Next Level Generation Vol 10: Christopher Soo (@cmslives)

Out of all the powerlifting programs, the Russian programs are the more popular powerlifting programs, with Smolov and Sheiko striking fears in all powerlifters but most still choose to endure the long tiring sessions in return of its promised gains. I have Chris here who has done a few cycles of Sheiko and ready to share with us his takeaway lessons from the Russians and what it takes to be Russian Chinese Conventional Dealift brah (in leggings) as well as pulling mechanics with a rounded back. My questions will be in bold to help make reading easier.


Hi Chris, let us start by telling everyone where are you from and how old are you now as well as your current bodyweight? What gym do you train out of and what federation do you compete in? And are you a Russian in disguise?
I'm from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. I'm Chinese-Canadian. I am 23 years old, 6'1/183cm and currently weighing ~230lbs/105kg. I train out of Sportcentral in Richmond, British Columbia. I compete in the British Columbia Powerlifting Association, which is a division of the Canadian Powerlifting Union which is sanctioned by the IPF.


Can you tell me what are your numbers for the most recent meet/best meet as well as your best gym lifts (all time as well as coming into the meet)?
So far I've competed in two powerlifting meets - both under the BCPA/CPU/IPF banner. My first meet was in June 2014 where I totaled 1212lbs/550kg (Squat 185kg/407lbs, Bench 122.5kg/270lbs, Deadlift 242.5kg/535 lbs) in the 205lbs/93kg weight class. In my most recent meet November 2014, I moved up to the 105kg/231 weight class and totaled 1320lbs/600kg (Squat 200kg/440lbs, Bench 127.5kg/280lbs, Deadlift 272.5kg/600lbs).

My best gym lifts are:
Squat - 195kg/430lbs x 3 reps
Bench - 143kg/315lbs x 1 rep
Deadlift - 288kg/635lbs x 1 rep

(Thanks for the conversion #kiloclub)

At what age did you started powerlifting and how long have you been powerlifting for? What got you into powerlifting?
I started powerlifting at age 22, so I've been powerlifting for a little over 1.5 years. I got into powerlifting when I stumbled upon Bryce Lewis' channel on Youtube while watching a Matt Ogus video. I was probably very much like every other teenager who lifted weights - I looked up to bodybuilders and I trained like a bodybuilder. I became frustrated with bodybuilding after a while because I felt like I was spinning my wheels and I hated that there were no standard measures for success. In powerlifting, you either lift a weight or you don't - no bias, no interpretation, no bullshit.

After a while, I started to discover other big names in powerlifting like Dan Green, Stan Efferding, the Lilliebridges, Pete Rubish, Jeremy Hamilton, Brandon Lilly, etc. I became enamored with the passion that these guys had for this sport and also with the brotherhood that seems to exist in powerlifting circles. Around this time, I had moved to a new gym and started to meet other lifters that held a similar mindset (my training partners and I call ourselves #thepowerproject, this is why this appears in all my Instagram training posts). Being surrounded by great training partners and having amazing idols to look up, it wasn't long before I fell in love with the sport.


What is your current training program/training philosophy? What were you doing before to get you to your current level and moving forward from here, what are your plans (this can be goals/numbers you want to hit on the platform etc.)
As Max knows, I'm a huge fan of Russian Volume training programs. Sheiko's and Smolov's have worked wonders for me in the short time that I've been training. When I first started powerlifting, I saw great progress with basic Sheiko templates (#29's primarily, and I think I ran #30 once). I simply ran the cycles as written, deloaded briefly, added to the training maxes, and kept going.

When I decided to do my first meet, I also decided that I would make the weight cut down to 93kg/205 lbs. I was sitting at about 245 lbs and I had 6 months to make the cut down. I decided to start a Sheiko CMS-I cycle to begin my meet preparations. However, during one of my first training sessions, I had a slight pull in my left spinal erector/lat insertion and I had to adjust things from there. I decided to abandon Russian volume at that point and began to do my own programming. It ended up being something that looked like a mixture of 5x5 and Reactive Training Systems and it would suffice to say that it was good enough to maintain my lifts while I made the cut down, but I was definitely not progressing past old PRs.

After my meet, I went back into a caloric surplus and I also went back to Russian Volume. I started with a cycle of beltless Smolov Jr. for my squat and made tremendous progress. After that, I decided to go back to Sheiko #29 for my meet prep, but this time I would incorporate a few of my own edits - for example if a Sheiko Day 3 Deadlift session called for 4 top sets at 460x3 on paused deadlifts, I would escalate the weights in the later sets (up to 475, 485 for example), as long as I felt I could hit the desired rep number without going beyond RPE 9. I would also incorporate AMRAP sets during the last set of a session - so if the program called for 4 sets of 3 at 405 for squat, I would hit 3 sets of 3 at 405 and then finish my session with an AMRAP set at 405 - borrowing from Ben Esgro and Layne Norton's DUP programming. My squat shot up more than 70 pounds (projected) and my deadlift up about 80 pounds (actual) within a 3 month period (taking full advantage of the caloric surplus).

