Unmasking Greatness
Join Fitness/LifeStyle Expert & Mentor Chris Kakouras talk about maximizing your health, business, mindset, and overall life! Let's get better together as I bring on amazing guest to interview and learn from!
Unmasking Greatness
Iron Will: The Powerlifting Journey of Brandon Jones
Strength isn't just measured in pounds on a barbell—it's forged through dedication, self-discovery, and the willingness to evolve. In this riveting conversation, host Chris Kakouras welcomes powerlifting phenom Brandon Jones, whose journey from high school football player to elite strength athlete reveals what it truly takes to become exceptional.
At just 23 years old, Brandon has already established himself as one of America's premier powerlifters, competing in the 205-pound weight class with jaw-dropping numbers: a 716.5-pound squat, 485-pound bench press, and 733-pound deadlift. What makes these achievements even more remarkable? He competes in the strictly drug-tested IPF federation, where random testing ensures a level playing field among athletes pursuing strength through discipline alone.
Brandon's candid reflections on his transformation from bodybuilder to powerlifter expose the psychological struggles of extreme dieting and the moment he realized his true athletic calling. "I fell in love with it," Brandon shares about his first powerlifting meet, despite it being a small local competition. "Something about getting in front of everybody and lifting something really heavy." This passion has propelled him to become the #1 ranked junior powerlifter in the nation and place 6th at Open Nationals among lifters of all ages.
The conversation delves into the scientific approach Brandon takes with his training and nutrition, including his fascinating pre-competition carb-loading protocol involving white bread, Gatorade powder, and liquid glycerol. Listeners will gain insight into the meticulous preparation required for elite strength performance, from three-hour training sessions to carefully timed rest periods between heavy sets.
Whether you're a dedicated strength athlete or simply curious about what drives humans to push physical boundaries, this episode offers a compelling look at the mindset, methods, and motivations behind exceptional athletic achievement. Subscribe now and join us as we continue to unmask greatness in all its forms.
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Welcome to Unmasking Greatness. I'm your host, chris Kikoris, a lifestyle fitness coach and mentor. This podcast is about unmasking your greatest potential, finding your purpose and crafting a life worth living. Health and fitness has been the gateway drug to all of my success. My continuous drive to keep learning and surround myself with other high achievers forces me to level up, which has developed my mind to something I never thought was possible. This podcast is here to share what I've learned and continue to learn with all of you. This is your sign to take back control of your health, mindset and personal environment. Strap in as we are recharged and always find value in the show. Please subscribe and share, as we can all get better together. Let's go. What's up, guys? Welcome to another episode of Unmasking Greatness. I'm your host, chris Kikoris, and I have one of the strongest individuals that has sitting on this couch yet, mr Brandon Jones. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:I need to have one of those buttons that like cheer, yeah. So me and Brandon go way back, A matter of fact, back when I started my business in 2020,. I was over at a gym in Spartanburg called the Firm Fitness and at that time I was growing my business and then I was starting to look for trainers to work underneath me and Brandon was actually already kind of working alongside of me. I was coaching him, getting him ready for a bodybuilding show. So it was just a really easy transition to have him because he understood our system. So that's kind of where we first met back then, just in a gym, just networking, talking. And you know, a lot has changed within the past five years. Wow, Five years. That's crazy. Unfortunately, he made me feel really old today and I realized how young Brandon actually is. So Brandon just hurt my feelings again. Tell me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'm, I'm 23 years old and, uh, I met Chris when I was 18, like right out of high school, and that's when I was like I wanted to be a bodybuilder at that time. So, like Chris started coaching me and I was like sick and then he brought me on the team and I was like sick and then so, yeah, should we just go into like the bodybuilding?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I mean obviously, I think actually during that time, because you were I don't know if you was already graduated high school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I already graduated.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I think you had asked me about pursuing college for, like, a bachelor's in exercise science. And I tell anybody and everybody like, do I regret going to college? I never want to say I regret anything, but that degree didn't do anything for me because I honestly believe a bachelor's in exercise science is a stepping stone for some sort of master's or a doctorate in exercise science is a stepping stone for some sort of master's or a doctorate. Like if you want to be a physical therapist or occupational therapist or something of that magnitude of level, like then yeah, you know, you can use that as your baseline. But if you think that you're going to utilize that for strength and conditioning coaching or something like that, that's what I intentionally went for.
Speaker 1:I realized how much they get paid and I realized that was probably not the best move, uh, financially, for me. So anyways, I told Brandon not to do that and uh, I was like, why don't you get into some training and see if you like something like that and that style? So that's, that's what we ended up doing. But where did you? When did you decide that you wanted to even pursue bodybuilding? Cause you was lifting?
Speaker 2:right, yeah, I've been lifting. I was lifting for a while. I started lifting in middle school. That's where it all started and, um, my dad was a bodybuilder and so I like it wasn't like I just wanted to get in the gym, like that's all it was. Like I loved, for some reason, I just loved the gym environment. I loved like the idea of training. That's all I wanted as a kid. Like, growing up, I, when I was like 12, I was finally able to like go into the gym. That I want, like you know, like go on the floor, gym floor, like they were like anyone under 12 doesn't, isn't allowed on the gym floor.
Speaker 2:And then when I was 12, I was like I can go train and like that's all I wanted to do, that's all I thought about. And, uh, that was probably a sign, a sign that I was going to be like, uh, submerge my life around it, but I never. I guess, when I was in like high school and stuff, I was pursuing football like pretty heavily, but, um, I still love the gym and I honestly like, thinking back on it, that low key hurt my football and stuff. Cause it's like it's two different styles of training. Like when I was, I wanted to be a football player, I wanted to go play college football, but like I was training like a bodybuilder.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dude, that does not go hand in hand at all. No, that's probably why I was so slow. No, but actually, though, like, and so, thinking back on it, I was like, dude, that was not smart. But then, as I graduated and I was like, okay, I'm not going to go play collegiate football, I was like, okay, I'm not going to go play collegiate football. I was like I'm going to pursue bodybuilding and kind of like, I guess, follow my dad's footsteps, you know in a way, and I just like I think that's. Yeah, that's when I met you and you started coaching me, giving me like the nutrition and stuff like that. Yeah, and where were we going with this? Because I could go into like the bodybuilding.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, no, let's talk about that because obviously, coming from an athletic background, uh sure, your your training. The intensity is different when you're changing training for football, but typically when you're playing you know high school football they're not really going heavy with nutrition.
Speaker 2:They're probably telling you like eat, yeah they're just telling you to shove stuff down your yeah, they're just telling you to shove stuff down your yeah. They're just telling you to shove food down your throat.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when I first started lifting I I didn't know anything. So I would ask the football players you know, what are you doing to? You know, get bigger, how do you build muscle? And uh, from a workout standpoint, there are like three sets of 10, you're going to do flat bench, incline and decline, and then they're like you know, obviously like your squats and stuff like that.
Speaker 1:And then from food, they were like, honestly, at the end of the night, I throw everything in a blender, yeah, and you just pound it down and it could be like ice cream, peanut butter. I mean, if you want to get real nasty, people are putting a slice of pizza in it. And I did, I tried it and it was disgusting. And I will say that the shakes that they had me make were so dense If you didn't chug it and get it down all in one shot, you wouldn't be able to finish it. Yeah, you really had to put it down. Do I suggest anybody do that now? Definitely not. No, but I say that to you just because you know, going from that to getting into bodybuilding, that's very like restrictive, rigid, repetitive.
Speaker 2:Right, and that's all I knew actually. So that's funny, you bring that up Cause, like coming from football and I wanted a bulk before I like I cut. This is before I got with you, though, this is before I got with him, but it was like I was like man, I need to put on size, and the only way I knew how was they would always just say, like you need to be throwing, like shoveling food. You know what saying. And so I was like, okay, now that I'm out of high school, like I'm just gonna like and I want I know that I want to bodybuild. Now I'm gonna shovel food and, dude, I would eat every single meal like, like, until I could, like I, I would spend like an hour at the table, like, just you know I'm saying just like I couldn't finish it I was literally shoveling like food down my throat and I got up like I think my heaviest was 217.
Speaker 2:And I'm, yeah, I'm like 5'7", 5'8", like 217 is like Stout, and that's when I was young too. Yeah, that's when I was young too. That's really stout, and I was like chunky.
