Garage Built champion Andres Gomez began his exercise journey through CrossFit but switched to powerlifting because heavy training motivates him more. It seems like a wise choice. He’s already collected four Spanish championships, two in the 83 kilo and two in the 93 kilo class, competed successfully in the Arnold Classic Open, and won a Spanish bench press and deadlift championship along with two Spanish Cups. Let’s find out how he trains at home alongside his wife and coach Eli!
Andre, what are your best numbers on the platform and in the gym?
Training
280 Squat
172.5 Bench Press
300 Deadllift
Competition
277.5 Squat
160 Bench Press
290 Deadlift
How long have you been training at home and why did you choose training at home versus just joining a powerlifting club or a commercial gym?
Four, almost five years. I do it because in the Spanish gyms there are no means to practice powerlifting. I train with the team two or three times a year though.
Tell me about the equipment you have. What did you buy first, what do you have now and what are you planning to add?
I have two bars, 340 kilos of plates, a cage, bench, dumbbells, and I would like to add a new bar.
You are friends with Erik Roen who also trains outside. You said that the two of you agree that training outside is better than training indoors. Why do you think it’s
better for athletes to train outside?
It hardens you. I think that if you train in difficult conditions when it comes to competing it will be more “easy”.
What is the average temperature where you live? Does it get really cold or hot?
10 or 15 degrees Celsius; there is a lot of humidity, but it is hot more often than cold.
It looks like the cover on your bench pad has started to crack and peel. I can’t tell from your photos, but do you store your equipment outside or keep everything inside and take what you need outside to train?
I store the equipment inside but yeah, it’s a very old bench. And the cats have also contributed. Once I have a new bar I will think about getting a new bench.
Sometimes you squat in your power rack and other times you just squat with squat stands and use the safeties from your bench. Do you switch from the power rack when you get closer to a competition?
It depends on the variant of squats. I train heavy squats in the cage and paused squat doubles in the squat stands.
Some of my favorite videos are of your wife, Eli, spotting you. Does she compete as well?
Eli has competed many years and for four years she has been my coach. We’ve been together five years. In the past, she always accompanied me, but since we have my daughter now, I train alone in both cold and heat, so I don’t miss training.
I can tell that she is used to this lifestyle. In a couple of videos, she was spotting you on bench although she was very pregnant!
Ha, ha! She started competing in powerlifting when she was twelve years old. When she was eleven, she could deadlift 80kg/176lbs!
You have some impressive numbers. Tell me what are your favorite assistance exercises for each main lift?
- Squat -I like resistance band squats and double pause squats
- Bench – I like resistance band bench press and bottom position benching with my feet up
- Deadlift – Deficit deadlifts and deadlifts with a pause at the knee
What does a typical week of training look like for you?
What does your diet look like most of the time and what do you do for conditioning?
I usually put more carbohydrates and fats on heavy training days and days I do not train are clean. For conditioning I walk in the mornings or late at night.
You’re pretty lean. What do you do for conditioning?
I walk in the mornings or late at night.
What are your goals for 2018?
Squat 290kg/ Bench Press 167kg/ Deadllift 305 (639.3lbs/369.3/672.4lbs) and compete in the European IPF Championships in Lithuania.
Do you have any sponsors or anyone else you want to thank?
No one, I do not have any kind of help and I only have to thank my wife and teammates.