Leaving a powerlifting contest meet with trophies or medals maybe cool but that’s not exactly what I got into powerlifting for. I got into powerlifting ’cause I wanted to build more strength quicker and I figure powerlifting would be good for that. My plan in life is to do a combination of both powerlifting and bodybuilding. Build more muscle and get more strength.

On the bench press, while I’m able to bench 90 lbs. for one rep… I can’t bench 90 lbs. for 10 – 12 reps yet. I need more strength in order to do that. Doing powerlifting will give me more strength to bench the heavy reps more which is the goal. For now I can bench 70 lbs. for 10 reps and 4 sets each.

I really want to get more strength and hopefully to get bigger in size too. To get bigger in size, I need to eat more. I’m gonna do more research on powerlifting nutrition ’cause I’ll probably have to eat more calories in order to get bigger, though. I’ll still need to eat clean and healthy, eat a lot of protein… just need to eat a lot more probably. There’s a misconception out there that powerlifting doesn’t make you bigger and just gives you more strength and that’s it which I find a bunch of bullshit, really. Weightlifting is weightlifting. No matter how you do it, you always build more muscle and strength.

I’m already am kind of big in size but could be a lot bigger, though. It just takes time to get there and I’m not gonna rush.

Powerlifting comes with a lot of great benefits. Not only does it gives you a lot more strength and makes you feel stronger, it’s also the best fat burner and it gives you more bone strength too.

Thing is a lot of people in my life get worried about all this heavy lifting that I do and some say I shouldn’t over do it and calm down on the weight lifting. They want me to go easy on the lifting, I’m so sick of it! No freakin’ way! I do things my own way in the gym and do whatever the hell I wanna do. Lifting heavy is the name of the game in bodybuilding and powerlifting, ya know? Train like a fuckin’ real lifter. I want to prove the doubters wrong that I can lift heavy and it’s working pretty much… posting all those videos on instagram. People are always telling me to be careful and go easy on the weights but again, no fucking way. I’ve been lifting for like a decade or a little over and there are always people acting like that I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s annoying really, lmao. I just do my own thing and just ignore everybody.

I also got into powerlifting so I can tell how exactly strong I am ’cause I can’t tell my own strength. I’m already am pretty strong really but could get a lot stronger but working on it. I can bench a 100 lbs. and I can deadlift 210 lbs. so I would say that is pretty strong. I even surprise myself.

Another reason I got into powerlifting is ’cause I wanted to get into a sport on a professional level, ya know? Over the years, I couldn’t play sports like baseball, basketball and football ’cause of my scoliosis but weightlifting I can do.

The question is, would I try out other powerlifting competitions around the NY State? Yes, I’m definitely going to try other powerlifting federations but I’ll stick with Albany Strength aka ASPF for now. Would I one day do one of the bigger competitions like some of the ones you see on TV? Who knows. Anything is possible. I only did one powerlifting meet and gonna do more of them hopefully in the future.

I do hope one day to make it on the USA Powerlifting meets at Arnold’s Sports Festival where the big pros do their thing: https://www.arnoldsportsfestival.com/sports-and-events/strength-sports/usa-powerlifting/. That would be pretty cool.

On top of all this, another reason I got into powerlifting is to do something fun, challenging and different. I want to feel like a sportsman and become an athletic person. Powerlifting is amazing. It’s an easy and safe sport too. Doing powerlifting is not dangerous as it looks.

Kev

Here is my latest deadlifting lift. This is me attempting to lift a big 210 lbs. which was a successful lift.

Admittedly I’ve been still trying to get the form down perfectly. Somebody once said I needed to bend my knees more which I did here and somebody once said I needed to line my shoulders up with my shoes so my arms can be perfectly straight on the bar which I also did here. Next time I do deadlifts, I’ll film myself sideways to see if I got the form down.

I’m still trying to get the form down by watching deadlift tutorials through youtube. Perfect form in weightlifting is vital. It must be taking very seriously and I’m trying.

Enjoy the video. I love deadlifting. It’s the best barbell workout for sure, in my opinion. Benching would be my second favorite barbell workout, squats would be my last. I’m trying to like barbell squats more, it’s hard to get into but I’ll get used to it.

Kev

Ya know, one thing I’ve noticed about bodybuilding over the years of my life is that the bench is a pretty debatable workout. The bench press definitely does have a love and hate relationship with everybody. You either like it or you don’t. The bench press maybe the king of all workouts but it isn’t for everybody, I guess. For some reason there are a lot of people that like to bash the bench press and at the same time there are those out there that love it too.

There are lifters on bodybuilding forums, blogs and websites who loves to criticize the bench press. The most common arguments they make about the bench press is that they think it’s overrated and they also make claims that the bench doesn’t give you a strong chest development. I think the reason that I avoided the bench press is because admittedly, I was a bit naive and fell for the critics bullshit about the bench press. They also don’t like the bench press ’cause it gives them injuries a lot and shit.

