On Weightlifting, CrossFit, and NPGL: Interview with Ricky Redus

Many thanks to Ricky Redus for taking the time out of his very busy schedule to speak with me. Between lifting for the Texas Barbell Club, competing in the Grid League for the Phoenix Rise, and training for The CrossFit Games with CrossFit Jääkarhu, Ricky has a successful and demanding career as a well-rounded athlete. Here, Ricky speaks about his experience with CrossFit and weightlifting, and expands a bit on his training.

First of all, congratulations on qualifying for the CrossFit Games. Tell me about Super Regionals! How was the experience? Did anything about the competition surprise you? 

Thank you! I’d say that Regionals was probably the coolest thing I’ve ever been a part of. I was actually surprised by how often we had to adapt and change things on the fly. We went into the competition with a game plan for everything, but something came up during every one of the workouts. I loved the excitement and the energy.

So what do you think helped you guys stay together as a team and come out on top, even with the surprises?

No matter how we did on each event—good or bad—we kept our mind on the present. We focused on what was immediately in front of us. We cleared our minds, let go of everything that came before, and just worked together on getting over the next hurdle.

How did you get into CrossFit, Olympic weightlifting, and The Grid?

I was always into sports and lifting. In high school, I played football and ran track and also did powerlifting. In 2011, right after I graduated, a good buddy of mine named Isaac Almeida opened Fit Strong United CrossFit. I joined up and I’ve been hooked ever since.

It seems like you have a lot on your plate—competing as a member of Texas Barbell Club, The Phoenix Rise, as well as CrossFit Jääkarhu. What does your training look like to meet these different demands? 

Currently, I do strength training 3-4 sessions a week, and I go pretty heavy on those. Then I have 10-12 conditioning pieces (like metcons), and 2 or 3 larger endurance pieces. These could be swimming, running, or long rows. I also normally have two full days off per week.

What about recovery—what do you do to ensure your best performance as a competitive athlete?

On my rest days, I just like to lie down and recover. I refeed my body with a lot of quality food—lots of carbohydrates. I also make sure to drink lots of water. If I feel like it, I’ll go for a walk or go swimming, but nothing intense.

What are you working on now in preparation for The CrossFit Games?

Swimming. As a team, we’re doing lots of swimming. Our coach has also incorporated a lot of “unexpected” training. He’s surprising us with things. For example, recently, he told us just to “be available Saturday night” for a certain time frame. We wound up working out at midnight, going for a six mile ruck.

What about afterwards? What are you working towards next?

The Weightlifting National Championships will be shortly after the Games. I’m still keeping my numbers up and CrossFit helps me maintain my body weight. I hope to hit 140kg and 180kg on my lifts—those are my goals.

Outside of being a professionally fit and strong person, what do you enjoy doing with your time?

My girlfriend and I really like to travel. We take drives out—maybe to a swimming hole or to find a new restaurant. We live in Austin, so there’s a great food culture. We also just like to try new things, meet cool people.

Where can people go to find you?

Facebook – Athlete page, Ricky Redus 

Instagram @Ricky_Redus 

Twitter @Big_Rikkus