Gideon Eliassy trained at night in powerlifting and had to go through a sitting when they found out • In the competition he defeated graduates and lifted 250 kilos • He is now a fighter in the Hatz company in the paratroopers
Gideon Eliassi
Photo:
IDF spokesperson
If you take a look at Gideon Eliassi while wearing a uniform, vest and helmet, you probably will not believe what his hobby is and what he likes to do in his spare time, if there are any.
A fighter from the Hatz Company, the ultra-Orthodox company in the paratroopers, lifts weights of enormous weight in his free time, and even participated before the army in the "Power Lifting" competition (lifting power) - lifting large weights.
"I grew up in Beitar Illit and at the age of 14 I started training. When I first came to the gym I saw who would later be my trainer - a huge ultra-Orthodox guy. He lifted crazy weights and I told him I wanted to do it one day. He agreed. I took it to a professional section, and in "I went to training for the yeshiva. At first I practiced quietly, without anyone but my father knowing about it. I would train at night, but when they found out about it I had to go through a yeshiva."
At the new yeshiva, Eliassy took the hobby one step further.
"I would train for four or five hours in a gym and eat like 20 people on average. Unlike other areas, here it is not possible to train on a specific part of the body but on the whole body. Of course, because I come from an ultra-Orthodox environment and sitting I also had to train in a gym that approved me. ".
Then he registered for the competition in Jerusalem.
He then weighed 78 pounds and lifted weights weighing 250 pounds.
He competed against other ultra-Orthodox, older than him, and came in third in one of the allotments and in first place in another allotment.
About three months ago, he enlisted in the IDF, the ultra-Orthodox company in the paratroopers. "My father has a friend who is a battalion commander in the paratroopers and another member of the brigade told me about the company. I made this move and I really do not regret it. But I wanted to realize myself. "
To his great regret, at the moment the training is being pushed aside a bit.
He currently lifts "only" 220 pounds, and trains mostly when he goes home.
He says he intends to continue in the hobby, and even try and return to the professional field, after release.
"I believe I will return to it. We always go back to what we love."