I actually remember the first time I saw Jessie Bradley. I was at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, must have been 2015 or 2016. I was coaching at a masters training camp, and one day I decided to stay in the gym after the masters were done training because the Team USA resident athletes were getting ready to do one of their heavy workouts to prepare for the upcoming National Championship. I knew there were going to be some huge lifts going up, and I wanted to watch the show.
 
All the big names of the time were there: Jenny Arthur, Norik Vardanian, David Garcia, Courtney Batchelor, Colin Burns, etc. Obviously, they were sensational to watch. But there was also a young gal I had never seen before. Tall, dark hair, and snatching 90 kg like it was an empty bar with fantastic technique. I leaned over to Paul Fleschler and asked, “Who the hell is that?” He told me it was one of our top up-and-coming youngsters, and her name was Jessie Bradley.
 
Now, a few years later, Jessie is one of the best weightlifters in America. She just finished up a monster performance at the 2019 American Open Final, winning the 81 kg class with 6/6 performance, hitting a 104 kg snatch and 134 kg clean and jerk, and she’s only 22 years old. Needless to say, her potential and talent are off the grid. The Performance Menu is pleased to give you a look at her story.
 
Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting, etc.
 
I am originally from Utah, and I currently live in Georgia for training with Power and Grace Performance. I will be moving to Milwaukee in February after I get married! It’s a bitter-sweet move, as I will seriously miss my team in GA, but I am looking forward to training with Milwaukee Barbell and visiting my Power and Grace family often. I graduated from Utah State this December and I am planning on pursuing graduate school after a short break from school. I have been so grateful to lift full-time while going to school. I do some coaching with Power and Grace, and I love that as well.
 
Describe your weightlifting history. When/how did you start? Who have your coaches been? What are your proudest accomplishments?
 
I started weightlifting in 2013 after a few years of CrossFit. In CrossFit, I always had more fun with the lifts, and so I feel like it was a pretty natural transition. My first national meet was the 2013 American Open (the one in Dallas with that giant ice storm!). My first coach was Cara Heads-Slaughter, and she taught me so much about lifting and life. Looking back, I don’t think I could have had a better person to teach me about the sport. I moved to the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center in 2015, and there Zygmunt Smalcerz coached me. In the year and a half that I lived there, I developed so much as an athlete. It was such an awesome opportunity to both learn from him, and train with the other residents daily. My current coach is Spencer Arnold, and I have been so grateful for his coaching and guidance, as well as the support from our team.
 
I think I am most proud of being able to represent Team USA on an international stage as often as I have. From those competitions, winning Junior Pan Ams in 2016 stands out the most. And, most recently, I am really proud of being able to end 2019 with a PR total and a 6/6 performance at the AO. This year has not been all sunshine and rainbows as far as training goes, and so that meet was encouraging and validating that I’m taking steps forward.
 
Please give a basic description of your training method. Just tell us as much as you can about your program, weekly/yearly planning, etc.
 
Spencer Arnold writes all of my programming and what we do depends pretty heavily on my competition schedule and goals. My training method has evolved so much over the last few years, and with each new training cycle, we sit down and talk about what worked, what didn’t, and then Spencer adjusts from there. I train eight sessions per week with double days on M-W-F one session each on Tuesdays and Thursdays and rest on Saturday.
 
Describe some of the obstacles you face, or maybe some things that frustrate you in your weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?
 
I think that learning to be patient with myself and the process has been the most challenging part of weightlifting life. Mentally, it can be so exhausting to show up day after day, during rough weeks, months, or even years. Being an athlete full time can be unpredictable and difficult to balance, but despite all of that, I absolutely love it. I’m not sure I can think of any specific changes I would like to see. I have really appreciated USA Weightlifting’s support, and it has been the best to watch the sport grow over the years!
 
What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting career? How do you see your future in the sport?
 
My main goal right now is to qualify for a senior international team. I also have goals of being more present and intentional during training sessions and more patient with myself in general. I am not sure how I see my future in the sport, but I know that I love it and I plan on staying a part of weightlifting for as long as I can!
 
Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?
 
I owe so much of my success in the sport to my coaches. Each one has taught me so much and helped me develop into the athlete and the person that I am today. The thing that I have loved and appreciated the most about every one of them, is that while they obviously care about weightlifting, they all prioritized me as a healthy human above just making lifts. I am also grateful for the support of my family, my friends, and my team – as cliché as it sounds, I wouldn’t be where I am without them.
 
Here's to more championships and records in the future, Jessie! Catalyst Athletics wishes you all the luck in the world with your career.