Speaker 1:And so, yeah, that'll put the picture of the transformation that we did there, cause it was it was pretty insane. I mean, brandon just has really good genetics, naturally, I mean, you're already strong and I think that's what made you do so well in the beginning is because you was already lifting, you already had a really good foundation, right, yeah. And so when you're starting to lean down, you had the muscle that was already developed and we just tried to work more on the detail and keeping that size. But, um, yeah, so like kind of going into that whole experience, you know, during during this time too and I always remember this, because you know I have a lot of conversations with a lot of trainers too and, um, I remember you going through prep, you did your show and you were still training clients, and it was shortly after that you came down and you sat down in the office and you're like chris, I need to talk to you.
Speaker 1:And I was like, oh my god, no, don't do this. That conversation never starts good, he's breaking up with me now. So, but, uh, but yeah, he sat down and he's just like chris, dude, I, I love training, I love working out, but I am starting to lose passion and training myself by training other people. And that's cool, man. Honestly, I appreciate that from you just coming and being honest with me, because if you're not happy and enjoy doing what you're doing, other people can tell Right, and then you just kind of be slacking and not caring too, but obviously we kind of weaned everybody out and you know we left on good terms that obviously you're still on the podcast right now.
Speaker 1:But uh, I say that to say because you know the training is not for everybody Right and the last thing you want to do is sacrifice your happiness. You know, if this is like a passion, if you love being in the gym and you always have, and it's starting to get robbed from from you, then maybe this isn't the best move for you. Moving forward, um, which obviously you didn't decide you wanted to body build either anymore yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So back to like the personal training. Because, like, around the time that I started, personal training was, um, when I started prep for the show, my bodybuilding show, and so I was miserable, like from the cut, dude, dude. Let me say, like I have so much respect for all bodybuilders and I'll I always say that from this point, like I've always like, ever since that show, I was like man, I respect bodybuilders so much like I really do, because, uh, I stuck through it and I did that competition but leading it, those like last eight weeks, I was like man I hate. Like if it didn't have anything to do with food, I didn't care about it, like at all dude, like zero.
Speaker 2:And in-person training, like the personal training, and me like having clients, you know, taking them around the gym, I just like I was like man, I hate this. And I was like, maybe I hate it because, like, I'm so like miserable right now from this diet. Yeah, because it was like a severe like I'm cutting like 45 pounds, yeah and um, and it's not like I'm obese or anything, you know, it's like you know I'm saying I'm not like super overweight. So it's like, yeah, this is getting down to like where I'm getting really lean and um. So I was like maybe I don't like this because the cut, so like, let me just like get to this show. You know, I'm saying and all my clients knew that, because that's what we talked about.
Speaker 2:But uh, and then after the competition, I was just like I was like man, I still don't. I was like I still don't like this, like. And then, like, I just started, like I just wasn't happy with like training, training people in person. And then that's's when I was just like man, I got it. Yeah, that's when I was like I got to talk to you about it. But yeah, I think I mean, I guess this is like. That was like my transition into powerlifting, though, too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Like right after that point.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, I want to add to that too. Everyday normal person, you know if you had to drop 15, 20 pounds, like you can kind of guesstimate that. But when I talk to competitors that are kind of new and they're like, yeah, I got about 20 pounds to lose, I'm like you got about 30, 35. You know, realistically, like if you're trying to get that lean, you end up going a lot further than you even realize. You know, and I learned that with myself too, because I was like I always kind of had like a little outline of some abs, like I stayed in like decent condition all the time and then when it was time to get in prep, I was like dropping hella weight and I'm like damn, I'm like shriveling away, but there's just a lot more body fat on people than they even realize. So you know you suffering through that portion. You know that last couple, like you said, six, eight weeks is probably like that last like 10 pounds that we had to pull off.
Speaker 2:And that was funny Cause uh, I literally remember this cause I was four weeks out and I sat on my bed and I was like dude. I was like to the point of like I was tearing up, dude, he got for me. I don't know why I never told you this. I don't know why, um, dude, it made me so emotional Because I love food. I'm a big foodie, so, with me doing this, anybody can do this, since I did, this proves that anybody can do this. But I sat on my bed one day and I was like dude, I do not want to do this, I'm miserable right now. And I started tearing up and then one of my buddies from the gym called me and, like he could just hear it in my voice, he just wanted to talk. But he heard he was like b, like dude, what's what's going on? Like what's what's up, and I was like dude, I don't know if I could do this man. I like legit, I was. He was like uh, I was like I don't know if I could do this man and he was like. He was like. I was like I don't know if I could do this man and he was like, he was like dude.
Speaker 2:You were eight weeks in to this thing. You're almost, like you're literally four weeks away. That is like before you know it, it'll be there. Like why would you give up? Now you tell me you're a quit. And I was like you know what? You're right, and it was partially that I didn't want to let you down. Like I didn't want to let you down. I was like man Chris is really like you know what I'm saying, helping me out with this. I can't let him down. And so after that point I was like, no, I'm not going to, like that's not going to cross my mind again. We're going to stick it through. And that's what I did. But yeah, that four-week mark was rough for me.
Speaker 2:That was like the last dig.
Speaker 1:Yeah, something else people should realize too. Like, if you are I mean not just competing in bodybuilding, but anytime you're doing something that's a little bit difficult or you really need someone to push you or hold you accountable, it's good to have that person that you don't want to let down. You know what I mean? Because if you have someone that's like your coach or someone that's like supposed to be holding you accountable and you don't care if you were to like, you know, make them upset or make them happy, then that's not really a good person for you to like really push you through some hard times. Right, I'm sure you learned a lot about yourself. Yeah, you do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I feel like you learn a lot about yourself doing anything really hard. Yeah, I think I think that's that was like really valuable. I'm glad I did it, though. I'm glad I did it, cause you will learn a lot about yourself, um so what was the?
Speaker 1:I guess the trigger that was like okay, well, I'm going to close the chapter to bodybuilding. I want to. Was there a space? Or was it straight into? Like, actually I just rather lift heavy because you was always strong.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I always lifted. I always lifted relatively heavy, yeah, and so I always train. I like training heavy. I just love the idea of like lifting heavy weight Another, probably another telltale sign where I was going. But, um, I always loved lifting heavy and that's what I did when I bodybuilded. And it didn't like stop until those last like six weeks of when I my body was just literally like you can't lift heavy right now, dog. And so, um, I think, after that show, after that bodybuilding show, um, I had a, I have a buddy.
Speaker 2:JJ I don't remember jj, yeah, really strong kid, yeah. And so we were friends and that's who I would lift heavy with and he was like dude, why don't you just like, if you don't like bodybuilding, just go into powerlifting? And at the time I thought of powerlifting as like this, like grungy, like, uh, west side barbell, like you know I'm saying yeah he's pot like pot, belly pot belly like whip lifting.
Speaker 2:That's what I, that's what my like, thought. When I thought of powerlifting, that's what I thought, and so I was like dude, I don't want to be part of that. I don't want to be like a part of something like grungy and stuff.
Speaker 1:You know what.
Speaker 2:I'm saying but I like the idea of something having some prestige behind it and like having some like, like a clean sport, like I like the idea of like the like something like the olympics, like people like weightlifting in the olympics, like I like the idea of stuff like that. And then I found out, like my federation the one I'm in now and uh, where it could take me and it was basically like our equivalent of the olympics, like we're not in the olympics, but, um, it basically gets you that point where you're competing against people, against, you know, across the world. And, uh, it looked, it was very prestigious and I was like I didn't know that existed. And that jj was like, yeah, dude, that's what I do. And I was like, oh, I want to try that out. And so, uh, then there was like a little period where it was like I I know people don't like this term, people, people really don't like this term but it's like power building and that's what I was like I told him that earlier today.
Speaker 2:Yeah, people really don't like that term for some reason.
Speaker 1:But that's what side of the fence you want. Yeah, whichever side of the fence you want, it doesn't really matter.
Speaker 2:I really don't have a strong opinion on it. It's just that's doing basically all it was. The structure of it was like a power, like a power lifting program with just a lot of accessories. That's literally what it was.
