing, everything does not always turn out the way you plan it. I had a knee injury that happened to me right after the competition. After that there was a rest and rehabilitation period. I hope that now everything will be as it should.

– What are your plans for the future? 

– Like any athlete, I dream of the highest result in my sport and to be able to make maximum efforts to achieve it. My future plan is to get a medal at world championships and Olympic Games. The training process and competitions in 2019-2020 promise to be difficult and exciting. And I believe that everything will work out!

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– Please, give some advice to those who have just started their weightlifting journey! 

– I often receive this request in my seminars. And I always give the following advice: for those who started Olympic weightlifting today it’s necessary to focus on technique without rush to lift heavy weights. Strange as it may sound, it is equally important for young athletes as well as for physically strong men, for whom 150 kg in squats is not a problem. Working on the technique with PVC equipment, conscious exercise and stability of the skill – this is what will bring progress, save you from injury and give pleasure from training and competition. Olympic Weightlifting is a sport that requires time. There is nothing like time through the process of training.

Photo by: ©IWF (www.iwf.net)

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