Going forward, I do not plan on competing for at least a year. In January, I will be moving out of the IPF Junior category, into the IPF Open age category and I do not want to hit the platform again until I can expect to be competitive. My long-term goals are a 272.5kg/600lbs squat, a 185kg/407lbs bench press, and a 317.5kg/700lbs deadlift. In order to inch towards those goals, I am going to be training beltless for the foreseeable future - with short term training goals (within the next six months) being a 227.5kg/501lbs beltless squat, 165kg/365lbs bench press and 250kg/550lbs x 5 reps on a beltless deadlift off of a 1.5inch deficit. These beltless training cycles will likely include some kind of Smolov squat program (either the full Smolov or Smolov Jr. done at half-pace to allow for continued deadlifting 1x per week). If I am not running Smolov, I will probably be using the RPE scale and doing a lot of auto-regulated work. I do not see myself doing Sheiko for a while because I feel that Sheiko is better suited for belted training going into a meet. I also do not see myself testing my deadlift max for quite a while. I also want to bring my bodyweight down to about 100kg/220lbs again, as I'm quite a bit fluffier than I would like to be right now.

What is your fav lift and how do you train it?
My favourite lift is the squat rack fore-arm curl... Of course, I kid - it's the deadlift! (I am disappointed that it is not the fore-arm curl Chris)

I am a conventional deadlifter that pulls with flexion in the thoracic spine (upper/mid back rounding) - I try to emulate Pete Rubish/Konstantin Konstantinovs in my pulling. If someone pulls with a rounded upper back, they are bound to struggle at lockout every single time - it is just a fact of biomechanics. This means that lockout specific work will do very little to improve my deadlift. Therefore, I believe that improving the deadlift is about improving explosive speed from the floor. I focus a lot of my training volume on deficit deadlifts and paused deadlifts.

However, being an advocate of Sheiko programs, I also like to use block pulls (from below the knees, usually about 4 inches off of the floor). Block pulls are great because the lifter can work at higher intensities (percentages) without destroying the spinal erectors. Block pulls at higher intensities are also great in that they compliment the deficit and paused deadlifts that necessitate lower percentages. I think that block pulls are a great tool for teaching lifters to brace against heavier weights and for developing mass and strength in the upper back and trapezius muscles. But I also think that it is extremely important that rounded-upper-back deadlifters realize that block pulls will not improve lockout strength directly - it can only teach bracing and develop size (and grip strength, I suppose). At the end of the day, our deadlifts will continue to rely on speed from the floor.


What are some of the toughest obstacles you faced as a lifter or in life (if you don't mind sharing) and how you overcome them? (These can be injury related or a lift that is stalling)
I don't know if I can pinpoint any specific obstacles, but my lifting career in its entirety has been rather challenging. To provide a little bit of information about my athletic background, I was a shotputter/discus thrower on the Track & Field team throughout high school and I trained in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu for about 2 years after high school. I was competitive in both sports despite walking around at a bodyweight of ~290lbs/130kg, at a very high body fat percentage. I never cared that much about losing weight because I was still able to claim that I was athletic.

In 2012, I suffered my third ACL tear in my left knee while playing recreational basketball. This derailed my martial arts training and restricted my activity for many months. When I had finally recovered enough to start getting active again, I chose to start lifting rather than to continue pursuing martial arts because there were a lot of politics in my martial arts school at the time. In any case, I didn't really start lifting seriously until a friend of mine came to me for advice about lifting and gaining size. I really didn't know that much about lifting but I agreed to help him anyway and it was probably the best decision I ever made for myself - because teaching him forced me to learn much more about training and the more I was able to learn, the more I fell in love with the lifestyle. In my first year of training, I lost 70lbs/30kg and became substantially stronger and this was all before any pursuit of powerlifting.


What are some advice you would give to your younger self should you be able to go back in time?
I have to admit, when I first started lifting (and even sometimes at this stage in my lifting career), I have been an ego lifter. I was that guy who didn't care about touching his chest on the bench press, who didn't care about full ranges of motion, and who didn't squat for the longest time. If I were to go back in time I would slap myself in the face and tell myself to become more educated about training before engaging in it. These days I watch people come into the gym doing things that are just incomprehensibly stupid and I find it difficult to watch as people neglect the fact that weight training is one of the most complex activities in which one can engage. My advice to myself would be to appreciate the science behind training and to really develop the ability to question "bro-science". Of course, I would have encouraged myself to start lifting (properly) at a much younger age!


Hobbies/life outside of gym? (other commitments because we all know that we are not in the gym 24/7 or are we? LOL)
Outside of the gym, I am actually a prospective law school student. I am currently doing a work placement term at an immigration and citizenship law firm as I am completing my last credits for a Bachelor's Degree in Criminology at Simon Fraser University here in British Columbia, Canada. iwill be writing my LSAT and applying to law schools very soon. The areas of law in which I am most interested are immigration, contract, and personal injury law.

The gym and school take up most of my time, unfortunately, but I suppose that I do have a few other interests. I'm a huge fan of trance music - uplifting, tech, psy, classical, progressive, you name it! - so I try to get out to see as many live sets as I can (plus trance music makes for huge PR's!). I have to say that even when I'm away from training, I'm constantly doing research and learning as much as I can about training - because I genuinely LOVE it.

Thank you Chris for your wonderful input on the Russian programs and may the Soviet power be with you comrade. Chris can be found on Instagram: @cmslives

Next Level Generation Vol 11: Hai Nguyen (@haisinstagram)

Following up on Christopher Soo's experience on Sheiko, we have another Asian conventional deadlifter who is also on the Sheiko Program. Hai Nguyen is currently in the midst of preparing for his next meet as of the time when he replied to my interview and it is interesting to note both similar and different takeaways from Sheiko as compared to Chris. So if you are planning to start on Sheiko, why not read on and find out what is it like? My questions will be in bold for easier reading.