Speaker 2:Um, because I wanted to lift heavy, but I also wanted to, you know, build muscle yeah with uh doing a lot of volume and stuff, and so I would do, like the you know the uh, a lot of hypertrophy after my heavy sessions and stuff like that which, like with power lifting which I guess the difference between that specifically and power power lifting training would be like your accessories are only, you know, there to help your primary movement, not to get you bigger, like, unless you're a, unless you're a smaller lifter and we need to put you mass on your like your chest and your frame just for you to bench more or something. That's when we will like load it, you know, hypertrophy. But other than that, like, accessories are just to complement your, your main lifts, really, like you're. We're not like I don't want to get bigger, like I have no desire to get bigger. If I get bigger, it's just going to make it harder for me to cut well, yeah, because you're getting a weight cap right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so I have. Yeah, I'm 205 and like I literally sit at like 207, 209 and I cut those like four pounds into 205 to compete.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And so I don't. I really don't have a desire to get bigger like that. It'd be cool if I did. I just don't want to have a harder weight cut, yeah. And so, like my excesses are just for me to like get stronger in my primary lifts, yeah.
Speaker 2:So I went into the power, back to the rant of the differences, but back to the power building. I did that for a little bit and then I went into and then after that I think that led me into my first competition. And then, when I did my first competition, I was like dude, I fell in love with it. Like it was something about, like I don't know it was weird because like it wasn't a lot of people there either. Like that was the first meet I did was the smallest meet I've ever done. It's a local, yeah, local meet, very, very small meet. Like um, literally the only people there like spectators were like family and like my, like my mom and grandparents were there, yeah, and that was pretty much it. And, uh, for some reason I just loved it. I love the idea, idea of getting in front of everybody and lifting something really heavy.
Speaker 2:So after that I was like dude, I'm going all in. I want to see how far I can take it, let's go. You know what I'm saying. And so then I got into, I kind of started to make a roadmap for myself and where I wanted to end up, and I was like, dude, I want to end up at the top. I wasted, dude, I wasted no time. I was like I see the potential in myself, I feel like I can do this. And so I kind of like paved the road map for myself and I was like, okay, we're going to hit these milestones, and every milestone is like another, like confirmation that we're, you know, getting closer to my main goal. And obviously I'm not at the top yet, but I've hit a lot of milestones you know to where.
Speaker 2:I am now, and so I'm glad I did, though, because, like, I'm a lot happier with like powerlifting. I think it's for I think like bodybuilding and powerlifting are like for specific, like, if you're a certain person, you're going to like one or the other. You know more.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't think one's better than the other per se to like one or the other. You know more.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't think one's better than the other per se, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:No, I think it's a personal preference. I mean, they're both competitive. But I will say this I think it's cool that you're creating this roadmap of landmarks to know that you're going in the right direction, because, you know, with you creating something like that, you probably are looking at, you know the top athletes that are lifting, you know X amount of weight Right, because you got to, you got to hit these lifts and you got to get cleared and say that they're all good lifts, clean lifts. Bodybuilding is not like that dude, like you're constantly like building your body, building a physique. Hopefully you're building it the way that you want it to look like, because you got to walk around like that. Yeah, but from a competitive standpoint and you knew this it's very subjective. Yeah, you know it. Never there's. It always comes down like sure, there's criteria, they're on a point system, but at the end of the day, these other people, your judges, are going to dictate who's going to be first, second, third.
Speaker 2:Right, you know, so it's not a clear-cut win.
Speaker 1:You know, versus like hey, if somebody lifts 500 and someone hits 600, well, 500, look better, we'll do 500. Like it doesn't work.
Speaker 2:Like that, you know, I never thought about that. I'm glad you brought that up, because it is really like that and like that is one thing that I like about powerlifting, though, actually is like if you lift more, like you're going to win. Like you know what I'm saying, it's objective Like you're going to win, like if you lift more weight than him, you're going to be first. That's why I do like that about it, because it leaves it for no question.
Speaker 2:I guess you could argue like because there's three judges when you lift and so like you can squat high and they won't count it and that squat, although you missed it, would have made you win. But that's the only time it could become subjective. But even then, if you lift the standard, you'll be fine. That's what I bought. I can't stand when people complain about they held me at the bottom really long or something along the lines of the judges, and it's like if you train to standard and then you go compete at standard, you should be fine. For the most part, I've never had an issue with anything as far as the judges when I've competed, so that's why I could say that.
Speaker 1:Let's talk about that. So I first want to read off some of your stats here, because this is really impressive. So again, under 205 is the weight cap correct, right? So your personal best as of right now and this is raw, raw meaning what Explain that?
Speaker 2:So raw basically means on your squat you can have knee sleeves, and the knee sleeves aren't like, to be honest, you're not really getting, like, you're not going to get a crazy boost from the knee sleeves. They're better than like you know, they're better than nothing. They're not like. You know. The knee wraps, yeah, the wraps, like the wraps, you could probably add like 100 pounds to your squat, but like, no, legit, it's crazy. But, like the knee sleeves, you're not getting a crazy boost from it, but they do help. And so it's like you get knee sleeves and wrist wraps and that's basically what raw is referred to.
Speaker 2:So, no belt and belt, sorry. And belt, yeah, yeah, but belt is just to help. Some people don't wear a belt, um, for deadlift. Most people wear belts for, uh, for squat, yeah, just because it, you know, with the weight in your back it helps you brace, yeah, and um, the people that don't wear it for deadlift is so they can hinge better and they can get a better, you know, range of motion to the bar. But, um, raw is like equipped lifting is like where they're putting on the suits and they're like they have this like slingshot for the bench. It's literally making them lift two to three hundred pounds more than they would, you know, without all of it, you ever put a suit on no, I would never.
Speaker 2:I was like dude I'm like, I'm like the most like anti-equipped. Yeah, I mean, I get why they, I get I under, I get why they do it. Yeah, they do it because, like, they just enjoy lifting that heavy weight other like whether they, like they wouldn't otherwise have been able to lift, you know, without putting stuff on. So I get it Like you get to move weight you would you'll never be able to do without that equipment.
Speaker 2:But I just don't like, like I said, the grungy side. That's more on the grungy side, I'm not.
Speaker 1:I'm not with the grungy side, so wrist wraps, straps or no straps?
Speaker 2:Um, so, like you have to, you have to hold on to the bar. Oh, no, yeah, yeah, oh yeah, no straps.
Speaker 1:So no, yeah, dude that's impressive, no, let me. Yeah, I'm gonna read this off too, because one I wanted to be clear on that one so you guys understand, like the strength behind this. But your squat is 716.5 pounds, your bench is 485, deadlift is 733, so a total of 1934.5. That dude try to pick up. Set over 700 pounds just straight. Grip strength, bro, like I can't, I can't grip that um, even if my legs and back and everything was strong enough, I, I guess you would build up to that, but dude, that's crazy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my, believe it or not, my deadlift is actually my worst lift. Like I compare it to other lifters, especially my weight class. Yeah, um, my deadlift is like by far the worst. It's like sounds crazy like anybody like you know where should it be.
Speaker 2:Let me ask that it needs to be like at 800.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you're close, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, on that day specifically, the reason I'm like I'm not like right there or anything, but like I'll get there eventually, yeah. But the reason I say like I'm closer than I think I am is because on that day that 733 flew and so I was like, yeah, I had, I had like 17 more pounds on me, I had 750 that day, but we just didn't load it because it was like the goal was to get the highest total possible and at that point we haven't reached I haven't touched anywhere past that. And so it's like even 733 was like all right, now we're shooting in the dark. So it was kind of like okay, we're going to load this number, I'm pretty positive, you can get it, let's just make sure we get it. And so, even though I could have done 750, we didn't know that, yeah, we didn't even know we were good for 733 until we did it. And so it was like we kind of had to gauge and that's kind of the game you have to play when, um, when you like you haven't been there before.
Speaker 1:yeah, what's that? What's a total, total amount of weight that would, I guess, consider you to be like the best of the best, just to kind of gauge, like how far off you are, because you're up there, dude. I mean, you're up at the top ranks, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I placed sixth in Open Nationals two months ago or about a month and a half ago, and so that's sixth in the nation as far as like all like age groups. I'm still technically a junior this year, but I wanted to go compete against them and so I'm placed like sixth right now, but I wasn't competing against them, it was like with me doing that, it was kind of a strategic. I'll try to explain this as easy as I can or like as simple as I can, but so I competed at junior worlds last year and that's for ages 19 to 23, which this is my last year in the junior division. But um worlds is basically like our olympics. We do it every year, but it's basically like our that's. That's what if we were in the olympics?
