Like most high school football players, Sprayberry lineman Reese Bulmash works out regularly in the weight room.

Unlike most players, however, Bulmash has turned his ability to lift heavy weights into a very successful career.

About to begin his season at Sprayberry, Bulmash has emerged as one of the top young powerlifters in the nation in only two years of competing in the sport, setting eight state records, 20 American records and 11 world records.

Bulmash continued his string of success in June at the American Powerlifting Committee National Championships in Norfolk, Va., breaking four American and three world records in the competition.

Competing in the powerlifting disciplines of the squat, bench press and deadlift, Bulmash set American records in the squat (777 pounds), bench press (375), deadlift (640) and the total weight of all four lifts (1,792). He also set world records in the squat, bench and total weight lifted.

"It was a great meet," Bulmash said. "I had great expectations and I was a little jittery, but I got four American records and three world records, so I was very excited."

Bulmash had an equally dominant performance at the APC state meet in April, breaking four state and four American records in Athens.

In the state meet, he lifted 743 pounds in the squat, 369 in the bench and 633 in the deadlift for a total weight of 1,745 pounds.

Bulmash began powerlifting in 2006 after being encouraged by his father, Dr. Nelson Bulmash, a chiropractor and a former champion powerlifter himself.

"My dad was a powerlifter and he was a big influence in me starting it," Bulmash said. "My dad and I would lift together and I guess he saw potential in me and suggested that I might try powerlifting. I looked at some powerlifting records, national records, and I asked my dad, 'Dad, could I break these records?' and he said, 'I think you can get all of them.'"

Bulmash made an immediate impact in his first competition at age 14, winning the 198-pound category in his age group with a 480-pound squat, 295-pound bench and 480-pound deadlift.

He continued his progress in 2007 at the APC state meet in Athens, setting four state and four American records with a 577-pound squat, 330-pound bench and 534-pound deadlift for a total weight of 1,441 pounds in the 242-pound weight class of the 13-15 age group.

At the 2007 APC nationals in Marietta, Bulmash set four American and four world records in the 242-pound weight class of the 13-15 age group, lifting 655 pounds in the squat, 330 in the bench and 572 in the deadlift - a total of 1,557 pounds.

Bulmash went on break four American records and four world records at the 2007 AAU Junior Olympics in Knoxville, Tenn., in the 242-pound weight class of the 14-15 age group, lifting 557 pounds in the squat, 314 in the bench and 540 in the deadlift - a total of 1,411 pounds.

Bulmash credited his success to the guidance of his father, who, he said has helped him with his knowledge of chiropractic and nutrition as well as powerlifting.

"My dad has really helped me with chiropractic and nutrition," Bulmash said. "I've never been hurt in my life and I've never been sick. Nutrition and chiropractic has helped my body grow at an accelerated rate."

In the football offseason, Bulmash works on bench lifts on Tuesdays, squats on Thursdays and deadlifts on Sundays. He also does work on his abdominals, calfs and biceps on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but only does powerlifting work on Saturdays and Sundays during football season to maintain his conditioning.

The powerlifting work has paid divideds on the football field for Bulmash, who has been in Sprayberry's as both an offensive and defensive lineman since his freshman season of 2006.

"It's made me a lot stronger, but it's also helped my speed and acceleration," said Bulmash, who has already received letters of interest from Michigan State, Purdue, William & Mary, The Citadel and Jacksonville State. "Powerlifting helps my overall strength and helps me get off the line powerfully."

Having already made his mark in state and national competition, Bulmash said he would like to eventually compete at the world championships.

"I would like to go to the worlds," Bulmash said. "I've actually been invited (to the world meet) three times, but I haven't been able to, because it takes place during football season. It would be great to compete at the world championships."

goshust@mdjonline.com