Where are you from and how old are you now as well as your current bodyweight? What gym do you train out of and what federation do you compete in?
I'm from Australia. I'm 26 years old. Im between 94-95kg/207-209lbs at 179cm/5.9 ft tall. I train out of Strength Rise Up. I have only ever competed in IPF. Strength Rise Up is a strength and conditioning gym in Melbourne run by IPF coach and powerlifter Andrew Tang, you may find out more about his gym at www.crossfitriseup.com

Can you tell me what are your numbers for the most recent meet/best meet as well as your best gym lifts (all time as well as coming into the meet)? 

Squat: 210kg/463lbs 

Bench: 152.5kg/336.2lbs at meet, 156kg/343.9lbs at gym 

Deadlift: 282.5kg/622.8lbs at meet, 285kg/628.3lbs at gym 

At what age did you started powerlifting and how long have you been powerlifting for? What got you into powerlifting?

I started powerlifting at 26 years old (about 6 months ago from the time of writing this). Before that I was training bodybuilding style on and off for about 7 years just just for recreation. I got into powerlifting after three friends (John Paul Cauchi, Stephen Pritchard, and Andrew Tang. All Australian IPF lifters) suggested I give it a shot after seeing me lift. After doing one competition, I fell in love with the sport. 

What is your current training program/training philosophy? What were you doing before to get you to your current level and moving forward from here, what are your plans (this can be goals/numbers you want to hit on the platform etc.)

I am currently doing a 4 day Sheiko program. This is my first time doing Sheiko. As most people know can guess doing Sheiko means I'm doing a lot more volume and having less emphasis on 90%+ lifts. Most of the time I lift between 75-85% of the training 1RM. Before Sheiko I was doing a typical undulating program that I found online and wasn't made by anyone really notable. I got some good results from the undulating program and I did like the intensity of having to lift at 90-95% in the latter weeks. Before the undulating program I was doing hypertrophy training mostly for aesthetics since I only started powerlifitng 6 months ago. I'm not sure what kind of results I'll get from Sheiko (I find out December 7th at my second meet) but I have faith that the program will yield good results. If I do well on the Sheiko program, I plan to continue with Sheiko. If not, I will try something else, there's a lot of programs out there to try. Just have to find the right fit. Regardless, however, my short-term (12 months) goals are to rank top 3 in Australia in the 93kg/205lb weight class and to total 700kg/1543.2lbs. Long term, I don't really have any other numbers I want to hit, cause I just want to keep getting stronger and stronger and don't want to limit myself. 

What is your fav lift and how do you train it?

Deadlift. In the past I emphasized a lot of back training and hamstring accessory exercises to help build my deadlift. This worked well for me. Sometimes I would add a glute or lower back exercise (e.g., hip thrusts, hyper-extensions or good mornings). The only variation of deadlift I did in the past would be stiff leg deadlift. Currently, on Sheiko, I minimal back, glute, and lower back accessory work, maybe 2 or 3 exercises a week on average. Instead, I am doing about 7 or so deadlift variations (e.g., deadlift with chains, block pulls, deadlift with pause below knee, at knee, above knee, deadlift to knee then down, deadlift to knee with pause then down, full deadlift plus 1/2 deadlift rep combo). Personally, I enjoy doing back exercises. If I decided to continue with Sheiko I will modify the program to have some more back exercises. The variation in Sheiko, however, is very useful for technique building and addressing weak points of the lift. So ideally I want to have the best of both worlds (i.e., back strength building exercises and deadlift variations). It is, however, a matter of time and practicality at the end of the day and what is the most effective program you can use given your life constraints. 

What are some of the toughest obstacles you faced as a lifter or in life (if you don't mind sharing) and how you overcome them? (These can be injury related or a lift that is stalling) 

My obstacles are mainly injury related. My squat progress has stalled me the most due to two major injuries to my right leg/hips that stalled me for about 9 months in total. In addition to stalling and regressing, I am now at greater risk of injury. I have to constantly rehab my leg and hip, and maintain it in as best condition as possible. Its an ongoing battle with my right leg and hip. Overall, however, I don't let that get me down. I've had faith that the issue can be controlled. I've sought professional help and have found some reliable people who have helped me get back to a state where I am now able to continue making progress. I have had to place much emphasis on my squat technique as well. The injuries have taught me two lessons that I use to avoid re-injury: a. any pain should be addressed immediately, and b. technique is paramount. As long as I keep my focus on these two lessons, I have no fear of re-injury in future. 

What are some advice you would give to your younger self should you be able to go back in time? 

"Start powerlifting now!" I started going to the gym when I was 19. There was a powerlifting club there, but I never tried it out. I wish I had trained powerlifting for the last 7 years. I would have been very different to today. That's about all I would tell my younger self. Otherwise, I feel I've always had the right people to give me the right advice, so there's not much extra I could really tell my younger self. When I didn't have the right people around me, I always tried to seek the right people out anyways. I'm not the type of person to sit around and wait for the answer to come to me. I've always actively gone out and tried to get the right help and advice. I think this has been my greatest strength because regardless of my own perception of how I'm doing or how good I think I am, by always wanting to seek out help and advice I'm also constantly reminded of how much more I can learn and have to achieve. This keeps me grounded and wanting to always find the next step to get better. 