So they claim that the bench doesn’t give them bigger pecs. Well one reason for that is bad genetics and they could be doing the bench wrong. If you do the bench correctly, you can hit the chest pretty hard. I’ve gotten back into bench pressing full time and been doing it for a few weeks now. I got back into benching ’cause of my first powerlifting meet that I did on Aug. 31st. So for that reason, I’ve gotten back into benching full time.

People think that bench can give you a lot of injuries well, you can get a lot of injuries with all other workouts too. The bench can be easy and safe as long as you know what you’re doing. You can still do bench, you don’t have to lift heavy all the time. Just lift the weights that feel comfortable for you and you don’t have to lift to failure to ensure that you don’t get injured.

Yeah, I know that the bench got a lot of negative flack over the years but it can be a great workout. I’ve grown into loving it. I have felt my chest getting stronger and getting little development.

Ya know, that’s the thing with bodybuilding. Some workouts are gonna get some haters — mostly the bench and the smith machine. I have no problem with the bench and the smith machine. There’s always gonna be crybabies and haters in the bodybuilding industry so just ignore them and do whatever you want to do in the gym.

I think the bench is great now and I think it will help improve my chest greatly. I do want get a big giant chest and the bench could help get me there for sure. Those that trash the bench just don’t know what they’re talking about. Usually lifters who trash the bench don’t have a great chest themselves so just ignore them.

If you want to bench then do it. I’m guilty of talking negative about the bench in the past but no more. I love it now!

Kev

My bodyfat definitely’s gotta be pretty low by now. I’m seeing visible abs, visible chest pecs and my arms are getting pretty veiny. Feels real good. I haven’t measured my bodyfat percentage but I’m going to look into doing that soon. There’s a friend of mine who’s a personal trainer at the gym I go to and I’ll probably get her to do it for me ’cause I’m dying to see where my bodyfat percentage is right now. Last time I measured it was about 16% but that was a long time ago when I first started bodybuilding. I haven’t measured my bodyfat in a long long time and I want to get it done again just to see where it’s at. I’m predicting my bodyfat would be around 10% -14% around there. Maybe I’m even below 10% right now, you just never know. I think I pretty much have a good six pack going which was the goal.

I could get lower in bodyfat, though and I’m working on it. I just made my nutrition a lot more strict again. To lower bodyfat isn’t hard. All you gotta do is eliminate all sugary drinks, eliminate alcohol and just drink water only. I’m going to do just that from now on and avoid Gatorade drinks completely. I’ve also been eating high protein and low carb stuff; however, you don’t wan to avoid carbs completely. You still gotta have complex-carbs like fruits and vegetables. You gotta have your whole wheat too and I get the whole wheat mostly from oatmeal and 100% natural bread which is the only bread I eat (I avoid white bread like the plague, trust me). You gotta have good fats too like natural peanut butter, peanuts like almonds and things like that. I’ve been avoiding ice cream more at least I’m trying to but going to avoid it completely now I think. I love ice cream, I have it as a cheat meal once in a while now but I’m going to ditch it completely, I think.

I’ve also been doing a lot more exercising at the gym than weight training. I’ve been doing yoga, stretching exercises, cardio like the treadmill and elliptical machine. I do a lot of bike riding but I think I’m going to start walking everyday ’cause that would help. Even through the fall and winter, I’m going to start walking outside every day. If it’s too cold out then I’ll go to the gym to do treadmill or elliptical. I already do a lot of walking but I think I’m going to do it everyday, I think.

I’m working very hard to become the best shape of my life and just about there, I think. Got more work to do and I’m working on it. Building muscle and losing fat is my goal.

When it comes to nutrition, I’m not going vegan, I’m not doing keto diets, I’m not doing weightwatchers and all that garbage. You don’t need to pay a lot of money for food to get in shape. I keep my healthy nutrition very simple. I’m not a recipe kind of guy where people make silly things like protein cakes, protein pies and protein brownies and all that crap. You get my point?

I’m the kind of guy who wants to stay in shape all year round. I’m not the bulk and cutting guy like a lot of bodybuilders are nowadays. I don’t want to go through that method.

I love working out. It’s my 2nd passion other than music. It’s nice to get all of this positive feedback of what I do. When you get a built and jacked physique and successful at your goals then you need to stay humble about it. There’s no reason to go around acting like you’re a tough guy ’cause you’re jacked, ya know? There’s so many bodybuilders out there with a cocky attitude just because they’re jacked. That’s not me. Just be humble, stay cool and not take yourself so seriously.

I have more workout videos on my Instagram page if you’re interested in seeing them. Enjoy:

https://www.instagram.com/kevbrockmusic/

Kev