FORT RILEY, Kan. – U.S. Air Force Airman Stewart Johnson, a special operations weatherman assigned to the 3rd Combat Weather Squadron at Fort Riley, placed first in the ‘Muscle Fest’ powerlifting competition held March 3, 2022.
Fort Riley’s Craig Fitness Center hosted the powerlifting meet. Each event’s focus was to encourage service members active in weightlifting bodybuilding, engage in healthy competition, place new personal records, and highlight the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley’s commanding general, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. D.A. Sims II’s Victory Wellness campaign.
Started by Maj. Gen. Sims in 2020, Victory Wellness is a comprehensive, enduring operation to make every Soldier, Airman, Civilian, and Family member on Fort Riley more resilient and more robust across the five dimensions of strength: physical, emotional, social, family and spirituality.
Johnson, who began his weightlifting and bodybuilding journey less than a year ago, said the opportunity to participate in the ‘Muscle Fest’ meet was humbling for him.
“Getting ready for this competition, I was very focused and physically disciplined,” he said. “This experience put things into perspective for me about how I want to move forward because it got me excited for something.”
Johnson’s dedication to enhancing his physical health proved worthwhile when he placed first in each squat, deadlift, and bench press portion of the competition.
“It was a great competition and a great day for me,” he said. “It’s super fun. I’m feeling pretty strong, and I want to be stronger, so I will be back.”
Scheduled to be held twice a year, physical training events like ‘Muscle Fest’ may soon become a quarterly event at Fort Riley.
“A physical competition like this gives service members drive and something to train for, just like they train to fight,” said Chris Quisido, a manager at Craig Fitness Center. “I think it’s a lot of fun to see people lift heavyweights. People get excited about it.”
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