Hobbies/life outside of gym? (other commitments because we all know that we are not in the gym 24/7 or are we? LOL) 

Not much. Currently finishing my master's thesis and placement hours to graduate and start working as a registered Psychologist. This takes up most of my time. Other than that I have a fiance I try to see regularly, I like reading manga, watching movies and TV shows, and sometimes I like to cruise around in my modified Ford Focus XR5.

Fire breathing Skrillex  Hai

We would like to thank Hai for shedding light on Sheiko and wish him all the best for his meet. Hai's instagram can be found @haisinstagram. If you are in Melbourne, do visit Strength Rise Up to lift with he and his group of friends.

Cues for the Bench Press (@gshyoung)

by Gary Young

Before I start, I should add the disclaimer that whilst I have a decent bench press, I am not the strongest bench presser in the 74kg class in Australia, nor do I hold any bench press records. I have, however, managed to notably improve my bench from a 135kg plateau to 167.5kg (with a short pause) in training purely from technique tweaks. My best bench in competition is only 155kg, but that’s another story…

The bench press, like the sumo deadlift, is a very technical lift and, as such, commands great attention with the initial setup.  How you setup for the bench press will dictate how easy or difficult the lift will be.  These are my cues I use which work for me:

1.     Take your grip on the bar and dig you shoulder blades back into the bench.  You want to pinch your shoulders back as far, and as tight, as you can, and then down – ‘back’ and then ‘down’.  The ‘down’ is important, because you don’t want your shoulders to be in an elevated shrug position (you’re not working your traps and the traps won’t help with the bench).  The ‘down’ movement will help activate and load the lats, which is crucial.

2.     For me, personally, I prefer the maximum legal grip permissible in the IPF.  That is, the index fingers on the power rings.  You want to grip the bar as tight as possible when setting up.  You want everything tight.  Tight setup and tight grip. (Grip with is strictly individual and based on one's shoulder health)

3.     Mobility will vary from individual to individual, so the degree to which you can generate an arch will be affected by this. I personally have a moderate arch, it’s the best I can do given my level of mobility, and it looks pretty mediocre.  You want to arch up to the bar, as much as possible.  This will not be comfortable, and nor should it be.  The arch will help isolate the shoulders from any unnecessary movement in the press.

4.     Given I compete in the IPF, I need to ensure my heels are at all times in contact with the ground.  Once I am satisfied with the setup, I fill my chest with air and then unrack the bar, holding it at arm’s length with my elbows locked out.  My butt is also firmly planted on the bench.

5.     Once I am given the ‘start’ command, I pull the bar towards my chest in a controlled manner.  At the same time, I am also thinking about raising my chest to meet the bar.  The key word here is ‘controlled’.  As I pull the bar down towards my chest, I am also loading my lats.  Think of it as a ‘spring load’ that generates tension on the lats.  My elbows are also directly beneath the bar during this movement.

6.     Once the bar is stationary on my chest, and the ‘press’ command is given, I press the bar up and then back until my elbows are locked out.  

Das it.  As you can see, the setup is 80% of the lift; 15% is bringing the bar to your chest and the remainder is just pressing the bar!

Gary's benchpress setup

This is a guest post by Gary Young, IPF U74kg from Australia. Gary's best meet numbers are 227.5kg squat / 155kg bench press / 252.5kg deadlift for a 635kg total @ 73kg. He is currently prepping for Oceania in December. Read more about him on: http://nextlevelpowerlifting.blogspot.sg/2014/11/the-spirit-of-competition-derrick-kim.html

You can equip yourself with some of the best products available in the market for benchpress by checking out our shop: www.nextlevelpowerlifting.com (aka Slingshot and Gangsta wraps). Price is also listed in our blog for our local readers :)

Cues for the Sumo Deadlift (@derrick__kim)

By Derrick Kim

Do not Sumo deadlift until you are ready for it. Yes you heard me. Unless you have been squatting and conventional deadlifting long enough to have built up some basic strength, you really should not be Sumo Deadlifting. But both deadlifts are the same right? Not quite. Conventional deadlift requires a more forward lean in the trunk which places more emphasis on the back during the pull, whereas your trunk is more upright and the emphasis is in the leg drive in the sumo.

Here is my setup and cues in my Sumo. 

• I take my time with my feet positioning. Set up is very crucial and is 70% of the effort in the SD. A bad setup is a bad sumo. (3 o' clock and 9 o' clock)
• My inner calves are touching the barbell. (You need to externally rotate your hips out)
• I am balanced with a low centre of gravity
• I do a reverse shrug and forcefully push my shoulder blades down to engage the lats. I call it a reverse shrug as it is easier to relate. A shrug is when you contract the traps/ rhomboids forcefully, well a reverse shrug is quite the opposite. Stand up straight, chest up. Without your elbows at your side, now force your shoulders down. Do you feel your lats contract? Maintain this tightness.
• I push my knees out as I reach for the bar. (The knees must always remain over the direction of your feet at all times).
• I take a double breathe in, grip the bar and begin 'accelerating' the bar before it leaves the floor
• I lock my knees out aggressively when the bar reaches knee height, and my hips will follow through.
• I'm constantly thinking about tearing the floor apart by pushing my feet out during the pull, and locking my knees out aggressively to complete the pull.
I only allocate a few minutes to stretching and mobility work just to get the blood following. Some Abductor / Adductor and groin stretches to open up my hips further.
• Sumo Deadlift is all about keeping the horizontal distance between the bar and hips as close as possible. The short the distance the better. If your torso is leaning too far forward, the bar is too far away from you. That is not optimal. Keep your body upright and let your legs do all the work. The hip hinge is still there but your back is not doing the pulling. Your legs are doing the pushing. I've recently changed my focus to look up 6 feet away. I feel this helps me with a cleaner finish in the pull.

