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AUSTIN, Texas — Orange Theory instructor Brie Gomez knows how to push others to their potential.

"Getting people to realize that they're so much stronger and faster than they think they are is awesome and really motivating for me,” Gomez said.

When the 22-year-old University of Texas senior isn’t lifting up the fitness community, she’s lifting weights for the Longhorns club program and Texas Barbell Club.

"It makes me feel super strong, it makes me feel on top of the world,” Gomez said. "Especially when you do something for the first time, it's like wow, incredible feeling."

What started as a hobby has turned into a way of life for the chemical engineering major and Houston native.

"I kind of stumbled into this, and I'm so glad I did because I met this community of people and they are amazing,” Gomez said.

As a member of Team USA, she recently won silver in the 64-kilogram class at the Under-25 National Championships in Las Vegas.

"It's always fun coming in and training but you forget what it's like to compete,” Gomez said. “To have everything build up and to make that lift is the best feeling in the world."

Coming this fall, she’ll head to Uruguay and Mexico to compete internationally in several events.

"I would like to become one of the top women for my weight class and the country,” Gomez said.

Texas Barbell Club owner and UT weightlifting head coach David Griffin says Gomez' journey has helped inspire other women to take up the sport locally.

"She's still young, only been doing this for about four years so we're excited about her next four years,” Griffin said. "Our freshman and sophomores look up to her. It'll be great to see how that transends to the next group of lifters at UT.”

The ability to motivate and set an example is an attribute she’ll continue to hone as she pushes her own expectations in the growing sport. 

"Strength training is one of the few sports where you're actively trying to take up more space, and something about that is really empowering and I love it,” Gomez said.