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)

Next Level Generation Vol 5: Steven Lopez (@centaursteve_)

Centaur. A mythological creature with the head, arms, and torso of a human and the body and legs of a horse. Today we have one-third of The Pack Barbell club, Steve Lopez, 165 Raw Elite Jr Powerlifter, USPA National Record Holder, IPL World Record Holder. So what has helped shape such a mythical creature such as Steve? For ease of reading, my questions will be in bold.

Hello Steve, let us start by telling everyone where you are from and how old are you now as well as your current bodyweight along with the gym you train out of.

I was born and raised in southern California. I am 22 years old and my bodyweight currently fluctuates between 175-176. I train out of Clientrainers gym in San Dimas, CA.


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 recently completed IPL World's with a 507 squat (went 1 for 3), 297.5 bench (went 1 for 3), 640.5 deadlift (went 3 for 3) and a 1445 total. Before that I completed USPA National's with a 518 squat (went 2 for 3), 314 bench (went 3 for 3), 567 deadlift (went 1 for 3) and a 1399 total. My best lifts are a 536 squat, 315 bench, and a 640.5 deadlift. I will be looking to hit my new estimated 1rm squat of 545 in training soon, as I was not able to complete it at my most recent meet.


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

I have been powerlifting competitively for 8 months and have since done 4 meets. However I have been strength training and training like a powerlifter for several years. High school football led me to strength training during the off-season to put on muscle mass, and a passion for lifting heavy weights led me to powerlifting.


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

My favorite lift is the squat. I train it 3 times a week in a Heavy/Light (recovery)/Medium scheme.
(very apt for a man with horse legs)


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 coming out of a peaking phase from my last meet, but before that I was solely a 5x5 full body workout guy. I utilized the popular internet program stronglifts 5x5 followed by madcow intermediate 5x5 and further modified it over the course of a few years, leading me to my lifts today. From here I may venture out and experiment with newer training philosophies such as D.U.P. or Auto-Regulation training; although I may give 5x5 one last go with the Texas Method popularized by Mark Rippetoe. My plans from here are to achieve a 1500 raw total on the platform, and possibly play around with some knee wraps in the near future.


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 strangely hurt my lower back during a warm up set on deadlifts a few weeks prior to USPA Nationals (July) and still deal with the nagging injury to this day. I never feel like it's 100% when I lift but I still train through it. Thorough warm-ups, stretching, foam rolling, heat pads, and massage keep it manageable.



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?

1. Stay consistent in the gym. 2. Start tracking macros; it's not all about how much you eat, it's making sure you're eating near your optimal amounts. I've lost a lot of time due to inconsistency in my younger lifting years and time spend dieting to lean out that could have been avoided if i didn't dirty bulk for years.

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

I enjoy training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which I was doing frequently before this past year. However, I had to choose between BJJ or powerlifting to pursue in order to give my all at one or the other. I also love playing football and if I had the size for it I would have definitely pursued a professional career; I was an all-league fullback and linebacker in high school, yet too undersized at 5'8" to advance my skills to the next level. 

\

Unquestionable Depth

Be sure to follow Steve and the rest of The Pack Barbell Club on Instagram @centaursteve_ (a _ behind the 'e')

Next Level Generation Vol 4: Chris Coronel (@weeabrah)

I am sure most of us want to travel to Barbellbrigade at some point of our lives to train with Bart and the rest of the Barbell Brigade. Today I have someone who have been there and set some sickening PRs at that place. Introducing Chris aka Weeabrah, and we hope to follow up this interview series with the rest of his crew and also to get him to step onto the platform. Chris, when you read this, step onto the platform, your body is ready.

Hello Chris, let us start by telling everyone where you are from and how old are you now, your current body weight as well as the gym you train at.

I'm Chris Coronel and I'm from Southern California. Lived here all my life and it's really hard thinking about leaving home. I'm actually older than people think. I'm 24. My current bodyweight is hovering around 205. I eat a bunch of different food day to day so my water weight fluctuates a lot! (same here bro, although Jen has been asking me to stop munching on my cheese fries. feels)


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've actually never competed in a meet as of yet. As I type this out, I'm starting to wonder why included in these inteviews along with all of these other established lifters! I'm still relatively new to the world of powerlifting. My best gym lifts are currently a 455 Squat, 350 Bench, and a 615 Deadlift. My most recent PR involved a 585x5 deadlift set.