This is a guest post by Derrick Kim, IPF U74kg powerlifter from Singapore. Derrick's best comp numbers are 225kg squat, 132.5kg bench, 290kg deadlift for a 647.5kg total in Aug 2014. He is currently prepping for Oceania in December. Read more about him on:  http://nextlevelpowerlifting.blogspot.sg/2014/11/the-spirit-of-competition-derrick-kim.html

The Spirit of Competition: Derrick Kim (Singapore) Vs GaryYoung(Australia)

In all sports there are note-worthy rivalries and powerlifting is no exception. It is a sport that demands an individual's attention to every aspect of training and one that has its outcome solely determined by the amount of effort the individual puts in. Although powerlifting is about self-improvement, at the end of the day it is still a competition and top lifters do not just participate - they compete to win. As Louie Simmons puts it, "When you go to war, you go to kill, not to be killed." Rivalry in the sport of powerlifting has helped spur lifters to greater heights than they could when lifting alone and it is teeth clenching moments such as two lifters fighting neck to neck and down to the last deadlift that keep spectators glued to their seats. 

Today we are pleased to interview two very established powerlifters in the Asian Region, Derrick Kim from Singapore and Gary Young from Australia. When I first stumbled across Gary's instagram (@gshyoung), I was immediately reminded of Derrick (@derrick__kim) as both Derrick and Gary compete in the IPF federation in the Under 74kg Category. Both men have won the best male lifters in the weight category for their respective competitions. However, I do notice that both lifters have a different approach to the bar - Gary emits a more aggressive vibe whereas Derrick gives off a quieter but not necessarily less intense approach to the bar. I often wonder what it will be like for these two top lifters to face off. What are the odds that these two are going to step onto the same platform and lift against each other at the upcoming Oceania competition (IPF sanctioned).

I hope the following interview will help us get to know them better and show what it is like to have some (friendly) rivalry in powerlifting. My questions and comments will be in bold to help make reading easier. Derrick's answers will be in Black (D) while Gary's answers will be in Blue (G).

Before we begin, let's have a brief introduction of yourself, the gym you train out of, number of years you have been doing powerlifting as well as best meet numbers.

D: Hi guys, my name is Derrick Kim, 31 yo, married with an 11 month old boy. I train at Anytime Fitness Nex, Singapore. Started powerlifting training 1.5 years ago. Best comp numbers are 225kg squat, 132.5kg bench, 290kg deadlift for a 647.5kg total in Aug 2014.

G: 31 years old, married, no kids yet. I train at PTC Sydenham in Sydney, Australia, and have been competing for 2 years. I compete raw in the IPF 74kg weight class. Best meet numbers are 227.5kg squat / 155kg bench press / 252.5kg deadlift for a 635kg total @ 73kg.

I know that Derrick was an Olympic lifter before taking up powerlifting (stumbled across his Youtube channel Bonkfest), so Derrick, what caused you to switch over to powerlifting? Was it a change of interest or was it something else?

D: After about 7 years of oly lifting and nagging injuries, i was looking to retire from the sport competitively and just then powerlifting came along. It was a welcome change from the injuries. I did my first bench press in 7 years and i was immediately hooked.

And Gary, since I am not as familiar with your background as I am with Derrick (Derrick is a well known figure in the local strength scene), could you tell us more about what made you pick up powerlifting?

G: I picked up powerlifting several years ago, and that was when I started to focus on training the 3 specific powerlifts – the squat, bench press and deadlift. I was a regular gym-goer prior to that, but I had never really squatted or deadlifted. I used machines and dumbbells extensively, as I didn’t know anything about squatting or deadlifting – deadlifting was ‘dangerous’ and squatting was ‘bad for your knees’. Bench, of course, was my focus more or less every training session, as I wanted big arms and a big chest. I trained for the ‘pump’. It was by coincidence that I stumbled upon a clip on YouTube showing a powerlifting meet. I figured I had a decent bench press for my weight, so could possibly do quite well in it. The rest is history.



The following question is directed at the two of you, what was your first impression of the other person when you got to know each other?

D: This guy is not 1.58m as he previously claimed. I remembered I was only focused on looking for a shorty at the pick up point. But it turns out we share a lot of things in common and we clicked. Gary's quite literally a brother from another mother. (Yes Gary claimed to be 1.58m when asked about his height)

G: Throughout my 2 years powerlifting, I have never heard of Derrick (no disrespect intended :) ). I was tagged on one of Derrick’s videos on Instagram where he was deadlifting some ridiculously monstrous weight, for reps, which was in excess of my 1RM at the time. That was when I started to ‘follow’ him on Instagram. (the power of social media guise)

Both he and I shared so much in common, apart from our lifts, as we both came to realise after we caught up in Singapore earlier this year. We’re both married; we’re both the same age; we’re both about the same height and have similar biomechanical leverages; and we both shift roughly the same amount on weight on the total (Derrick, of course, has the slight upper hand for the time being :) ). We also had a lot to share on my visit. We shared insights into our training regime, as well as the different cues we use for the 3 lifts. Derrick’s a very humble guy and I am deeply honoured to have been able to share my thoughts on training with him.

