High school weightlifting: Lake Gibson's John Bregio weightlifts out of comfort, becomes state placer
It was a few years ago that John Bregio made a decision to change his habits for the better. And ultimately, his choice led him to becoming an eventual state placer and one of the best weightlifters in Polk County.
Bregio, a Lake Gibson 154-pounder who just graduated this year (2022), had already started working out in the gym just before his freshman year as a Brave thanks to the guidance of his brother, Jose Bregio, who had already racked up 10 years of experience when it comes to weightlifting and dietary plans. The reason: Bregio was — and to a large extent, still is — an avid gamer.
He spent hours upon hours playing his favorite games. His most cherished kind of shows to watch on television are anime. But with all the hours accumulated playing video games and watching anime, Bregio was bored.
In 2020, his sophomore year, Bregio joined weightlifting for a reason.
“It was an outlet, so going outside and going to the gym was a good way to improve my health, I guess,” Bregio said. “Playing games all day is not healthy. You need a balance, so (for me), that’s weightlifting.”
When Bregio started weightlifting a couple of years ago, it was more of a social function for him. Years leading up to joining weightlifting, Bregio was around those just like him: unique individuals who enjoyed video games and anime.
Joining weightlifting gave access to new kinds of personalities and folks who loved to compete. The Lake Gibson weightlifters oftentimes fraternized at Andy’s Igloo Drive-in Restaurant in Winter Haven. This is the kind of social fun that Bregio craved, though this was Bregio’s focus as a first-time weightlifter.
Still, Bregio did put a little effort into it. Often maxing out at 155 at the gym, Lake Gibson head coach Levi Hargrove challenged Bregio to go up to 200, and that’s exactly what he maxed out at his sophomore year. In his last sophomore meet, Bregio accomplished a clean-and-jerk of 165 pounds.
While Bregio didn’t get serious about weightlifting until his junior year, he tried a max of 195 at his regional meet, but fell short.
By the time his senior season rolled around, Bregio lifted like everything was on the line, developing his technique and muscle with his brother.
“I would credit my brother a lot because he was the one who took me (to the gym) every day,” Bregio said. “He would spot me. Nobody else spots me anymore. He knows when … to pull the bar into the rack when I’m ready. And he also puts me on a diet. … He gives me advice.”
Other advice was given by Hargrove, who specializes at the bench, while assistant coach David Cross is a very good clean-and-jerk coach. Both coaches earnestly assisted Bregio in perfecting those techniques.
“He’s a guy that comes in early, stays late," Hargrove said. "He cares about people, and he’s really expanded his family dynamic.”
His care for his new friends and the sport of weightlifting paid off. In county, he was third in traditional and snatch; district he culminated third in snatch and was the traditional champ; regional he was seventh in traditional and the traditional champ; and state, benching a max of 290 and topping out at 235 on the clean-and-jerk, he was seventh.
These were significant milestones for Bregio, though his impetus for doing well in the sport expands well beyond his weightlifting stats.
“It’s a lot to really think about it,” Bregio said. "When I do weightlifting, I prioritize strength over fitness. I don’t really go for a nice physique. I don’t really care. I don’t want to be too big. I don’t want to be too small. I’m fine with having a beer belly, because I want to feel strong. But my main motivation is the social aspect, the health aspect, and feeling strong. … I think it’s helped me socially.”
Bregio will take his weightlifting skills acquired and use them for personal training.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: weightlifting
