Stats: Name: Caitlyn Trout Height: 5’1 Weight Class: 123 lbs Division: Women’s Full-Power Class: Raw 123 class



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caitlyn.trout

Instagram: CaitlynTrout10

Twitter: @CaitlynTrout1

When did you start powerlifting and why?

I started powerlifting in December 2012. I just began lifting weights in general, 2 months prior and absolutely loved it. It was a way for me to reach some of my fitness goals that I wasn’t progressing towards by doing cardio only. After, a month or two my coach saw that I seemed to have a knack for it and suggested that I start powerlifting. That’s when I began training for my first competition ever which was later in April 2012.

Often times female athletes are intimidated by powerlifting; How do you think the powerlifting industry can become more inviting to female competitors?

I think the industry should publicize more female powerlifters rather than focusing on one or two female competitors and the rest being male. They really haven’t focused on the female aspect of powerlifting very much yet and I think that if they looked hard enough, they would find that there are several very strong, feminine lifters out there that would make great role models for the women in this sport.

How did you become involved with Juggernaut Training Systems? Tell us more about the team!

Chad Smith, a current strongman and powerlifting competitor created Juggernaut Training Systems. He sponsors strength athletes like myself, trains athletes in several different sports, and features strength and conditioning articles, training logs, e-books, and other great resources on the JTS website (http://www.jtsstrength.com). The sponsored athletes along with other guest coaches and athlete writers mostly compose these well researched resources. I became involved with JTS when I was preparing to break the all-time world squat record for the first time this past April. By posting training videos and pictures of my workouts as I progressed each week while showing a positive and confident attitude, I really started to grab JTS’s attention and was eventually asked to join the team!

Do you feel more pressure has been placed upon you now that you are a sponsored athlete for a team as well known as JTS?

I don’t feel any more pressure than I did before I joined the team actually. Honestly, I have always set the standards for my lifting performance pretty high anyway. I’m extremely competitive and have only accepted the best from myself since day 1 so the pressure really isn’t anything new. That’s just the type of person that I am. Being a part of the JTS team hasn’t changed that; the team has only added extra support to my lifting and has allowed me to showcase my capabilities more publicly than before. They’re extremely helpful and supportive of me.

Do you recommend powerlifters hire a coach in order to achieve optimal results?

I think that as a beginner it is good to start out with a coach or at least train with someone that is more experienced than you are. It just makes starting the journey a little easier by learning the correct form, technique, and tricks of the trade from the get go rather than having to learn everything the hard way on your own.

How did your last meet go?

It was great, I achieved professional raw status and re-broke my all-time squat world record (352.6 lbs) and dunked it! I couldn’t have asked for anything better! I ended the day with an 872lb total.

Since your last meet, what key areas have you been working on to improve for your next meet?

I’m still going pretty hard to increase all of my lifts but I’ve been specifically focusing on my bench. I’d like to be known as a powerlifter all-around instead of just being good a 2 of 3 events.

What are your future goals in powerlifting? Do you have any upcoming events?

I’d like to reach a 400lb squat , 200lb bench, and 400lb deadlift within the next year.

My next competition will be the XPC Semi-Finals this October but I’m not going to put a limit on how I want to perform there. I’m just going to train as hard as possible and see what kind of PR’s I can get when the competition rolls around. I always shoot for getting first place in my division’s weight class though.

Outside of raw strength, what do you think separates an elite powerlifter from the rest of the pack?

Dedication to your programming and workouts. Confidence in your abilities and having the mental toughness to get through those rough spots in training. Consistency in your diet and workouts. Learning from your mistakes and not letting your ego get in the way.

What attributes have made you successful in powerlifting?

My work ethic. I was always taught growing up to finish what I start, to never give up on something that I want, and that 100% effort and dedication is necessary to achieve these things. I also think that having a positive attitude and confidence in myself has made a world of difference. If you walk onto the platform with any form of doubt then you’ve already beaten yourself.

Where does your motivation come from?

I have a lot of intrinsic motivation. I just want to be the best powerlifter that I am capable of being. I think that my motivation comes from knowing my potential. I enjoy challenging myself to do things that other people aren’t willing to do. I like to prove to myself that I can reach really high standard goals; it makes the sport more fun. Plus, that feeling that I get when I actually achieve them is pretty addictive.

Why did you enter your first powerlifting competition and what were your thoughts leading up to it?

I entered my first powerlifting meet so that I could experience what competing was actually like. The competition gave me a reason to work harder in training and I wanted to showcase all of that hard work. I’m not going to lie. There were times leading up to the competition that I wasn’t sure if I would be ready or not because I didn’t want to embarrass myself. After I got there and made it through the first lift I found it to be amazing though and realized that I did all of that worrying for absolutely nothing.

What is a common mistake that you see powerlifters make on the day of a meet?

Letting nerves and anxiety get the best of them. If you’re nervous, you tend to over-analyze everything, which is terrible. During a lift, you don’t need to think, just do what you have been doing everyday in training instinctively and you’ll come out a lot better, not to mention more sane.

If you could offer only three pieces of advice to a first time competitor what would they be?

Do not cut weight for your first meet. The stress of competing for the first time is bad enough without putting yourself through that too. Go to a meet before you compete to see what it is like and know what to expect as far as rules go and how things are ran. Relax, it’s your first time competing so everything that you do will be a competition PR. Enjoy the experience and then go from there.

What else is going on in your life aside from powerlifting?

I’m currently in my last year of graduate school for Speech-Language Pathology, which keeps me insanely busy. I start my internships for the program this fall.

Anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

Powerlifting is an amazing support that only builds strength and confidence in ones self. Women in particular should not be afraid to embrace their strength capabilities because it is a beautiful thing. It is possible to remain feminine while still being strong and powerful. Becoming masculine or “bulky” is not the end result, unless you choose for it to be and that takes other added measures besides simply lifting heavy weight.

You can follow Caitlyns powerlifting log and many other elite athletes at, http://www.jtsstrength.com