Derrick, as you have been in the local strength scene for a while, what do you think of the local strength scene and what do you think is lacking in the local strength scene that you feel we can learn from our friends in Australia?

D: Its growing gradually but not as fast as i had hoped. While the interest is there, we are definitely lacking in powerlifting 'specific' facilities in Singapore. (I am happy to note that there are more commercial gyms in Singapore getting more power racks, power bars as well as lifting platforms)


Gary, as you have been to Singapore for a short trip and met up with Derrick as well as trained and interacted with a few of our local lifters at our very own The Gym Nation Feng Shan, what are some of the things that you notice about the powerlifting community in Singapore?

G: As I understand, powerlifting is gaining strong momentum is Singapore. There are numerous commercial gyms around, but none I believe are specifically catered towards the powerlifting community. This is where it is different in Australia. Whilst powerlifting gyms are far and few compared with abundance of commercial gyms, they are accessible in the major cities. In most cases, these gyms are equipped with power bars, calibrated competition plates, competition squat/bench combos, monolifts, chains, etc. – anything a powerlifter needs or wants to get strong in the big 3. I am fortunate enough to be able to train in one of these gyms and have access to this sort of equipment, not to mention the supportive environment and vibe the members create for the gym. Also, the powerlifting community in both Australia and Singapore is quite niche, in that most people know each other through mutual friends.  



The following questions are once again directed at both of you. What is your training philosophy and who/what influenced your way of training?

D: Treat training as a way of life. It can either make you or break you. But we all should come away from training knowing ourselves better and none the wiser. Say Yong, head coach and president of powerlifting Singapore, has been nothing short of amazing during my powerlifting journey. He has been instrumental in my growth as a powerlifter; from planning my training sessions to giving me a kick in the arse when i needed it most.

G: My friend, and head coach of the gym, PTC Sydenham, is helping me with my current training block. I train anywhere between 4 to 5 nights a week, with the focus of each session being on one of the big 3 lifts. There is also good mix of intensity in the lifts, but not to the extent where it will over fatigue or injure you. Generally speaking, I would work up to a weight where I could do for as comfortable double or triple without killing myself, and then do backoff sets to get more volume in. The concept of auto-regulation resonates strongly throughout this training regime, so I back-off on days when I don’t feel great or just not in the right mindset.


What is one thing you admire in the other person and would like to learn from the other person?

D: I admire Gary's tenacity and his training ethics. He had a stint of bad training sessions but he never gave up.

G: I admire Derrick’s resilience and his ability to stick with and believe in the program. Sometimes I find myself deviating from the prescribed reps and sets, or even the prescribed weight, for the session. If I don’t lift something heavy, I feel like I haven’t trained at all.


Although this question might sound a bit egoistic, for the sake of making the rivalry a bit more interesting, what is one thing you think you have over the other lifter?

D: I think i'm better looking. Jokes aside, i reckon i've got him on the deadlift.

G: At present, I believe my bench press has the upper hand. The bench press has always been a big strength of mine, partially because of all the years I’ve been amassing upper body strength when training for the pump. Technique plays a huge part in the bench press, and it was only until recently that I’ve managed to refine and hone in on my technique, which also unsurprisingly saw my numbers increase.

Any last words?

D: Looking forward to competing with you brother.

G: Can’t wait to finally step onto the platform where we will be competing against each other! 

We would like to thank both Derrick and Gary for their precious time and for giving me the opportunity to pick the brains of two very established lifters. We also hope that this article is able to showcase that despite any rivalry on the platform, we are all able to learn from one another and there is a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect among all powerlifters. They are now currently about two weeks out. 

Gary's instagram: gshyoung

Derrick's instagram: derrick__kim (with two "_")

P.S: If you like to catch Derrick in action. sign up for Anytime Fitness Nex: http://www.anytimefitness.sg/gyms/SG-0010/singapore-central-singapore-556083

Gear Talk: Powerlifting Belts Basics 101

Before anyone decides to shoot me down by saying that my numbers are not big enough to have an opinion, I agree that I don't have very big numbers but this is really just a beginner's guide to powerlifting belts to answer some questions regarding them. In fact this is a rather common topic and I will be regurgitating information that I have read on the Internet but I hope this helps to make things a bit simpler for everyone who is looking to purchase a belt.

As we all know the recent news that the IPF technical committee has made the decision to come up with a rule stating that all IPF approved equipment must have the IPF sticker so everyone is looking to grab a new powerlifting belt that has that sticker. My personal opinion is that unless you have the intention of stepping onto the platform and compete in an IPF sanctioned meet, this rule has nothing to do with you. IPF approved is not a quality assurance stamp, it just means manufacturers have paid a sum of money to IPF to get the technical committee to validate that the equipment falls within the legal measurements. There are many brands out there which are not IPF approved but still manufactures top quality belt aka Harris Stability System so if shipping is being a bitch and you are not going to compete, just grab a regular powerlifting belt. If you are looking to compete in the IPF federation however, do check out the IPF approved list on the IPF website (www.powerlifting-ipf.com) before making any purchase. As most of us are lifting as a hobby and not competitively, a powerlifting belt is a heavy investment (for us students) so it is best to buy once and leave it as that.

This article will hopefully shed some light on why a Single Prong belt is just as good if not better than a lever belt. 

