Signature: Wade Taylor Hooper

AGE: 36

HOMETOWN: Alexandria

TITLE: Current IPF World Powerlifting Champion; teacher, Dutchtown High School

There is an inch-wide streak that runs the length of Wade Hooper’s back and straight across his shoulders. This is where the bar hits during squats, and it is constantly sore whether weight is pressing against it or not.

It’s the price Hooper has paid to become a two-time world champion powerlifter in his weight class.

Hooper stands 5 feet 3 inches and a thick 165 pounds. Last year he broke world records by bench-pressing 534 pounds and squatting 766. He trains five days a week for about three hours at Fletcher’s House of Power, a hardcore gym that hosts LSU’s 2007 national championship powerlifting team, as well as students from Runnels and Dutchtown just getting into the underground sport.

Hooper began lifting like most high school guys do, to bulk up for football. But with his small frame there was no chance for him to continue playing at Louisiana Tech, so he took up powerlifting full time. His success has landed him sponsorships from Inzer and Quest Nutrition, who pay for his travel to competitions, on top of a small stipend.

The 36-year-old, who spent part of his youth in Panama, teaches math at Dutchtown High School and manages the summer strength-training program for the football team. He even met his wife Kimberly Lynn at a competition—she was a powerlifter for Texas A&M.

Hooper likes to stay as relaxed as possible before a big lift, but sometimes his nerves get the best of him. “I like to be left alone during that day,” he says. “Too much distraction and I can’t focus on what I’m doing.”

What he is doing is visualizing himself executing perfect technique for bench press, dead lift and squat. Videos of his record-breaking lifts are up on youtube.com. In every one you’ll hear a supporter yell out “Come on, Hoop!” before his body tenses, his back arches, and the veins in his neck push out like ropes. And then like a heaving machine, surrounded by four spotters and under direction from three judges, he lifts an absurd amount of weight. Of course, most of his students at Dutchtown would rather hear this than algebra, but how often does it really come up?

“24/7,” he says laughing. “They’ll say, ‘I’ve been working out. I’m as strong as you,’ or ‘When’s your next competition?’ So I’ll spend a minute telling them about that, then it’s ‘OK, get out your homework.’”

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