Speaker 2:this is who would be in the olympics, basically you know I'm saying yeah and so, um, I competed worlds last year and then I'm trying to get back there this year. But now we, I have more competition in the us. And so these guys are like, I mean, dude, it can easily be at worlds if we all, if the whole, like if all three of us in the us went, it would literally be like one, two and three like from the us, like like the? U is very hard to get out of Dang, just because, like now, everyone from all the federations are like, okay, we want to go to Worlds too. Like this is where all the prestigious, and so everyone's coming into the powerlifting America, to where we can go into the IPF, which is the International Federation, and so everyone wanted to do that is, which is the international federation, and so everyone wanted to do that.
Speaker 2:And so now this year, I just there's just a lot more competition, and so those guys are. We're also doing open nationals. And so I was like, okay, that's perfect, I'd love to go head to head with you. And just because I, I did, I, I love, I love competition, man, I just love the smoke, I really do. And so, like that, that gets me going, that gives me something to fight for you know I what I'm saying, because if you're going to walk into a competition and just like cakewalk, that's not fun, no one wants to watch.
Speaker 2:That you don't want. Like you can't even get hyped up to lift in it because it's like, oh, I know I'm going to win. Yeah, Like you want something, since it's in September and then Junior Nationals is like next month, and so it's like I would have like a month and a half more prep than I would if I were to do Junior Nationals, and so that's why I did Open and play six, Because I could have went in. I mean, obviously they're going to compete in there too, but I don't want to say I would have went and won it, but I would have had a better chance of winning junior nationals than open nationals by far, because those are like, obviously you know, 23 and up.
Speaker 2:You know that's all ages, but or any, any age, anybody can do open. But yeah, so I play six in nationals. But yeah, so I placed sixth in nationals and then right now I'm ranked number one junior in the nation, until, obviously, junior nationals happens and they have to beat my total though. So they have to, and I set the bar pretty high. Well, I think, but as far as I know, you mentioned the numbers, dude. I know it's going to sound confusing, I only think in kilos, but regardless it's still going to be like I'll calculate in pounds, but in kilos because like 2.2, you like multiply by yeah, 2.205, yeah and so, in kilos, I totaled 877.5 at nationals.
Speaker 2:And so, in pounds, that's like total. That's that's. A total is like your squat, bench and deadlift combined, the numbers combined, yeah, and so 870. Yeah, I would have told you that's 1934 in pounds, but um, the best are doing like 920 right now in my weight class, and so 920, that's who won open nationals, all right, and so that's 2,028 pounds for a total, but right now I have the national. Wait, no, I'm not sure. Let me not speak. I'm not sure, so let me not even say it.
Speaker 1:Somebody's going to be like oh, I think that could be like really strategic, right, cause they're totaling up your, your bench squat and deadlift. So you kind of mentioned, like your deadlift is one of your weaker movements. So do you think like, okay, well, I need to increase a 200 pounds to be better, so maybe I can just just add 20 30 to deadlift and then focus more on my stronger lifts to build that total up right yeah, yeah so that's like yeah.
Speaker 2:So there is, there is some uh strategy behind it. I'm at a huge disadvantage because I don't have a good deadlift, because you deadlift last and so and you lift in the order of basically weakest to heaviest or like lightest to heaviest, and so when, when you're going through the flight, the heaviest deadlifter is going to go last, so he puts in a number that's like okay, I see what they've done. I can put in a number that's like a pound over and I win. You know what I'm saying? Yeah, that's the benefit of deadlifting last. Um, and I never like, I mean hopefully, hopefully, one day I'll, I'll have that advantage, but like, for a while I'm not going to have that advantage Cause they're just, they're just going to deadlift more than me.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But, um, at least for now. But um, what makes it hard for me is like, dude, if I don't hit my, I got so much relying on my squat that if I don't hit my third squat and if they hit, everything we're cooked, we're done. Because, like, I have so much weight, you know, relying on that squat, that if I don't get through that and then like, it's another psychological thing because if you, if you go two for three on squat and you miss your heaviest squat, and it's like, oh like, and this guy hit all his squats, like, even though you're ahead, now, when you get to deadlifts, you know he's going to pull more than you, and so it's like, dude, you're just like at that point, you're just like man, if he doesn't miss, I lose pretty much you can do you can do your best day.
Speaker 2:After that you can nail everything to a T and if he don't go nine for nine and hit all your attempts, you're pretty. You're in a bad spot if you don't. You know, but being like, I guess, like you could say, I'm a subtotal specialist because, like my subtotal specialist, yeah, because my squat and bench is, uh, fairly good, but um, yeah, there is some strategy behind it and um how they go about it, and you could win from strategy, though well, for sure, if you play smart, you smart. You could win off that Well.
Speaker 1:I want to touch on, too, the. You know I ran into Brandon at a sushi restaurant and so I do want to kind of touch real quick on your lifting style now and also a little bit on, like more, any sort of supplements, because again, you guys are an all-natural league, so I do want to touch on that. So let's start with with training, because when I met him at the restaurant, when I told him to come do the podcast with me, it's at the gym I was like so if you want to train, we can, or if not, you're like well, let's do it on a rest day. So I'm not like completely gassed, cause you told me that you're training for what? Three hours. I'm not proud of it, dude, dude, please.
Speaker 1:Like I will say I can attest because back when I used to do, you know, when I was incorporating more squats and deadlifts deadlifts especially, it takes a chunk of time. You know, even when I was doing bodybuilding, me doing deadlifts was at least a good like 25, 30 minutes of time just resting, loading, you know, working up to my top set and then doing my accessories. So in a three-hour time, what are you guys doing? Do you eat in between the tops?
Speaker 2:That's a funny way to put it. I'm beyond, like I'm speaking for myself, Okay.
Speaker 1:This is not common.
Speaker 2:No, it is common, actually it is common, but I'm speaking for myself because I know some people can go in there and be like well, I power lift and I only spend an hour and a half in the gym. Yeah, but you ain't the best.
Speaker 1:You ain't getting numbers like this.
Speaker 2:And I'm like I promise you, I wish I could do that, I wish, like I'm serious, I wish I could go in the gym and be like an hour and a half and and and be gone and be done with it, but I just can't.
Speaker 2:I I tried to um, especially right now, after we figured out because, uh, if you get like a power lifting coach, it's going to take a while for them to figure out, you know, your body, just like diet, like it takes a while to figure out how your body works and what works for your body, and like how to make you stronger, and so, um after like in the past, I was able to get like an hour workout with one of my sessions, but now with my bench, my volume is so high I have eight sets of bench, like some days, like it's like on my primary day is eight sets, secondary day is seven sets and tertiary day is eight sets, and so it's like dude, I am pressing a lot of and the intensity is high too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and so it's. Not only is the volume high, the intensity is really high, and so it's like I'm doing two sets of one at RP8, which is like RPE is basically like people who don't't know. It's like, basically, how difficult is this? Set on a scale from one to ten, that's basically rp. That's like in a nutshell. Obviously you go in more detail about it, but in a nutshell and so from one to ten is like an eight.
Speaker 2:so it's pretty heavy doing two sets of that, two sets of one, and then um subtracting six percent, doing two sets of one of that, and then I have four sets of um five, and then my secondary doing two sets of one of that, and then I have four sets of five and then in my secondary it's four sets of eight with 330 pounds. Four sets of eight, four sets of eight, yeah, four sets of eight with 330, yeah, and then with the four sets of five it's 370. I'll do 370 with that typically. And so it's like, try going with a two-minute break or one minute break right back into that you'll.
Speaker 2:I got failed one day because I tried to go too fast I was about to say yeah because I was like I was like dude, we got to keep it moving, like I want to keep this under. Like that day it was like I want to keep it under two hours and so I was like moving and I got under the bar and I failed and I was like dude I've never failed. Like I was like like am I getting weaker? And I was like dude, I've never failed. Like I was like am I getting weaker? And I was like no, I was just trying to like I just sped it up so fast that I couldn't recover fast enough and so I literally have to take like I need to start timing it.
Speaker 1:I was going to ask you do you time? It Is it like because you know, I would say like the standard for like people that are lifting that kind of load is like three minutes. You know, three is like three minutes. You know three.
