16 Mar Meet Team PRS’s newest members: Chris Ruden & Derek Wilcox

By: Morgan Colling

[wa-wps]

Meet Chris…

If you follow our content – and obviously you do, because you’re reading this – then you’re already somewhat familiar with Chris Ruden. If not, you can read more about his journey here: Chris’ Feature .

In a nutshell, Chris was born with two fingers on his left hand and a shorter left arm; additionally, he’s diagnosed with type I diabetes and is currently on an insulin pump.

Despite all adversity, his conditions don’t slow him down. With a goal of becoming the strongest adaptive powerlifter in the world, he is well on his way and currently has a 1405 total @ 181.

Chris’s formal education is in Exercise Science and enjoys applying his extensive coursework in kinesiology, corrective exercise, and biomechanics to his own personal lifting as well as others.

Chris has a huge following on social media and on top of his education, he is working on growing his personal brand as a motivational speaker. He aims to bring awareness, content, and ideas to Team PRS.

Coached by Brian Carroll, Chris is coming to the end of a 14-week meet prep and plans on competing at the end of the month in Texas. “I’ve learned a ton about core work, deloads, and sustainable progression,” Ruden said. “Looking forward to a PR total.”

Future goals include earning a pro total at 181 and competing at RUM and the XPC Finals.

Meet Derek…

Next up is Derek Wilcox. In addition to powerlifting, Derek also competes in weightlifting, Highland games, and strongman. Since the beginning of his competitive career began back in high school in 2002, he has achieved the following:

• Elite totals in every weight class he’s entered (165, 181, 198, 220)
• Pro totals in 181, 198, and 220
• All-time WR squat 935 @ 181
• Lightest to ever squat 1000 pounds (at a body weight of 194)
• Top 10 all-time total @ 181
• Best lifts of 1000 @ 198, 565 @ 220, and 725 @ 220

Derek has known the guys from Team Samson since 2008 and shares similar views on how to be successful in the sport of powerlifting. Additionally, he’s a graduate student in the Sport Physiology and Performance program at East Tennessee State. “In my studies, many of the principles that we all gained from years being under the bar and finding success have been validated by research,” Wilcox said. “And I intend to shed a new light on these proven principles.”

What’s in the future for Derek? He plans on qualifying to lift with the best in the world at the XPC Finals at the Arnold and take another shot at the record books in the Inzer Pro Leviathan.

Stay tuned for next week where we will meet the remaining new members, Paul Key & Bruce Mason! 

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Brian Carroll

Owner and Founder at PowerRackStrength.com

Brian is a retired world-class powerlifter with over two decades of world-class powerlifting. From 1999 to 2020, Brian Carroll was a competitive powerlifter, one of the most accomplished lifters in the sport's history. Brian started off competing in bench press competitions 'raw,' then, shortly into the journey, he gravitated toward equipped lifting as there were no "raw" categories then. You only had to choose from single-ply (USPF) and Multi-ply (APF/WPC). Brian went on to total 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242 with more than ten times his body weight in three different classes (220, 242, 275), and both bench pressed and deadlifted over 800 pounds in two other weight classes. He's totaled 2600 over 20 times in 2 different weight classes in his career. With 60 squats of 1000lbs or more officially, this is the most in powerlifting history, regardless of weight class or federation, by anyone not named David Hoff. Brian realized many ups and downs during his 20+ years competing. After ten years of high-level powerlifting competition and an all-time World Record squat at 220 with 1030, in 2009, Brian was competing for a Police academy scholarship. On a hot and humid July morning, Brian, hurdling over a barricade at 275lbs, landed on, fell, and hurt his back. After years of back pain and failed therapy, Brian met with world-renowned back specialist Prof McGill in 2013, which changed his trajectory more than he could have imagined. In 2017, Brian Carroll and Prof McGill authored the best-selling book about Brian's triumphant comeback to powerlifting in Gift of Injury. Most recently (10.3.20) -Brian set the highest squat of all time (regardless of weight class) with 1306 lbs – being the first man to break the 1300lb squat barrier at a bodyweight of 303 lbs.

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