Meet Laura ‘Pocketrocket’ Sgro

Hi Laura! Congrats on being the latest member of Team Gen-Tec. Welcome to the team.Can you introduce yourself to our audience?

Hi! My name is Laura Sgro — soon to be Laura Tedeschi — also known as Pocketrocket. I am a personal trainer at Power Elite in Sydney, owned by Scott Hill. I have been working under Scotty for about four years now and I love it. I work long hours, six days a week so I do not have a lot of free time on my hands but I make it work. A little about who I am: I am an U60kg powerlifter that works hard and will do what it takes to get the work done to be the best I can be. My lifelong goal is to be the best and to be remembered. Another goal was to be sponsored – and that dream came early!

I love my job. I love helping people achieve their goals and encourage them to achieve more — the sky is the limit. I am determined, strong, will push the limits but I am also human and have my days in training when my coach Scott Hill needs to give me that extra push.

I am currently engaged, soon to be married and very happy in love. I also have a puppy.

What is your competition history?

• 2x Pro Raw Arnold Classic winner

• 1x Pro Raw Arnold Classic, 2nd place

• Ranked second in the world U60kg

• Ranked first in Australia U60kg

• Multiple winner of GPC state and national titles U60kg

• Las Vegas GPC World Titles ranked second

• Invited to compete in Kern US Open 2019

• GPC National record holder

• Competed in IFBB Figure

• Sydney Cup Winner

• Represented Power Elite on Channel 7’s Sunrise

• World record holder

How did you get into powerlifting?

I started weight training when I was 18 years old. I always wanted to be strong so I started my journey competing in IFBB Figure competitions. I competed for four years, placing third and fourth but I wanted to be better, bigger and stronger. So, I came in contact with Scott Hill again — I knew Scotty when I was a teenager. I told him I wanted to improve my physique for bodybuilding. First thing he said: “Powerlifting.” I never wanted to be a powerlifter but I trained as a powerlifter and competed in novice competitions because I knew it would improve my Figure career. After my first year of powerlifting, I LOVED it and said to Scotty, “I want to be a powerlifter”. Ever since then I have been coached under Scotty and I am the person I am today because of him — and, of course, a lot of hard work.

What are your upcoming shows?

My next big competitions are:

• Pro Raw Arnolds in Melbourne, March 2019
• Kern US Open in California, April 2019
• Sydney Cup, November 2019

What does your average weekly training spilt look like? How does it change between pre-comp and off-season?

My training program changes depending on far or close a competition is. We have 4–6 week blocks of training that change closer to competition. It is always 4–5 days a week that will go for 2–4 hours each session. Each session has squats, bench and deadlifts. Months from competition my program involves more bodybuilding-style, then closer to competitions the three main lifts get heavier and I do more weak point training to help the lifts that are focused on. When I am five weeks out, the fun begins; the lifts are consistently heavy till one week out, then we taper, then game day.

Talk a little bit about your general nutrition plan and how you eat around your workouts

I follow calories/macros that are set by my coach. I am very flexible with my eating; as long I stick to my calories and most of my food is unprocessed, I get to still enjoy the yummy food and dinner dates. Around my workouts, I always have a high nutritious meal two hours before I train and eat another meal around one hour after.

Can you tell us about your relationship with Gen-Tec Nutrition ?

I first tried Gen-Tec supplements when I started bodybuilding years and years ago and have stuck with their products ever since. My favourite has to be the Casein Custard — yum!

How can people support and follow you on social media?

I post a lot of my lifts and competitions on my athlete page on Facebook Laura Sgro Pocketrocket and my Instagram @pocketrocket_booom.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I would love to add a huge thank you to Gen-Tec for making me part of the team and to my lifting friends and soon to be lifting friends. Trust the process, stay consistent and dreams will come true. Sky is the limit.

Follow Laura on Facebook and Instagram.