Speaker 1:Four minute, yeah, um when it comes to like squats or deadlifts and even bench press, I guess as well. But I remember like, oh well, you know, even, even still. That's why I figured I didn't know. That's why I'm asking you, like you know obviously, like how many sets, how long you're resting, because when you're lifting that amount of weight you can't just go straight into like a working set no man, you know like your elbow is gonna rip off yeah, well, for me it's like, and with that volume, especially with the force, it's eight it's like I'm building some, like I have now.
Speaker 2:I have so much blood in my chest, like there's so much fatigue, that I I have to take like seven, eight minutes, ten minutes sometimes to like geez, get back to like okay, I'm good to go because I want to. I want to hit that set at the uh, the weight. I don't want to lower the set at the weight. I don't want to lower the weight. Yeah, which I guess some people are like just lower the weight, man, I'm trying to get as strong as possible.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's just training specifically for what you're trying to hit.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and that's another thing. Like you have to like train specific to what you want to do. Like, do you want to get as strong as possible? I don't, I don't, I care about what I look like, to an extent, yeah, but like, really, that's not my goal, I don't care, like I, I want to get, I want to be the best at, you know, lifting a certain amount of weight at my weight class, and so that's what I revolve the gym around, and that just happens to take me, and I will say, even though it takes me, three hours. Um, some days, especially like saturdays, that's when, like I was, everybody's off work and everyone goes in at the same time. So now yapping's involved, yeah and so, and so you can, you can finish a heavy set and now, before you get to your back downs, you've talked for 30 minutes and so, yeah and so go ahead and add that to the time that you're there, like everybody, even normal people do that.
Speaker 1:But yeah, even, exactly, even ahead and add that to the time that you're there. Look, everybody, even normal people, do that.
Speaker 2:But yeah, even, exactly, even normal people do that and so. But it just doesn't help when you you know you're trying to like lift a certain amount of, or like when you're already in there for that long.
Speaker 1:It really doesn't help, you know yeah, so do you have any, uh, I guess, rituals for like going in heavy? Are you like listening to certain music? Do you do the salts, like the smelling salts?
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah. So actually I try to stay away from the smelling salt unless it's my heaviest week of training, my heaviest day of training, and like we have blocks, they're called blocks and so my blocks are like four weeks long and at the end of the block is when you go the heaviest on your lifts. Okay, and so I won't use smelling salts until I'm on week four and so, like my heavy, because smelling salts you can get kind of diluted, like what's the word.
Speaker 1:It's like you get used to it. You get used to it, yeah.
Speaker 2:And so when you take it too much, the effect won't be as effective on. You Got it, and so I want that boost when I go my heaviest, and so I don't touch it until that week four. How much does that help? More than you think, dude, I'm not even joking. More than you would think.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, I've smelled it one time, not even lifting. Someone was like dude, smell this, yeah? And was like, do you smell this, yeah? And dude it. It hits you like a truck. Yep, but I'm. I'd never tried lifting with it because I was like dude. I don't even know if I could focus the lift. There is science behind it.
Speaker 2:Actually, yeah, so they did studies on it, but, um, I don't really know the details of it, but I know that there's like, yeah, it's actually studies that like six or something seconds you have to be lifting. That's not the case for me, because I, you know like 30 seconds of getting under the bar and like getting set up. But, um, dude, quick, quick story about the first time I ever used them. I uh, first time I ever used them, um, I was like 19. I was like 19 at the time and, uh, I wanted to deadlift 500 yeah, I think it was like 500 on the bar.
Speaker 2:And, uh, before the smelling salts, I couldn't. I couldn't get it off the ground, and I'm not, I'm not exaggerating, and obviously my form was probably horrible at the time. I can't remember exactly what it looked like, I don't have a video, but, um, I couldn't get it off the ground and I was like, dude, this. I was like, and he was like, try these smelling salts and the ground. And I was like, dude, this. I was like, and he was like, try these smelling salts. And he tried again and I was like you serious? And he was like, yeah, I was like all right, keep in mind, I have like straps. I have straps on and like I'm not that advanced of a powerlifter at the time and I take the smelling salts.
Speaker 2:Dude, I did time to six reps. I know that sounds ridiculous and I don't think I completed the six rep, but I was just like and this is with straps and my form was probably atrocious. I'd probably throw up if I saw my form from back then. But, um, I don't know how I did that, but I hit the salts for the first time and I was able to do it for six. They're straight fight or flight. I don't know if I just like thinking back on. I can't believe that I couldn't get off the ground. There had to been something wrong there. Like thinking back on it, I was like, dude, I had to have been able to get off the ground well then I wonder, does that help you psychologically with like a mental block, right?
Speaker 1:because when you start putting like another plate on, mentally you're like that just looks heavy. So I wonder if that's kind of like self-sabotaging from a subconscious standpoint, so doing the salt, going from nothing to you know five, six reps you're like oh yeah, I can at least do this one or two times on my own. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2:And so it does give you that, like it wakes you up, dude, and you know that's what they use when, like people are, like you know, passed out or whatever. Like they use that on week fours, but, um, pre-workout, I guess that's also like, depending on you as a person. Some people don't. I know people that are really strong that don't use it. Okay, I wish I didn't. But, dude, I freaking love pre-workout man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was gonna ask you and I know that's the thing with bodybuilders too. I did it when I was bodybuilding. But, dude, just something about just drinking pre on the way to the gym, the ritual of that is just what I love, and so like I could probably train without it, like if I had the placebo of it, if I just like poured some, like you know some carbs in a in a drink and started drinking it, I'd probably still have a similar effect.
Speaker 2:But I just love cat like. I love the beta alan too, the tingles you get from the pre-workout. Yeah, I love like feeling it build up as I get to the gym, Like I'm like all right, now we're ready to go. But, um, I was going to talk about I don't know if you wanted me to talk about um cause when I do go heavy, no, because it's really for me.
Speaker 2:I know some people don't take it serious. Dude, I find it's night and day, like, if you like, if you like one, you know you're going to lift really heavy this day. It's your week four, it's your primary day. It's your, your heaviest session of all training or a competition. If I know I'm gonna have to lift heavy, I will, dude, I will. I will intake so many carbs the day before, like before I go into the session. Yeah, I need to track it one day to see how many carbs I actually intake it has to be to track it or not.
Speaker 1:No, I don't track it like what do you have go-to's, like go-to things?
Speaker 2:yes, yes so, um, god, I have a list, man, but uh, really, it's just what I'm feeling at a time. It's different, it'll change up. If I'm feeling dried mangoes, I'll eat dried mangoes. If I'm feeling, um, pretzels, I'll eat pretzels. But uh, the main thing, the most effective thing that I found, is, uh, either a bagel, but then from theel I switched to just white bread and just like inhaling white bread and, just like you, inhale white bread. It used to be pretzels for me, so I would inhale pretzels and then, um, I would take obviously liquid.
Speaker 2:Liquid, uh, carbs are going to be easier to get down, and so I think one time I did a bunch of orange juice, but then I don't want to do juice per se on the day of, so I'll just do like. Recently I've been doing Gatorade powder, so I'll do like two or three scoops of Gatorade powder and it's like just downing it, and that's like 60. That's like 88. 88 grams I think I could be wrong 88 grams of carbs in that one. It's like a liter and a half, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then electrolytes I'll do a tri-roll which is like 1.6 grams of sodium and a bunch of other electrolytes, or an element which is like one gram of sodium. I'll throw that in the mix. It's like a little concoction, and then on top of that I'll use liquid glycerol, and, and then on top of that I'll use liquid glycerol. And so I'll put liquid glycerol in there, which is like Really yeah, and I know so. I know liquid glycerol is like you want to get a pump, yeah, but with liquid glycerol it helps your like. The primary function is like, it helps your like I don't know like the exact science behind it Blood flow.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it basically helps you absorb what you're like. You know the electrolytes and like the carbs, it helps you absorb it better. And so, although it does help you get a pump for bodybuilding you know that's like the, which I would use it for. For me it's going to help my muscles, like get all those carbs, get all those electrolytes, like absorb the stuff that I'm wanting to put in, and so I'll put liquid glycerol in there and then that's like my little concoction. I'll shake that up and I'll start drinking that and then, like I said, I'll just be inhaling.