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

I've only started powerlifting type training a year ago, so when I was 23. Though I've been generally lifting casually since I was 19. I always focused more on muscle contraction and trying to like "aesthetic". One of the main reasons why I started powerlifting was because of the people I've met at my school gym. We built a small community of like-minded individuals at our college's gym, and have made an atmosphere that only pushes us forward when we are all together. I love every second I'm with them.


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've never been one to follow programs. I'm the kind of lifter that strictly goes by how I feel on a given day. I will set out a goal the day prior of a session. So if I were to try and hit a few heavy sets of squats for a 3x3, and if I'm not feeling it during my warmup or early working sets than I'll gladly lower the weight and work on either form, volume work, or speed work. I adapt conjugate style training within my workouts, and auto-regulate as needed. Before powerlifting, I would stick to bodybuilding high rep ranges. My current goals as far as lifts go are a 500 Squat, 365 Pause Bench, and 650 Deadlift. Once I feel like I'm able to hit close to these numbers, I'll start thinking about entering my first powerlifting meet!


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

My favorite lift has got to be the deadlift. I'm not saying that just because it is my best lift, but the thought of lifting a weight from a dead stop seems badass. Compared to the squat, where it is as if you are trying to escape death by pushing up the weight from your back, with the deadlift, it's as if you are inviting death as you pull the weight off from the floor. It shows pluck and takes a special person to want something so bad that they are willing to break themselves for it.


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)

The toughest obstacle for me was definitely my weight. I was fat/obese for a large portion of my life from when I was 13-20. I weighed 295 pounds at my heaviest when I was 19. I always told myself I would eventually get fit and lose all the weight, and so I just buckled down when I turned 20 and decided to finally get myself together.


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

Rather than tell myself advice, I'd much rather beat myself up. I feel like that would send a message to my younger self much more than words. (I can relate to this)



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 lifting weights, besides playing basketball I am a very sedentary person. I'm a huge nerd, and constantly watch anime, read manga, and used to play video games all the time (primarily MMOs). I've stopped playing games since I've prioritized my training over it, but to this day I still read manga and watch anime profusely. I remember one summer catching up to the show "One Piece". For the misinformed, that is over 500 episodes being watched within 2 months. How I miss those days of being a lazy slob....

We hope that when Chris read this message he has decided to train and step on the platform (must be like the 100th time I repeat this). Follow Chris on Instagram @weeabrah and his crew at CSUNPOWERLIFTING

Next Level Generation Vol 3: Abraham Casas (@bigboyweights)

If you have been on Instagram long enough and you find yourself watching deadlift videos, you will most likely see a handsome long hair dude in a beanie deadlifting insane amounts of weights. Yes, introducing none other than the man himself, Mr Bigboyweights and what got him into lifting big boy weights. My questions will be in bold for easier reading.

Hello Mr Bigboyweights, let us start by telling everyone where you are from and how old are you now, your current body weight as well as the gym you train at. 

I'm from a little city called Harlingen deep in the south of Texas, all the way down the United States. I just turned 22 in October. My current bodyweight is around 207lbs, gained about 16lbs from the meet I just did last month where I weighed in at 191lbs. I train out of Dave's Weight Club.


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 just started competing this year, only done two meets so far, one in July and one last month in October. I'll be going for my third one before the year ends on December 6th. I hit a 545lb Squat, 315lb Bench, and a 650lb Deadlift my last meet which was also my best one. Added more than 200 points to my total from the meet in July and also ended up taking first in the 198lb weight class and overall best lifter. I would love to hit my best gym lifts at my next meet which would be a 550lb squat, 325lb Bench, and a 700lb Deadlift.


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 21. I've been powerlifting for about a year now. I was bodybuilding for about 4 years before I started strength training. I made the switch over to Powerlifting because I got inspired by a Dan Green video and I knew from there where you could still be jacked and strong as hell.


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.)

