Today we’d like to introduce you to Adler Edwards.
Hi Adler, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born with a rare type of blood cancer called Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis, all under the age of 2 I underwent chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant at Duke University Children’s Hospital. I was very fortunate with my situation, treatment, and outcome. After my treatment finished I would always go back to Duke for check ups where I would see other kids my age and younger going through treatments and my desire to help others began.
I found the sport of Olympic Weightlifting in 2020 and instantly fell in love with the sport. I had a deep desire to learn more about the sport in all aspects to be the best athlete I can be, this desire for knowledge transitioned into me helping teammates in the gym and that is where I truly fell in love with coaching.
In the interim of developing myself as a coach and chasing my goal of opening my own gym I started “Kilos Against Cancer” which is a charitable organization that uses Olympic Weightlifting competitions to raise and donate money to different cancer research and treatment canters. Kilos Against Cancer combined my passions for helping those battling cancer, and the sport of weightlifting. 2025 is the 5th year we have had events with events in multiple states and over $30,000 raised in total sense the start.
I was a weightlifting coach in multiple places the most prominent in my development being “Category 5 Athletics” here in Tampa where I was mentored by Coach Zack Lebo. It is here where I learned the most, and truly started to develop into my own coach with my own philosophy and style. While working here I know the goal was to one day open my own Olympic Weightlifting Gym.
I took every opportunity I had to learn more and grow as a coach, while also being a full time student at St. Petersburg college to earn my Bachelors Degree in Business Management. While doing this I worked at multiple restaurants and odd jobs to make as much money as I could. At the beginning of 2023 I started to purchase the equipment I need to open my own gym in small increments (buying most of it from Facebook Marketplace trying to make individual purchases as opposed to spending all the money at once). I would buy things I knew I needed and store them at my parents house (in my room, the garage, the back shed).
Once I had all the equipment I needed, a business plan, and confidence in myself both as a new business owner and a coach I opened my gym. I am very fortunate to be inside of “Cigar City CrossFit” in ybor city and have business mentors to help me run the business side of things and I begin my journey.
I opened “Wood Weightlifting” in March of 2025 and have been working hard to continue to grow the team and develop everyone in the team.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been many obstacles along the way, the biggest being time and money.
I knew that I wanted to open a gym and to be a weightlifting coach, but I did not have the financial means to get there and at age 23 I also knew that not many banks were going to be willing to give me a big business loan for a business and career that is very difficult to make it in. I was determined to pay for everything myself which is why I would work multiple jobs along with school working 70-80hour weeks, saving money and planning out the most efficient way to spend it.
I was very fortunate to be able to live at home with my parents as I was in college and trying to achieve this goal.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Wood Weightlifting is a gym that specializes in Olympic Weightlifting and Youth Athletic Development.
The thing we are most proud of brand wise is who we have in the gym and how we represent ourselves which is “Good People, Good Athletes, Good Weightlifters” (and in that order).
The thing that sets Wood Weightlifting apart from other gyms is that we are not just a workout or a sport program. We are here to help people continue to develop into becoming the best version of themselves both inside and outside of the gym and the sport of weightlifting, and to achieve their goals.
My ultimate goal is to help people be the best version of themselves both inside and outside of the gym.
How do you think about luck?
Luck has presented itself in the form of opportunity and specifically mentorship for me.
I consider myself extremely lucky to have had my time at Category 5 Athletics learning under Coach Zack. During my time there is where I learned the most about coaching, both the actual coaching part, the science, how to write a program, and the technique in weightlifting and also what it means to be a coach, a role model, to help people learn skills to improve themselves.
I am also extremely fortunate that I was given the opportunity to open inside of Cigar City CrossFit with Benjamin Bunn ad a business mentor, I have been provided ample amounts of opportunity and support .Here I am able to take time to learn how to run, and grow a business with support.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Woodweightlifting.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wood.weightlifting?igsh=MTNiMXBmZTA4aHY4ZQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@wood_weightlifting?si=-QfsrDxXiK_HY_gT
- Other: https://Kilosagainstcancer.org