Types of belt

There are a few types of belts that are in the market nowadays and I shall briefly touch on each of them, if you like to know more, I strongly recommend you to find out yourself before making a purchase.

Lever Belt

Lever belts, as the name implies, use a simple lever system to allow the belt to flip open and lock closed. The main selling point here is that the belt is infinitely easier to get on and off. However the moving parts aka the buckle on a lever belt can and do break. Most companies that offer lever belts will provide a long warranty specifically because of this. They also all sell replacement parts which hinted at you about how common it is to need replacement parts for a lever belt. The last thing you want is the buckle breaking during your squat or deadlift in the comp. Also, it is a bitch adjusting the tightness of the belt when you use two belt placements for the squat and the deadlift as some people like to wear the belts higher for their deadlift and trust me, no way can you get the same belt to fit your ribs and waist without adjusting. This means that you must use the screwdriver to patiently screw and unscrew the buckle and adjust them accordingly.

Lever Belt

Single Prong

If you like the belt at different levels of tightness for different lifts, or if you just like it looser for warmups, the single prong belt allows you to do this without busting out a screwdriver and spending a bunch of time adjusting everything. Also, the single prong works just as nice as the double prong but let us find out why people want to get a double prong belt

Double Prong

In my honest opinion, the double prong belt is the hardest belt to put on among the belts simply because there is more holes to aim (if you know what i mean). The idea behind getting a double-pronged belt is that the extra prong more evenly distributes the stress on belt thus making the belt more unlikely to fail under heavy loads. However I have yet to see a single prong belt break under stress though I know of people's lever buckle breaking. 

Single Prong vs Double Prong

PR Power Belt (you dun goof)

Inzer has produced a ratchet based lever belt that can be easily adjusted from set to set. This belt offers the best of both worlds. You can get crazy levels of tightness because of the lever system, but you also get the ease of adjustment offered by the traditional pronged belt. There is a catch of course. The PR Power Belt costs about two times as much as a traditional single prong belt and a good 50% more than a lever belt. Worst of all, this belt is not IPF legal. 

PR Belt but no PR, only PR in money wasted

Quick Release

Quick Release belts are similar to prongs except that they have a quick release mechanism. If you have the money, these are worth looking into though there are concerns of the buckle getting in the way of lifting.

  

Quick Release Belt

Thickness

10mm and 13mm are the IPF legal thickness and the more commonly found variations of belt thickness. If you are a heavier lifter I do think a 13mm is okay although it is stiffer and harder to break in. Expect bruising, lots of bruising. I myself uses a 10mm belt and it took me a while to break in.

Width

Like the thickness, the maximum legal width is 4 inches thick. I have seen 2 inches weightlifting belt but unless you are about that Olympic lifting life, I suggest getting the 4 inch thick powerlifting belt. However, a proper leather, tapered belt is appropriate in a few instances. If you are very short or have a small gap between your ribs and yours hips, consider the tapered belt. In the latter case, a 4” belt might actually dig into your ribs or hip bone. This can lead to unnecessary cuts and bruises and it is not going to help you lift more weight. Bones can’t be made to actively brace and push like abs can. Also, some guys prefer the tapered belt for the deadlift (hence the deadlift belt which is not as wide as normal belt).

Longhorn Tapered Belt

When and how to wear a belt

Before you say this is a duh thing, most people I know have been using the powerlifting belt as a cast, wearing it so tight that it leaves a bruise and make breathing uncomfortable. However that is not how you wear a belt. The goal is to use the belt as a brace to apply pressure against and increase the intra-abdominal pressure in your core aka 360 tightness and not as a corset. You should aim to wear it as tight as it is physically possible without losing the ability to fully contract your abs. Some people wear their belts so tight that they cannot even produce a full abdominal contraction anymore. Likewise, there is no reason to wear your belt looser besides personal comfort. The tighter the belt, while being able to fully contract the abs, the higher your levels of intra-abdominal pressure will be. Also, I recommend you to ditch the belt for warm up sets and only wear it towards your top sets and please do not wear it when doing your curls as an attempt to keep your waist small. SMH. 

Final Belt Verdict

To be absolutely honest I see the lever belt as a luxury especially since it cost more. Yes I do own a lever belt myself but I find it a chore when I have to adjust the belts for my deadlift and re-adjust it back for my squat session. In fact I would go for a single prong which is just as sturdy and meets my requirement and is cheaper. Yes I might not be able to do my lever flick at the end of my lifts but on the flipside I do not need to adjust my belt for every other session (yes some days I am fatter). Interestingly, this opinion is shared by writers of various articles I used for reference too.

I hope this helps in clearing some misunderstanding that the lever belt is the way to go for powerlifting belts and that the IPF approval sticker while crucial for IPF powerlifters is not so for non-competitive recreational lifters.

If you are keen to order one, email us at nextlevelpowerlifting@gmail.com

And the winner is Single Prong

References: 

http://www.powerliftingtowin.com/powerlifting-belts/

http://articles.elitefts.com/training-articles/benefits-and-proper-use-of-weightlifting-belts/

http://www.jtsstrength.com/articles/2014/09/10/choosing-right-belt-powerlifting/

http://tnation.t-nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_strength/choosing_a_belt

Next Level Generation Vol 6: Martin Baculinao (@monkeymartin_)

And featuring alongside with half man half beast Centuarsteve_ is Martin Baculinao, 148/165 Raw Elite Powerlifter from The Pack Barbell Club and IPL World Record Holder for the deadlift at the 148 Open Men Class with 255kg/562.18lbs. Let us take a closer look at the pizza fueled machine who believes that lifting form is everything. My questions will be in bold for easier reading.