My favorite lift would also be my strongest which would be the deadlift. I hit deadlifts about two times a week. I usually work up to a heavy single, do 5 sets x 5 reps, then hit deficits and work on my lockout with barbell hyper extensions. I recently switched my form over to sumo because I believe I can pull more that way than conventional. (It was a personal choice.)

I'm currently on a legs, push, pull program. I train 6 days a week and hit the main lifts twice a week, sometimes 3 depending if I got a competition soon. I usually hit the main lifts first then do accessory work after like OHP, tricep pushdowns, pull-ups, incline chest presses, etc, bodybuilding exercises you can say. I know most powerlifters go by percentages, but I feel this is what works best for me so I'm going to keep training this way. My current goal right now is to hit a 1600 total and my next competition. My long term goal is to hit a 2000 total in the future. Anything in this life is possible depending on how hard you're willing to go to reach that goal.


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)

One of the toughest and hardest things to ever happen to a lifter would have to be injury. I almost blew out a knee last year while failing a 455lb Squat. Now a days that would be a warm up squat but last year it was a different story, it's a good feeling knowing the strength progression one can make. I couldn't squat for about two months but thank God it wasn't to serious. Still I showed up to the gym to stretch and do bits of leg accessory work which that made me recover much faster. As for outside the gym, hardest thing an individual has to go through is a death to someone you really cared about. It's been two years since I lost my gramps to who I was extremely close to but I know he would be proud of me and the choices I've made to this day.

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

If I can go back in time, I would tell my younger self to start lifting asap as well as do your research on nutrition and training. Because back then I would eat nothing but tuna and white rice, and I was actually one of those people who took cell tech haha thinking I would look like Jay Cutler that way. Everyday was upper body day as well...train your legs and do your squat fellas.

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

I work in the construction/house remodeling business. Love spending time with family/friends because in this life, without having people you love and care for, it's meaningless. (just my opinion) Going out with friends, meeting ladies having a few drinks. I'm not really the going out partying type, but once in a while doesn't hurt because I'm right in the gym the next day ;)

Last but not least, how much does the beanie add to your deadlifts?

My power comes from the beanie actually, it's here to stay :)

Thank you Abraham for your time brother. As mentioned, he trains out of Dave's Weight Club in South Texas and we are trying to patent his beanie of strength for mass production. You may follow him on Instagram @bigboyweights

Next Level Generation Vol 2: Phillip Dodson (@far_beyond_driven__)

Today we introduce the other half of the two men tag team, Phil, who is "built like a brick shithouse" as commented by Bobby Fields. Like Nick, Phil competes in the USPA and is the current America record holder for the deadlift at the 110kg/242lbs calss for Junior men 18-19 and he talk about what motivates him and how he is far beyond driven. My questions will be in bold to make the reading easier.

Hello Phil, let us start by telling everyone where you are from and how old are you now, your current body weight as well as the gym you train at.

My name is Phillip Dodson, most people call me Phil. I grew up in Fulton County, Pennsylvania, but currently living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I'm 20 years old, current bodyweight is between 266 - 269 daily. I'm currently bulking for the winter and the goal is to get up to 275 so I have a few more pounds to go.

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)?

My most recent meets were 2 or 3 months ago. The lightest bodyweight I've competed at was 230lbs but for most of my meets I competed at about 240lbs, so I have only competed in the 242lb weight class. My best lifts at my meets were 375lb bench, 644lb deadlift, and 451lb squat (my squat sucks, I don't train squats enough) giving me a 1470 total. I currently hold the USPA American record for 18-19yr old 242lb weight class deadlift. I turned 20 about 6 months ago. In training (at 240lbs) I have successfully benched 385 touch and go, but haven't been able to get that in a meet yet. I haven't done any maximal lifts since gaining weight but I expect my lifts to have increased. At my next meet I'm hoping for atleast a 700lb deadlift, 405lb bench, and 500lb squat.

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

I started messing around with weights at about 9 when my dad bought me a complete Olympic weight set and a complete set of dumbbells from 15lbs to 140lbs. I would do crazy workouts like benching a 10rep max for like 30 sets with minimal rest, then doing a 30rep max for 30 more sets also with minimal rest. I had no idea what I was doing but I knew I just wanted to lift, wether it was a good or bad workout plan. I also had no concept of diet until I was about 14. At about 14 I discovered the limitless workout information the internet possessed I started doing a lot of research and got on a good diet and workout plan, and also started meeting goals. 