Speaker 2:On the day I won't eat as much protein either, so I don't want to fill up my stomach with carbs. I don't want as much protein, so I'm not going to eat as much protein that day. If it's a meat day, I'm not eating any protein. Like that day I'm not, no, like it's just going to be carbs. But if I'm training or something, I'll eat protein that morning, but for lunch I'm not going to have much protein at all, it's just going to be carbs. And then rice too. You could do rice, but those are just my go-tos and what I'll do. But, dude, I'll just inhale it and then you go feel like a million bucks, man. I'd love for you to track that I'm just curious.
Speaker 1:I talked to someone that was doing Ironman one time and they used to down like a gallon of apple juice.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Like carbs, you know, and do like pastas and stuff like that, but the last thing I would want is like have an upset stomach when you're trying to like exert yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's why you kind of want to, like, I guess I say back tested, tested in training, yeah, but but um, that's why I'm scared to do juice, because, uh, I don't know, I just I just don't think it would sit well on like drinking a ton of it before I lift yeah um, I know there's a lot of carbs in it, but like the power, like the intra workout that I use in the gatorade stuff, yeah, I know sits well with me when I train, yeah, and so it's like okay, I'm comfortable with using that before I train and drinking like literally like a liter or two or a gallon before I train. I know that'll sit well in my stomach. You kind of have to play with your body, though, to like see what works.
Speaker 1:Do you know how much, like how much, you're eating on a like a regular daily? Yeah?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I guess we could also go into like that, but um, I'm eating around like 3,300 to 3,400 calories a day.
Speaker 1:I thought it'd be more.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, I was just thinking it'd be more, I could eat more. But I could definitely eat more. Don't get me wrong. I could definitely eat more, but it's like I also don't want my your weight to go up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't want my weight to go up, which is also really cool because, like I would assume, I would think that's probably like a little bit in a surplus of what you need, maybe, but even still, it's impressive to see that you're still able to get strong, like stronger, because I think a lot of people are like oh, I just got to shovel it. You know, I got to shovel, I got to get my. My weight has to go up for me to get stronger, which is not true for you.
Speaker 2:You're kind of holding a good, steady weight Right, and I a lot, a lot stronger at this weight because I've been this weight since I was 19, 18, you know, um or more than it so like at this weight you're bigger.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the last time I saw you, though well, I've maintained it, I guess, but um, uh, yeah. So I I really don't know. I I've thought about pushing it and just seeing what happens. I'm just scared. I just really don't want to get heavier man. Because the scary thing? For because right now all I have to do is gut cut, and that doesn't affect your strength at all If you gut cut into a meat, you're good, you're going to be right back to where you were. But I feel like after a certain point of gaining weight, if I get past like 215 or something, now it's like not just gut cut, you're going to have to water cut and you have to cut calories leading into your meat, yeah. And so it's like I don't want to have to do the water cut and the calories, you know, the sodium and pull.
Speaker 2:I don't want to have to do all that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think your strength will go down at that point.
Speaker 2:It will affect your performance in the meat day. Some people it affects differently. Um, the cut affects people differently, but I just don't want to have to deal with it. Yeah, and I like the gut. I like just having the gut cut and going to a meet because I feel the same. You know, some people come into a meet. They're feeling depleted and feeling smaller. I don't want to feel smaller, I want to feel. I want to feel like me like a monster.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I want to feel like a monster.
Speaker 2:I want to feel like I'm about to like destroy this weight, not like questioning myself, because I feel you know tiny.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, they weigh you, I'm assuming, before you start loading.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so, yeah. So, with my federation, they weigh you two hours before. Okay, before you lift. Oh, two hours, two hours, that's another thing.
Speaker 1:So you're trying to. You're inhaling bread and all that stuff literally two hours before you lift.
Speaker 2:Yeah, dude so I definitely would have stuck with the juices and stuff probably so the thing, the thing with um, with squat, I kind of have to be careful because, like, obviously you don't want to feel like you know like insanely bloated when you're squatting, so I'll stop.
Speaker 2:I'll know my body will like all right, bro, you stop, and so I'll stop. But like for bench, you want that feeling, you want to feel bloated, you want to feel like, you know, really big for bench because you want to like for some reason. Just it just helps feeling to feel bloated for bench, and I wear a belt too for bench, so it also like helps, like you know, um, with my bracing and stuff. But uh, yeah, it's two hour weigh-ins and I know with the other federation, which is uspa, they have 24 hour weigh-ins and so that they can go crazy on their cuts because now they have a whole night's sleep and a whole like a whole 24 hours before they have to lift um, before they have to.
Speaker 2:You know, worry about anything, but for us it's like two hours, which makes it makes it hard, but I like it, though it makes it harder, but I like that. It makes it harder, like I like that stuff because it makes it more prestigious to me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, it's a lot more detailed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it makes it more difficult, yeah.
Speaker 1:Cause even I want to add this, you know, because you are drug test. I was asking Brandon how that works out because in in bodybuilding, honestly, dude like, even if they tested you, you could take something in the off season, come off, go into a prep not taking anything and it would show that you're not doing anything. I mean, maybe a polygraph test maybe, unless you're really good at conditioning your mind to convince yourself, which is definitely possible too. But they can just show up to your gym anytime they want and just test you on the spot, which is wild dude.
Speaker 2:And I will clarify yeah, so like they can, they can pull up to your. Like they made me put in the gym that I train at and what time I usually train, and they haven't pulled up to my. I know they've done it to people, though.
Speaker 2:They've pulled up to people, but like I think that's just like the if you're winning worlds, like if you're like the one, the number one in your weight class or number two in your weight class, I think they'll do it to you, but, like, like anything below that, I think they're not going to like waste the you know the resources to go out there and test you, because you're not, you're not, you know, I'm saying taking the first spot from anybody. So, like, that makes sense. I think I think they'll. They only do that to like the first person in the weight class, like the one that's winning, but, um, yeah, other than that they'll, they'll test you. They'll take you out of like after them, you they'll take you and be like hey, you're getting tested and they won't. They'll have a person beside you and that person will not leave your side until you're tested. They've done it to me.
Speaker 2:I think my third or fourth competition. That's awkward. They were like, yeah, that was the first, I think that was the second time I got tested. But that person was beside me and, um, they're like you take your time, take pictures, whatever. I just can't leave your side until you're tested.
Speaker 2:I was like okay, I hope you're fine because, like, I got pictures to take. They're really cool though. Yeah, but obviously, like like you said, with bodybuilding, people can like know, they they understand it very well and so they can like know how to cycle off of it, leading into their competition, to where, even if they did get tested, they wouldn't get busted or they wouldn't like nothing would pop up.
Speaker 2:And that does kind of concern me with like, because I know, dude, there's somebody that does that you know, what I'm saying, like there's somebody that does it, there's somebody that understands it well enough in powerlifting that they're like I'm gonna compete, tested, but I'm gonna do this and they're not gonna catch me and they can get away with it, but I don't think that's the.
Speaker 2:I don't think that's the person that's in first, though yeah because I think the person in first would would have gotten busted. But like and if they're doing it, they're not, it might suck, you know, for like local meets and like for people going and and potentially winning local meets if somebody does that. But on the big scale I don't think anybody on the top top is doing that by any means. I got you Because I think they would have got busted, but I do think that people do that probably.
Speaker 1:I'm sure there's always going to be people like that.
Speaker 2:There's always going to be somebody that tries to find a way to cheat the system. But they're cheating the system and they're still not.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and they're still not at the top. Sucks for y'all. Yeah, so that says a lot. Drugs can't even help you.
Speaker 2:That says a lot, though, because, like the, that's super cool.
Speaker 1:So kind of finish up. I know you've got to get out of here too, but I guess the question too for you to kind of like close it out too, is you chose this federation for a reason, because it's the prestige one. You know what's kind of next for you in the next like five to ten years. Do you see a career in this, or is this more of a platform for you to expand into doing something else on your own? Have you thought about that? Because, dude, you're young man. I didn't know what I was doing at your age.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so like there's not much money in it. To be honest, like the only people that can you know live strictly off of like powerlifting are like literally the ones at the top, like number one. You know what I'm saying. It's very similar to bodybuilding.
Speaker 1:Is that from comp money or sponsorship money?
