Right from the place we call here in MN "The Pound" I present to you the follicle challenged.  The taker of records, the coach of many. The man we know as Tony Reid on your next edition of "interview.

 

 

MAD: Ok,  What brought you into Powerlifting. How did the bald tower of Power get his roots in the worlds strongest sport?.

 

TR: First of all, thank you for selecting me to be interviewed!  I wouldn't say Bald Tower of Power...bald yes, Tower of Power more like the Stone Henge from Spinal Tap, I stand a whopping 5'5".  I got into powerlifting from my dad, Sid Reid.  I played hockey in college and then when I graduated I wanted to find a new form of competition.  I had been lifting weights because I wanted to get bigger and stronger for hockey and life.  After training with my dad and going to a couple of meets, I decided that's what I wanted to do.  I love setting goals, the discipline of training and the satisfaction when you achieve the goals.

 

MAD: For someone who has made major marks on MN Powerlifting and starting to make a stir on the National scene one wonders what is the method to your training?

Tony Reid at 2004 MN State Open

 

TR: I train with my dad and Judy Drenth.  Our method is we never stop training.  Dad and Judy are both Master lifters, so I have no excuse to skip a workout since they never do.  We train 3 days a week together.  Tuesdays Bench and accessories, Wednesday Deadlift and accessories, Saturday morning Squat, Bench and accessories.  I usually have a quick workout 1-2 other days where I do extra biceps, shoulders and abs.  For meet training I follow the Brad Gillingham training templates and plug in my numbers.  Between meets I vary my weights and reps and occasionally include bands, box squats, wide squats, conventional deads, more dumbbell work, inclines, and try to change it up.  After a meet we always talk about taking time off, but invariably we are doing different meets.  So while it may be a rest week, we usually end up working out anyway because the other two are in the middle of a program.

 

 

 

MAD: Tell me about The Pound. What is that all about?

 

TR: The Pound is my gym in my basement.  It's not a big deal to anyone else, but it's a big source of pride for me.  We started out training at The Gym in Apple Valley, but it went out of business.  Then we went to Bally's in Eagan, (where we met Judy).  Bally's was your typical place where everyone there "used to be able to ...."  Or they all had a cousin who knew someone that could..."  It got old.  When we had children, I knew that my training was going to have to change.  It took too much time away from home to drive to the gym, workout, drive home, eat, etc.  So, when we were looking for a new house, one of the stipulations was I would have to have room for a gym that I could do all of my powerlifting training in.  I've always wanted to own a gym, but it just isn't feasible, so I named my little basement gym "The Pound", I used my tattoo of a bulldog with weights in it's mouth as the logo.  Then, in tribute to those folks at Bally's, came up with the motto "All Bite, No Bark"  Then, my dad got me a banner with the artwork to hang and I had hats and t-shirts made up for it, just like a real gym.  I gave anyone that came over and trained a t-shirt.  We've had a whos' who of MN Powerlifting stop by: Brad Madvig, Tony Williams, Steve Born, Paul Wong, Aaron and Jane Welborn, Mark Jamrozek, Chris and Caroline and Judy's niece Morgan.  Like I said it's not a big deal, but I like it and it works for us.  

 

 
Training with Daughter Olivia

 

MAD: What else do you do? I know you do something dental.  I know you got some kids running around…. Lets dive into that.

 

TR: I work at a company called Dexterity Dental Arts.  We are a full service dental lab making crowns, bridges, implants, dentures, cosmetic cases, etc.  I am the lab manager and I spend most of my days on the phones with dentists going over case designs, scheduling, products, etc.  I enjoy it, it can be difficult and challenging, but overall it's pretty good.  I have been married to my beautiful wife Lisa for almost 12 years.  We are one of those couples that people look at and say, "How did he ever get with her?"  (I used to be a lot taller, prettier, and had lots of hair, hey things change).  We have 2 daughters Olivia (6) and Kayla (almost 5).  They are very cute and very fun.  They each have a pair of shoes they keep on the rack in The Pound.  Their little pink shoes stand out against all of the black Chuck Taylors, wrestling shoes and Safe Squat shoes.  Judy got them each a little belt, one pink and one purple.  So they will put their belts on and we'll wrap a pair of wrist wraps around their knees and then they'll lift.  They need the knee wraps for benching and pull-ups, we don't ask why.  They also love the chalk.  We train at 6:00 Tuesdays and the girls are in and out of The Pound, on Wednesdays we train after they go to bed, and we train Saturday mornings during cartoons.  That way my training does not effect family time as much as it could.  My other workouts are done after they are in bed.

 

 

MAD: What is your best experience so far in Powerlifting. What do you see is the future of Powerlifting.

 

TR: I guess my best experiences in powerlifting are being able to travel with my dad to the bigger meets.  We get to spend some time together and he makes it easy on me.  I like to just keep to myself and hang out before a meet, kinda quiet.  He just lets me do my thing and doesn't get upset if I don't talk for long periods.  We just kick back and watch tv.  Then he helps me with everything I need once it's time to lift. 
Tony with dad Sid

As far as the future of powerlifting, I don't know.  I love the sport.  It seems that there are a lot of emotions involved with the current and future state of powerlifting.  I guess I don't think about it a whole lot.  I get paid by Dexterity, I love my family, powerlifting is a fun hobby.  In my perfect world I would like; one federation, one set of rules w/ consistent judging, all drug free, and no gear.

 

MAD: Drugs.. What do you feel about them?

 

TR: As far as drugs are concerned, I don't get it.  This is a hobby!!  In reality no one really cares, my wife doesn't even know my pr's, most of my co-workers and clients do not even know I compete.  I just cannot even fathom why someone would do it.
 

 

MAD: Anything else you like to add?

 

TR: I'd just like to thank my wife Lisa and the girls for supporting me.  Also, Brad you deserve great kudos for all of your work for MN Powerlifting.  It can be a pretty thankless job, but we all appreciate that you do.  I'd also like to thank my mom and dad, Judy; Larry and Rose for financing my trip to Guatemala; Brad Gillingham, Nick Tylutki, Gary Grahn and Brian Laudadio for advice and help with workout programs; Pat Beaumaster because he is my idol and he represents all that is good in life and powerlifting; Angela Simons for her help at Nationals, being state chair, supporting MN, and being a world class person and lifter; Aaron and Jane Welborn, Tom Hines, Steve Johnson, Rich Edinger, Dennis Green, Karl Gillingham, Jim Cahill, Angela, Paul and Peter Wong, Tom Haggemiller, Bill Omundson, Joe Cooper, Rick 'snoop' Stanius, Keith Hare, Doug Moore and everyone else who has helped put on great meets here in Minnesota; Shawn Cain for his unending support of the USAPL, Hudson Natural Open and of course building the greatest power rack in history!; Tony Williams for providing the best original music; Scott Safe for his support of the USAPL over the years and for providing the best plates, dumbbells, bars, deadlift jack, and other equipment that makes The Pound the best powerlifting gym south of 165th , north of 170th, between Ipava and 35 in Lakeville.  No gym in that area compares, and that is a fact!!