 I think my biggest motivation to start lifting was my dad. He was always very muscular and strong as hell. He's about 5' 7" and was always very thick and broad with huge shoulders and big veiny forearms, and had a drastic "V" shape. He's extremely self motivated and puts 1000% effort into every thing he does. And he was always kickin my ass.

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 lifted intensely through highschool, graduating at 17yrs old, weighing about 225, and benching 345lbs, deadlifting 480lbs, and squatting 345lbs the week prior to graduation. I never specifically wanted to be a "powerlifter" but always wanted the physique of a bodybuilder and I based most of my training on accessory muscles, still benching but in a higher rep range. I never trained squats or deadlifts at all during highschool, or even after highschool. It wasn't until about a year ago that I started doing deadlifts and squats, I just never had a big interest in them for some reason.
Currently I'm bulking so my training involves alot more basic movements and volume, somewhat lower reps and moderately heavy weight. For example, my current chest day looks like this:

Flat bench: - 2 warm up sets (135x10)(225x10)
- 290x10 for 5 or 6 sets
- 280x10 for 5 or 6 sets
- 275x10 for 2 or 3 sets
- 265x10 for 2 or 3 sets
- 245x10 for 2 or 3 sets
- 225 to failure, usually about 10 reps tho

Heavy Flat Bench Flys for 5-6 sets
Heavy Incline Bench Flys for 5-6 sets
- This workout usually takes about 2 hours, and I'm always sore as fuck the next few days

I'm not going to lay out all my muscle groups and workouts, but hopefully u can see that it's decently heavy weight at a moderate rep range, with a lot of volume, consisting of very basic exercises. However when I'm cutting I usually add 2 or so more exercises at slightly higher reps, lower weight, and a little less volume to hone in on specific areas and details like the upper and mid sections of chest. Also when cutting my diet cleans up a bit and start some cardio. Right now my diet is pretty crazy, usually eating about 5-6000 calories a day. Daily I usually eat a supreme pizza (with stuffed crust haha), a gallon of milk, about 1.5lbs of chicken, and a TON of poptarts and candy!
My goals for the future are to continue to grow into a very large, aesthetically pleasing build and possibly even compete in a few bodybuilding competitions. I'll likely always compete in powerlifting meets in the off season just for fun. Although I train for physique purposes, I would like to have (within 10 years) an 800lb deadlift, 650lb squat, and 450lb bench.

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)

So far I luckily haven't had any major obstacles to overcome. I haven't had any injuries or anything to get in the way of lifting. Im in college for Nursing so the only problem I face from time to time is making time for the gym while going to college and working, but usually it's nothing major that requires much time away from the weight room. I might have to skip a day or two at the gym every few weeks but nothing any worse than that yet.

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

Some advice that I would give to my younger self would have been to start eating correctly and eat for purpose rather than pleasure, and also to train deadlifts and squats like crazy. Had I trained my deadlifts and squats from age 14, or even earlier, I would be willing to bet that now my deadlift would be around 800lbs and my squat around 650lbs by now. At my recent meets I had only been training squats and deadlifts for a few months, and still managed to get a decent deadlift. I know my lifts would drastically higher if I trained them for a few years prior to my meets.


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

I don't have a lot of free time so I really don't have any hobbies. I literally just eat, sleep, work, lift, and go to class. I have a beautiful girlfriend named Corri Parsons that I spend as much time with as possible, but even our time is very limited, usually only seeing each other once or twice a week. She's also a big motivator, she's an amazing girl, literally 1 in a million and I couldn't imagine life without her. I live with my best friend Nick Whitsel, also a U.S. Deadlift Record holder but for the 18-19yr old 198lb weight class. He has a hell of a future in the lifting society!

Phil and Nick are both record holders for the deadlift only category at 242/198lbs respectively. They train out of Penn State Harrisburg. Phil's Instagram is @far_beyond_driven__ (with two _ behind the driven)