Speaker 2:Both Okay. And so, like there's probably I could count on my hand like probably, like one or two people or like a couple of people that are making, like I've probably made like a hundred grand, you know, in a year from competing in sponsorships alone. But ideally, obviously I'd love to get to the point there's a, there's a meet called sheffield, okay, to where, like the prize money is growing each year, I think. Um, I think it was like 50 grand okay last year, but like they're they're trying. That's like the, the, like mecca, so like there's worlds.
Speaker 2:And then there's sheffield. It's like right there, okay, sheffield's really interesting, but, um, that's like the money meat, and so, um, obviously, in the next like five years, I'd love to get to sheffield, because what sheffield is is like the number one person in each weight class go and compete against each other and so like number one person in the world, like if you win worlds, you get a ticket to sheffield, and so that's basically how you get to sheffield, yeah, okay. And so, like all the people that won worlds now go compete against each other, and so it's sick. Like I love the concept of it. It's like best of the best, yeah, best of the best, like running it, and so like, yeah, I love the idea of Sheffield. So like, yeah, then you go compete and I think almost everybody walks out with money.
Speaker 2:I'm pretty sure Like the prize pool is a lot, but I think first place is like 50 grand, but obviously I'd love to be there within the next five years or so. But there's also like sponsorship money. So like you could get on salary for companies, and a company like SBD hey.
Speaker 1:Coincidentally, coincidentally.
Speaker 2:Yeah, nah. So I am sponsored by SBD. I'm not getting salary yet, but what I love about them is it's performance-based, so majority of it's performance-based. So if you're really good and you win worlds, they're gonna pay you a salary, like basically, and so, uh, like I know a lot of companies, a lot of a lot of uh supplement companies are just like dude, if you have a huge following, yeah, and you got, like you know, I'm saying, if you, if we think that you can make us money, we'll pay you yeah if you promote our product, we'll pay you, and so that's not how they work.
Speaker 2:And um, I don't have a huge following by any means. Um but um. That's why I like about SBD, cause I don't have to have a huge following, I just have to be good. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:It is. I mean bodybuilding, or even in the content creation world. Now that you got to have a following, you got to make a business money for them to want to pay you. Right, right, it's not about being like the best athlete anymore. Uh, which which kind of sucks man you know, it does kind of suck.
Speaker 2:I wish that's what I didn't like about bodybuilding, though, either, because I was like dang man, even if I like, I'd have to win mr olympia to like get these sponsors I know, god, now listen, I got.
Speaker 1:I know people that are making livings off of bodybuilding sponsorships, right, um, but I also know people that have been on the olympia making like 200 bucks a month in gear. You know what I mean. So it's like it really comes down to like your social media following. Yeah, you can push it, doesn't? You know, being on the olympia stage it's got to be a personal goal, not a, uh, financial financial movement for you I mean it's just for.
Speaker 1:That's why I ask you with powerlifting, because bodybuilding itself is a good platform for exposure, but bodybuilding will not pay you.
Speaker 2:No, yeah, I like that. You said that it is a good platform for exposure and I think powerlifting can be that if you don't have any exposure at all. But we really we're so niche that, like I'm sure a lot of people don't know what Sheffield is Like if you're in the. I've never heard of that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, really we're so niche yeah they're like I'm sure a lot of people don't know what sheffield is like. If you're in the pilot, yeah, if you're exactly, if you're in the piloting niche, you know what sheffield is. But, um, I think, like a lot of the guys that are like really well known in the piloting sport are bringing people to powerlifting, not the other way around. They're not getting publicity from powerlifting, they're bringing people to powerlifting like people like uh russell or he or um, like people. It's just like huge followings, you know yeah they're people.
Speaker 2:They're honestly bringing people to powerlifting and making a bigger sport, which, like, I would love to be. Honestly, I would love to be there at some point. Honestly, I need to just post more, but and that's like I'm self-aware, I know I don't post but, um, if I could, like, eventually get to the point where, like, I have that following, that would be sick I'd love. I'd love to bring people to the sport, make it a bigger sport. That's like ultimate goal. If I was able to do that, I'd I'd be, really I'd be happy. Like, hanging it dropped because I just won a combo rack last weekend, yeah, and so I made a.
Speaker 2:I did it that I went and won a combo rack. I feels bad because like it was just like a local meet that was giving like basically giving out a combo rack for the first place um prize, and I I knew that, like based off the roster, I was like, dang, I think I could win this meet, and it's pretty like it's in Atlanta, it's like two hours away, so like I could drive back with the combo rack, and so I signed up and I did yeah.
Speaker 2:I signed up and won and, uh, going back, I couldn't get motivated for it. Going back to what I said about like having competition yeah and like I remember when I was like winning the combo rack, I was like, man, I just like, I'm just doing this just to you know, going through the motions. Yeah, that's like.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's why I love competition yeah, so you want the car um yeah, so I won a combo rack and, uh, I basically made a youtube video about it. I'm still editing it, probably post it today or tomorrow, okay, but, um, no, self plug. Yeah, no, yeah, plug myself in. Yeah, so I do YouTube and I I know we talked about Tik TOK. I have a pretty big Tik TOK following, yeah, which I honestly think Tik TOK followers don't matter. I think you could have zero followers on Tik TOK and post good content and make, um, you know, go viral and and and be effective. I think the content matters on tiktok, more so than the following, which on instagram, I think it's the what's still. Content matters, but, like, I think it's the other way around, yeah instagram, instagram because it'll give it.
Speaker 2:It'll feed the content to your feed. With tiktok it feeds it to the you know for you page everybody.
Speaker 1:It doesn't just feed it to your feed.
Speaker 2:But um, yeah, so I I have a lot of followers on tiktok, but I don't like. The reason I got those followers, dude, is because I was doing stupid videos, like I remember.
Speaker 1:I remember that's how you were building it up back when we were at the gym.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that was when I was like 1920.
Speaker 1:Dude, I still remember it, man, you did this one. It was you just doing transitions of putting, I think, superhero like clothes on, yeah, and it was like quick, quick, quick and it blew up. Dude, they got like 40 million views.
Speaker 2:Yeah, five million likes.
Speaker 1:Dude, that's insane.
Speaker 2:Dude. And so, um, honestly, that that video alone motivated me to make a lot of videos. And I I did after that video, I made like a ton of like funny videos and like they were like a lot of them were getting like a million views and stuff like that. And then, like after a while, obviously I hit like a dry streak of like you know, not a lot of views, and I think that's why I dwindled off of it and then I kind of like reflect and I was like dude, do I want to be known for like making silly content? Do I want to be that guy which I've kind of went back and forth with that a lot because, like I know, I could come up with like funny, silly stuff and I can make make funny silly stuff all day.
Speaker 2:But now that I'm like I guess you could say like I've gotten a name for myself in the powerlifting realm, yeah, and like I've actually have some prestige in that realm, like do I really want to like be doing like stupid stuff?
Speaker 1:yeah, yeah I think you could do something like you know, educational but entertaining you know what I mean or do things that are more that, because that does like obviously attracts more eyeballs, right? Um, you know, something that you know we do a lot in in our field of work too is just you got to put like value content out, but people will go on social media to be entertained, right? So if you can kind of blend the two.
Speaker 1:It just works a lot better. But I will say this kind of side note on social media and tiktok in general. There I used to always like get on tiktok. I'm like, oh man, there's all these like bot followers and people with like little cat emojis for their profile pictures. Bro, they're real people like straight up, they're real and I know this for a fact. I'm not gonna say who, but I got a really good friend that has a business that promotes his business and those little people with the like no profiles or anything, they are coming into his business, paying him. Those little people with the like, no profiles or anything, they are coming into his business, paying him money and signing up. I mean, these are, these, are these aren't your kids, right? These are like adults that are, you know, probably like late thirties, forties, fifties, that just are on there. They're probably watching things that are like, you know, has things to do with politics or they're just consuming content.
Speaker 2:They're consuming content.
Speaker 1:But he's putting out content that's resonating with them and they're reaching out personally. So I will say kudos to him, because he definitely hit the emoji market, because these people are real coming in and paying him money.
Speaker 2:Like no profile pictures. Those type of people Nothing.