Hi Martin, let us start with telling us where you are from and how old are you now as well as your current bodyweight as well as the federation you lift out of?

Born in Sacramento, California and grew up in Valencia, California currently 24 years old weighing in at 162.0lbs/73.48kg bodyweight, competing in both the 148lb/67kg and 165lb/75kg raw classes under the USPA federation.


Can you tell me what are your numbers for the most recent meet/best meet as well as your best gym lifts (all time as well as coming into the meet)?

I have done 3 meets and my current personal bests are all gym lifts consisting of a 425lb/193kg squat, a 275lb/125kg bench, and a 605lb/275kg deadlift. My meet personal bests are a 418.9lb/190kg squat, a 253.5lb/115kg bench, and a 562.2lb/255kg deadlift in the 148lb/67kg raw class.


At what age did you started powerlifting and how long have you been powerlifting for? What got you into powerlifting?

I started powerlifting at the age of 22, I have about 4 years lifting experience on and off because of work and school, previously did a bro split with no squats in my routine and I have been powerlifting for the past 2 years now. I got bored chasing aesthetics and wanted to be as strong as possible for my size and I’ve fallen in love ever since.


What is your favorite lift and how do you train for it?

The deadlift is by far my favorite lift; I get a rush every time I do it. As trivial as picking something heavy off the floor may seem, to me it represents raw primal strength and is one of the most satisfying things a person can do with their clothes on. I train the deadlift once or twice a week with a top set of 4-6 reps followed by undulating supplementary sets of a deadlift variation to address weaknesses.


What is your current training program/training philosophy? What were you doing before to get you to your current level and moving forward from here, what are your plans (this can be goals/numbers you want to hit on the platform etc.)

Leading up to my third meet I was doing a peaking program that we made, which seemed to be working well, but I bombed out (went 1/9) at the meet due to the water cut affecting my strength levels significantly. When I shifted from aesthetics to a strength building mindset I started out with Wendler 5/3/1 for about a year until I plateaued, then from there I was on madcow intermediate 5x5 the rest of the way. I’m a bit stubborn so I would repeat the same workout over and over again each week until I hit my sets and reps because I believe the body can and will eventually adapt. Not a very intuitive way of training, but it has gotten me this far and typically I believe that if I do miss reps it’s because of other factors affecting my training so I adjust those as well. As far goals I want to eventually get is to hit at least a 540lb/245kg squat, a 340lb/154kg bench, and 661lb/300kg deadlift at 165lb/75kg. Right now I’m about to start something completely different from my minimalistic barbaric style of training, heavy 5s and 3s every week, by transitioning to an autoregulated DUP program I created. Powerlifting has been a way to channel my frustrations with other aspects in life and like most others has become a perpetual excursion of self-improvement.


What are some of the toughest obstacles you faced as a lifter or in life (if you don't mind sharing) and how you overcome them? (These can be injury related or a lift that is stalling)

As far as lifting goes I had 2 injuries that were frustrating for me to deal with. A few cycles after Wendler 5/3/1 I injured my back when I tried to show off on the leg press and then I proceeded to pull a 335lb/152kg deadlift with a relaxed lumbar when I felt a pop in my lower back then immediate pain and weakness. That minor disc bulge destroyed my motivation at the time and left me unable to do any lower body for 3 months. Then a year later, 2 weeks out from what was supposed to be my first meet I disclocated my right elbow, chipped the coronoid process of my ulna, sprained my ulnar collateral ligament as well as both wrists from a basketball incident. I still tried to squat one armed the next day to no avail haha, but the injuries left me unable to deadlift or bench for 4 months. The way I had to overcome both of these setbacks was to figure out what my body could and could not do in order to minimize muscle atrophy and strength loss, and to strengthen the weaknesses I was still able; adapt and overcome.

What are some advice you would give to your younger self should you be able to go back in time/ to other lifters out there?

Form, form, form, and more form. I wasted almost a year having to unlearn all my bad habits because I was too stubborn and too ego driven when I first started trying to progress as fast as possible even with abysmal form. I have a disc bulge in my L4/L5, and occasional sciatica because of this. Get the form down first and the gains will come. Also if progress slows or stalls take a look at other factors that may be affecting your training quality for example, nutrition, sleep, stress, etc. Lastly, the easiest way to get stronger is to put on mass—simply put mass moves mass. If I could go back I would have told younger Martin to start bulking earlier, but don’t dreamer bulk—bulk slow to minimize fat gain.


Hobbies/life outside of gym? (other commitments because we all know that we are not in the gym 24/7 or are we? LOL)

Lifting = life bruh.. kidding, semi-kidding… aside from lifting I work and volunteer at a physical therapy clinical (prepping my application for physical therapy school) and am a combat medic in the U.S. Army Reserve. I play piano, video games, basketball, snowboard, and live an overall active lifestyle. I also drink on occasion, but if I’m preparing for a meet I will go abstinent from alcohol and hone a majority of my focus on my training. (reported to his lovely gf for not including her, notsrs. Martin is currently under curfew set by his gf.)

Be sure to follow Martin and the rest of his pack on Instagram: @monkeymartin_ (note there is a _ behind the n, what is with all these "_" lol)