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An Interview with 2004 IPF World Champion: PRISCILLA RIBIC
By Erin Dickey
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This year was a memorable year for female lifter Priscilla Ribic. She started out the year with an IPF World Record Deadift and 1st place finish at the USAPL Women’s nationals in Omaha Nebraska, flowed by a 1st place finish at the IPF Women’s Open Worlds in Cohors, France then another 1st place finish at the USAPL bench Nationals in Killeen, Texas.
Along with being a competitor, Priscilla is an Executive Committee Member on the Women’s Committee and is in charge of many projects. So how does she do it? I sat down with her to find out for myself.
Erin Dickey : So, Priscilla, how long have you been lifting?
Priscilla Ribic: I started lifting Nov 1999 and did my first competition December 15, 1999.
ED: How did you get started in PL?
PR: Well let's take a trip way back to high school for that story. I didn't do powerlifting, but signed up for their weigh training PE class and came to realize that I was pretty strong. I was squatting an easy 285 in just one of those thin leather belts, no wraps at 135lbs. I knew that I wanted to take lifting to a bigger degree, but didn't know how to make the connections (well before the day and age of the internet). So I left high school and didn't revisit that 'want' until many years later. I was fortunate to have joined a gym that had a local USAPL lifter there. He showed me the ropes and 5 weeks later I was in my first push-pull meet.
ED: How many days a week do you train?
PR: Five days. No complaints there, except I hate hitting the gym on the weekend (I'd rather be lazy and sleeping in).
ED: When do you find time to train?
PR: I make it my top priority, so making time is not an issue. I work a full-time job, raise a son on my own and go to school part-time, but I never miss a workout.
ED: What is/are your favorite part about PL?
PR: Being VERY goal driven and this sport is perfect for me. You set numbers, and then work your butt off to get there.
I really think the best part of the sport is all the people you meet, locally, nationally and around the world and with that, loving the travel.
ED: What is one of your most memorable moments in PL?
PR: I have a ton of them, really from all different degrees and levels, but I guess at this point (and closest to my memory) is the excitement of pulling a World Record and also standing on top of the podium as an IPF World Champion.
ED: What would you say is important for someone who wants to be competitive at worlds? Any Advice?
PR: Sacrifice I think is the key. You need to be willing to do what it takes to get to the top. Many desire to step up to the elite level, but think that it takes a certain mentality and drive to make it to the top in this game. The time, the money and the dedication in the gym. This sport is not cheap at all if you want to step out of the local level and go beyond. I personally have made many long distance trips to train, get critiqued by my coach, just to make me a better lifter. It has all really paid off.
You need to find a good coach who is going to help you along the way to make your goals, can coach in a way that is beneficial for your personality as a lifter and really knows what they are doing. As a lifter, you need to be willing to take advice from your coach and apply it to your lifting. I have seen many who can't seem to incorporate sound advice into their lifting and then never seem to advance.
Learn all aspects of the sport; gear, shoes, technique, training cycles and so on. All the little factors in the sport add up fast when applied right and result in separating the elite from the novice.
ED: What is your advice for Women in male-dominated Powerlifting?
PR: Be confident in yourself and your abilities. A lot of females shy away from this sport because it is male dominated, but knowing we have the same abilities, same drive and passion makes us equals in the sport. Work hard in the gym, be dedicated to your training partners and don't let yourself or them down and keep advancing. With that, we earn the respect and admiration of even the male population.
ED: What are your accomplishments to date?
PR:
• 2004 IPF Open World Champion
• 2004 IPF Open World Silver Medallist Champion of Champions
• 2004 IPF North American Champion of Champions
• 2004, 2003 Best Lifter - USAPL Women's Nationals
• IPF World Record Holder
• American, National and North American Record Holder
• Multi-time National Champion
• Multi-time World Team Member
• #1 Ranked Female in history based on Wilks formula for any US IPF affiliate
Set your goals high and don't let anything or anyone discourage you from them!
Special thanks to Erin Dickey and Priscilla Ribic for taking the time to do this interview for
2005 Womens Nationals Weekend!
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