Speaker 1:Not a post, nothing. Because I asked him. I was like dude, how do you? Because I know he's not dealing with young kids. I was like they find you on TikTok and he's like yeah. And I was like have you ever looked at their profile? And that's how he told me. He's like oh yeah, I was like all right, I guess I'll get back on TikTok.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know. I still haven't figured out how I want to go about it. I would love to push social media, but I don't know, obviously, the one way to go about it would just be to do it.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying. I'm self-aware, I know that I'm just not doing it. Yeah, but I don't know. I just don't know how I want to go about it. Yet which, I know it, people that do make a living from powerlifting and bodybuilding are the ones that have audiences, and I feel like I could get to that point which, like doing that one, like streak of me making a bunch of silly stuff. Yeah, I was hot, you know, I was dude. I still had people like I went to Austin, texas, and obviously so I was there for a powerlifting meet, but I went to a Chipotle and I walked in. The dude at the Chipotle line was like yo, like I've seen you on TikTok and like this has nothing to do with powerlifting, like obviously I'll get recognized for powerlifting at powerlifting meets and stuff.
Speaker 2:I'll get recognized there which is like, okay, well, they just follow the sport and they know who I am from the sport because it's a very new sport. But it was really cool to be somewhere like Texas, walk into a random Chipotle and the dude that was working knew who I was from my TikTok. Same thing that happened in the carowinds in Charlotte. Just walk in and somebody was like yo, I think you had a tutorial on TikTok and I, yeah, I follow you on TikTok dude. I was like really I'm not that big to be like you know. Oh yeah, you probably see my like I'm like dude, like legit, that's so sick, heck yeah.
Speaker 1:But in your niche of world too. I'm sure if people are into that, they know who you are.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, if people, if people follow powerlifting, follow powerlifting. Yeah, probably some people still don't like, yeah, I'm not at the top, I'm not the tip-tap top or anything, but um, um, I guess I've like hit enough milestones to be, I guess, relevant at this point. Yeah, for the most part I love it, man. That's awesome dude are we doing it still climbing?
Speaker 1:yeah, we're still climbing you got plenty of time young yeah, we.
Speaker 2:So I think I always said, uh, about 30, I don't know man, the best guy right now, I think he's 34. Okay, he's number one right now in my weight class you got 12 years yeah, and so it's like and that 12 years, I feel like. I feel like when you hit the 30 mark, I think people be like, oh man, I shouldn't be able to lift this much anymore, and they kind of like mentally go down.
Speaker 1:I think it's psychological though yeah, I think bodybuilding is similar, except it's closer like 40 yeah, I feel like in the 30s, your body's peaking your prime. Yeah, yeah, that's really, really good, yeah. And then when you start creeping into 40s, uh, you start to kind of like I don't know some. There are athletes that are still doing decent then, but I really feel like— Because Ronnie was older.
Speaker 2:when he was in his prime though, he was like mid to late 30s, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean Dexter Jackson. He was another one. I mean dude, he was rolling competing with the pros on Olympia while he was in his mid-late 40s, maybe close to 50. Hold on, what's his name?
Speaker 2:I'm going to blank on his name right now. He competed, competed not too long ago and he's really up there. He's a dark sport athlete Bald now.
Speaker 1:Deveroni.
Speaker 2:Kevin, is it Kevin Deveroni? Yeah, dude, he's also a genetic freak. Yeah, kevin, kevin Kevin Broney yeah, dude, he, he's also a genetic freak. But yeah, yeah, dude, he. He went and competed when he was.
Speaker 1:I don't know how old he is now but he competed not too long ago and looked amazing. Yeah, some of these guys to work smarter man, a lot of people like Ronnie Coleman man. He just wrecked his body yeah. That wasn't smart. Yeah, he was doing that. Uh what, what did we call it earlier? The power building that's what he did Ruined him, yeah, but yeah, dude, I'm excited to kind of see what you do. Where can everybody find you? Like your Instagram handle, YouTube.
Speaker 2:My Instagram handle is BrandonJones underscore four, and then YouTube Dang. I don't even know what my YouTube is. If you just type in BrandonJonesPowerlifting, I'll pop up.
Speaker 1:I'll link it actually in the descriptions. Okay, sweet, I'll link it and then people can check you out and follow you. So that's going to be your incentive to like start posting more. Yeah, so people can like follow the journey. Right, I think you should do one like leading, maybe even like one week leading up into to show your carb load two hours before just stuffing your face. Dude, that would be a bad idea. Yeah, I'd be really like I don't know to me, I'm just like dude, how do you shoveling a loaf of white bread down and yeah, it's literally just as much as you can, but like, honestly, so I did that for last year's worlds.
Speaker 2:I did a video every week from. I did a series leading into worlds, yeah, and then, like that last two weeks I was like, all right, now everything's focused on just winning and so, um, yeah, I, I feel like I can get back on it. I need to get back on it. I know it's just excuses on my end. Like I said, I'm like pretty self-aware about it. I just need to, I need to lock back in on it. Man, I think a lot of times with social media it's like, oh man, people gonna think this is like lame or like you know, I'm saying you kind of get in your own head a lot before you post anything.
Speaker 2:I feel like that's with everybody, though I do that I do that all the time.
Speaker 1:But I'd rather just post and see. You know, try to learn and see what works and what doesn't work. Because you know, I think a lot of people get so caught up and like, oh, what if people don't like it or this? And that I'm like dude, if you don't have a following, what does it really matter? You know, like ain't nobody seeing it anyways? Yeah, you know. So I can imagine if you had like a million, then maybe, maybe you'd be a little more cautious, or at that point you just don't care anymore, you know I think for me, recently, dude, I started having like a lot of like people.
Speaker 2:I respect a lot like people that I I was looking up to before like before I got anywhere with powerlifting people was looking up to follow me now, and so it's like, dude, the stuff that I post they're gonna like you know, I just respect them so much like I. You know their opinions. I kind of like respect in a way which obviously I should still like you know, I'm still like I should still be able to like I'm posting whatever. Yeah, but uh, I know that was another factor I took into account. After getting to a certain point I was like, dang man, like all these people are looking at my stuff, man, they don't think I think I'm gonna think I'm a fool I mean I'll say this, you know, kind of closing out too.
Speaker 1:Man, just be true to yourself yeah, I think that's one thing.
Speaker 1:You know I've been in three different mentorship groups. Social media is a big like learning curve for everybody, always people trying to figure things out, and there's a lot of people that will say I mean, there's, there's one specifically that? Um, this individual was giving a talk on how she blew up her business and her social media and she was like I started trying to piss people off, dude. And when I look at her comments, like half of them dude people are not happy with it and I get it Like you either are for her style or you're not. But to me I don't want to piss people off. You know I'll say what I believe in and stand true to it, but I'm not going intentionally trying to disrupt people's days. That's just not my style.
Speaker 2:Dude, that's honestly so smart because it gets people going, like you know people. For some reason people love commenting, you know what I'm saying. Oh, dude, and that kicks up the algorithm like crazy, yeah it shoots it up Because once you start getting a bunch of comments, they're pushing it out more and more and more. Especially if they're like hateful, they're going to stay on it, you know what I'm saying. And so that's actually really smart. I mean, it works for her, yeah.
Speaker 1:I like it. I mean, I got a good friend Tony. Gonzalez too, who's over in Bullen Springs, and he's very adamant and believes very strongly in pushing men to work out and train and you know being overweight is not okay. You shouldn't accept being just overweight, unhealthy and you expect your life is miserable. Like he's really adamant and he's passionate about it and you can tell and his comments are either dude, they love him or they don't like him yeah and it just puts a really big wedge in the middle, but it I think his style works really well and it works well for him.
Speaker 1:Obviously, his following is massive, so I'm sick um, so I say that to say just be true to yourself yeah, yeah so, anyways, I appreciate you coming on. Yeah, of course, this was good. I almost felt like we could have went a whole another hour. Yeah, yeah, so anyways, I appreciate you coming on yeah, of course this was good. I almost felt like we could have went a whole another hour yeah, yeah, we could, I could, yeah, I could keep yapping man.
Speaker 2:We'll do another season, so I could keep.
Speaker 1:I could stay in the gym for that long it's gonna keep yeah, no, actually, if you guys didn't know, this was in between his set, so he's about to go hit his second set right now yeah, I got my top set.
Speaker 2:I'm about to go hit right now. So, uh, use attitude. That's a six hour session.
Speaker 1:No, I appreciate you, man, so thank you.
Speaker 2:And thank you for having me on. Yeah, it's fun.
Speaker 1:Hopefully we'll get to do some stuff. They would get you in here one day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'd love to come in here. Be fun. Awesome man, Appreciate you brother.