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