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Carlos Reyes

@creyes242

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Firefighter
Former 105KG Pro Strongman and Powerlifter
Top 25 All Time Total - 2101 @ 242 Raw / 569 DOTS
2026🥉World’s Strongest Firefighter U105 KG

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Recovery is not optional #fitness #recovery

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A huge thank you to everyone that made this possible. The BFD HQ gym is looking amazing. Over the past few months the members have been working hard purchasing equipment and setting up our gym. Thank you to all those who have helped, all those who voted “yes” on the house fund voted,to the administration for assisting with our requests and everyone who was a part of us getting equipment for this project.

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Buddy shots! The fire service is one of the best brotherhoods there is. Today's post is all about showing those connections, featuring some of the finest gentlemen the northeast has to offer!

See more photos at the link in my bio!

@ctfirephotographers
@newark_fire_department_nj
@ct.deep
@madisonhoseco1
@stratford_firefighters
@bridgeport_fire_headquarters
@westportfd1081
@iaff1426

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Tore my full patella tendon at the Arnold during the frame carry… one of those freak moments you never see coming. I felt stronger, healthier, and more ready than ever zero pain, zero warning. Just part of the game I love.

Surgery went extremely well 🙏 Huge thank you to my surgeon, Dr. Jelle van der List, and the team at OSU Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute for taking incredible care of me.

Not gonna lie I was nervous going in. But thank you Jesus for a safe surgery and for keeping my mind strong through it all.

My spirit is high. This injury does NOT define me. I’ve got an amazing team behind me and I’ll attack this recovery the same way I attack everything else. (I have undies on in this pic lmao). Thank you everyone who was concerned during this process and reaching out. Love yall!

I’ll be back. Stronger. 💪

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Lt. Carlos Reyes Jr. is one of the strongest firefighters in the world, a member of the Bridgeport Fire Department and he joins Melissa in studio!

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One final smattering of Arnold photos for good measure.

Friends, competition, big crowds, bigger smiles.

#arnold #strongman #firefighter

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I’m not great with words and expression but I can’t thank everyone enough for supporting me through my journey. Texas is coming home with a win! #worldsstrongestfirefighter #strongman #arnold #firefighter #strongwoman

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Kicked off Arnold 2026 with World’s Strongest Fire Fighter Divisional Championships in the Middleweight Category.

This competition has continued to improve each year and I can undoubtedly say the quality of athletes in each class was the most exceptional to date.

Competition started with a blazing six implement medley for time. Thomas Inch DB, Log, Deadlift, DB, Log, Deadlift. @cody.wilson and @morgenhiner had some freaky fast times on this and @creyes242 and I did our best to catch up.

Second event was the Frame Carry, @morgenhiner and my friend Elezio set the standard here and it was about after this event @creyes242 and I started wondering who this Morgen guy was who was kicking the crap out of us.

Third was in my opinion the most brutal of the day. @stix_and_stone_ Hydrant Carry for max distance in a minute. Our hydrant was particularly cumbersome and hard to carry. We all brainstormed back stage and figured the best solution was to hook under the steamer cap. I did exactly what I told @stierhoff_strength not to do and switched grip to the steamer hole which turned it in to a duck walk from Hell. @stierhoff_strength took the event win on this EASILY and showed us how it was done. This event shook up the points a bit.

Finally, and my only event win of the day, the Keg Carry to Fire Hose Sled Sprint. As soon as I saw they added an initial sprint leg to this medley I knew I could win this one. I even told @geauxalex I was prepared to re-strain my adductor in doing so which I had given a Grade 2 strain during prep. I love doing weekly sprints and plyos in my training so it was really tough for me not to be able to train them leading up to this.

When all was said and done I managed to stay consistent enough in a true meat grinder of a Middle Weight class to earn first place and win my 2nd title as Worlds Strongest MW FireFighter. Getting presented the trophy by the great @frboniello was an honor as he claimed both the MW and the overall title last year and is one hell of a guy and athlete.

Honored to move on with @creyes242 @morgenhiner and the other weight class winners to Finals.

#worldsstrongestfirefighter #strongman

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Thank you to all the spectators, friends, family, volunteers, athletes and most importantly the group of people that supported me through out the weekend. It was a full circle moment having my old and new friends all in one space. More to come!

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Arnolds Sports Festival 2026
Worlds Strongest Firefighter
It really feels like a dream. If you would have asked me 5 years ago “where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?” Competing at one of the most renowned sports/fitness events in history would not have crossed my mind. I did my first local strongman show less than two years ago. No real goal in mind for the sport. Fast forward to this weekend, I competed at my third strongman event. And without contest, the best competition I could have ever been a part of. I took 9th place in the 105kg weight class. I gave myself a goal to reach the top 10 and I did just that. Given all circumstances, I am proud of how I performed. After dealing with a lingering back injury, doing a 20lb weight cut in 3 weeks (10lbs less than 24 hours before weigh ins), and a curveball or two in the competition, I would say this trip was a success. I had the opportunity to meet and compete alongside some absolute powerhouses. I got to share this experience with my brothers @mikeallen._ @the_grizzly_titan and @seth_dajuicetime . We had some great motivation thanks to all of our friends and family. Thank you to all my brothers in HFD and our union, HPFFA Local 3404 for not only sponsoring, but giving us the motivation and support to perform and represent our city and department at the highest level. Columbus, Ohio; I will be back next year, and I will be better.
Thank you @iron_oak6.7 and @dvm_codylee for making the trip to show yalls love and support for one another💪.
Event 1: press and deadlift medley. I got 3 implements in 21 seconds. I for sure could have done better on this one. I was worried about time and whether I could successfully complete the 2nd round of implements, so I rushed and ended up skipping the 2nd dumbbell and log, worried about wasting energy and not having enough for the deadlift
Event 2: 15.64 on the frame carry. Could have been faster, but I kept a solid pace and time.
Event 3: 32 feet on the hydrant carry. Turns out, it is possible to choke yourself out😅. Note to self: take time to adjust
Event 4: 31.46 seconds on the keg/sled event. Good but gotta get quicker.

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I’m excited to share our newly published paper on the neurobiological, molecular, and systemic mechanisms by which exercise improves mental health.

In this review, we synthesize evidence showing that exercise is not a single-pathway intervention, but a multi-system regulator of brain and body function—modulating neuroplasticity (BDNF, IGF-1, VEGF), neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine), mitochondrial health, inflammation, the HPA axis, and the endocannabinoid system. Importantly, the effects are dose-dependent: moderate, well-recovered exercise enhances resilience, while excessive training can mimic chronic stress biology.

Our goal was to move beyond the question of whether exercise works for mental health and toward how, for whom, and under what conditions it works best—so it can be prescribed with the same precision as other therapies.

📄 Paper: Neurobiological, molecular, and systemic mechanisms of exercise in the treatment of mental health disorders
🔗 Link to Article in Bio

If you work in mental health, exercise science, or behavioral medicine, I hope this helps bridge the gap between mechanism and practice.

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Another year down, with many more to go.

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