Amira Smith

Best Lifter spotlight from the USPC Raleigh Ruckus on January 8, 2022.
Top Women's Open Wilks 2.0...

​Name, age & how long have you been Powerlifting?

Amira Smith, 29, 10 years 

Best lifts in competition?

This past meet! 344 squat, 143 Bench, 421 Deadlift

Athletic background?  What you did before powerlifting?

i played Basketball, Soccer, and did track in highschool. Zach and I actually both played college Rugby, done bodybuilding shows, and strongman. 

Why Powerlifting?

I choose powerlifting because it is an individual sport as much as it is a team sport. If I fail there is no one to blame but me. 

Tell me something about your gym/team.

My Gym is Project Sixkiller Performance and my team is the Sixkiller Squad. I coach my entire team including myself. 

Trying alone or training partner/coach, team?

I train with my Husband, Zachary Zeus Smith who has his own gym and team; flex gym and team flex. 

Something most people you train with (or those who follow you if you train alone) don't know about you?

 Something a lot of people don't know is I am also a full time teacher ! 

Biggest inspiration in the sport?

MY biggest inspiration is my husband. 

What's your favorite lift?

My favorite lift is the deadlift! 

Least favorite lift?

The Bench!

Biggest challenge in your training?

I would have to say our biggest challenge is distractions! Whether it is our two kids one being a 1 year old or the people around us we have learned we need to eliminate those distractions as best we can 

Ideal training atmosphere?  Focused and dialed in or noisy and high energy?

Focused dialed in as well as high energy with the correct people around us. 

Training plan. Do your own programming or have a coach?

Both of us write our own programs and coach ourselves. 

Social media.  Positives and negatives

Social media is a great way to document your training through a cycle but can also be a distraction. 

Diet you follow? Supplements?

I eat fairly clean nutrient dense foods and don't do any additional supplements. 

Biggest accomplishment in your powerlifting career? 

MY biggest accomplishment was this past meet coming back after a terrible pregnancy with 100 lbs weight gain getting back to the 181 class after 2 emergency c-sections and a knee surgery to total my best meet ever. 

What's one of your non-powerlifting goals?

One of my non powerlifting goals is to travel as many places as possible with my family. 

Finally is there anyone you would like to acknowledge or give a shout out to (team, coach, spouse, sponsors)?

I would like to thank my husband who is my backbone and my training partner. We both are pretty hard on each other and don't let the other one slip up in order to produce the best results possible. I would secondly like to thank Pat, who does everything that no one sees to get us to where we need to be. Last but not least I would like to thank the Sixkiller Squad and Team flex for always showing up and showing what real teamwork looks like. Yall are the MVP.