Strength in Youth: 15 Year Old Powerlifter Breaking Barriers

Sophomore JJ Fulgencio is not just lifting weights, but also lifting expectations. Driven by his family’s support, Fulgencio began lifting at just age 12, and now he’s breaking boundaries for young lifters all over the world.

“When I was little, I started watching anime a lot and saw how big and strong some of those characters were and I wanted to be just like them,” Fulgencio said. “My mom and dad inspired me the most, they are like my day one coaches and taught me all that I need to know.” With the support of his family, Fulgencio discovered his passion for lifting, a journey he says he hopes to continue for the rest of his life. 

In addition to gaining strength, it instilled a sense of discipline in him. “[Lifting] really disciplined me into getting up at certain times, making sure I take my vitamins, drinking more water everyday, and stretching daily,” he explained. Staying consistent, Fulgencio keeps a routine of keeping his body healthy in and out of the gym. “I don’t drink soda, I don’t really have a sweet tooth, and I don’t snack a lot so it works out for me.” 

When it comes to training, he follows a rigorous schedule that never changes. Following the push-pull-legs routine, and his dedication has surely paid off. “My proudest moment was when I hit a 425 deadlift on comp day. It wasn’t the state PR, but my own personal PR. I have been working towards that for 2 whole years, and to finally hit that weight felt so [accomplishing].” Before competitions, Fulgencio makes sure to stay focused and prepared. "I just put my headphones in, take my pre-workout, and just talk to myself until I get on the platform.”

Fulgencio also explained why he loves lifting. “[Lifting] is like getting a good grade on a test you studied for. You’ve been training/studying for this test or in this case PR, [so] to hit it after training for so long is really a great feeling.” Looking ahead, he has big plans for the future. “I want to compete in an Olympic status competition, like Russwole did with his competition,” he said. “I want to be ‘like dang, I remember when that used to be my best PR. Now it’s my warm up.’”

Unlike those who began working out in the gym for their sport, it was the other way around for Fulgencio. “I never had any sports background, but after I started working out I started to do more stuff with the body and strength I built. So I did Taekwondo, Muy Thai, and a little boxing from my dad. Then I went into sports and got into volleyball,” he said.

In addition, he encourages other youth to get into powerlifting. “With us younger athletes, we all for most part help each other out,” he explained. “There’s a lot of older folk that actually give you wisdom and advice for you and actually want to help you out.” Though some may advise against lifting at such a young age, Fulgencio knows better than to let others dictate his path. Most importantly, Fulgencio urges younger lifters to always have fun, which will “make the journey 100 times better,” he promises.

With his dedication, work ethic, and supportive family behind him, Fulgencio is just getting started. The best is yet to come.

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Photo credits: Mike Perez