Ever since I was 18-years old it’s been my goal to hit a 4x bodyweight deadlift.
At that time I could barely deadlift 225lbs (not even 2x my bodyweight) but I quickly became obsessed with my 4x bodyweight deadlift goal and spent the better part of the next 5-years doing everything I could to achieve it.
Finally, in March of 2012, I hit my first 3x BW deadlift: 402.5lbs at a BW of 132lbs
My first 3x BW Deadlift
Until that pull, a 4x bodyweight deadlift seemed like a far-fetched dream. A monstrous and most likely unattainable feat of strength.
Not anymore.
As soon as I deadlifted 3x my bodyweight I knew I was going to pull 4x.
It was just a matter of time.
And patience.
A lot of patience.
Fast forward almost 3-years to this past Saturday, January 24th, 2015, and I’m excited to announce that I finally achieved my goal.
At a bodyweight of 130lbs, I deadlifted 530lbs for my first ever 4x bodyweight deadlift.
It was an extraordinary meet and I couldn’t possibly be any happier with my overall performance so below I’ve provided the play-by-play meet recap, ending with my 4x bodyweight deadlift.
Squat
380lbs (2.9x BW)
Lifting in the Raw Classic division (sans knee wraps), this was an all-time personal record.
During this past training cycle I ended up with some nagging hip pain and only squatted 1x/week for the last 8-weeks leading up to the meet. Despite the less than optimal training conditions, I’m very happy I was able to set a new personal record and move 1-step closer to a 3x BW squat.
Moving forward I plan to squat 3x my BW within the next year.
Bench Press
230lbs (1.8x BW)
My all-time best bench press being 235lbs, this wasn’t a personal record but it felt easy and I’m happy with how it moved.
The bench has always been my weakest of the 3 lifts but in the next year I plan to bench press 2x my bodyweight.
Deadlift
530lbs (4x BW)
And here’s my first 4x bodyweight deadlift.
To be honest…it’s difficult for me to find the words to describe how it felt.
Physically it wasn’t very difficult; I probably had another 10-15lbs in me.
Mentally and emotionally, however, it’s a different story.
The more I think about it the more I realize how strange it feels to spend the better part of 5-years chasing a goal, then after 1-quick pull it’s all done and over with.
As a coach, I’m adamant that all of my clients and athletes fully appreciate and recognize when they achieve a long-term goal. It’s all too easy to overlook our successes as we strive for the next big thing on our to-do list, so at this point I’m doing my best to appreciate all of my hard work and fully acknowledge my feelings of accomplishment.
At the same time, I’m wicked excited for what’s to come.
What’s Next?
I’m happy to announce that I’m venturing into new waters and my focus is now shifting towards Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
I grew up as a wrestler from 8-years old (that’s actually how I became interested in the fitness industry) and have missed grappling since I stopped at 18.
Now I’m beyond excited to get back into BJJ and hopefully compete at a high level.
I have a lot to learn and a ton to improve upon but my goal is to not only compete with high level grapplers but also expand my knowledge as both a coach and an athlete in this new discipline.
Powerlifting always has been and always will be a major part of who I am and what I value in the fitness industry. I’ll continue to practice Powerlifting, write about it, coach it, and eventually compete again.
For now, though, I’m excited to get back into grappling, continue to expand my knowledge, and hopefully compete at a high level among some of the top BJJ artists in the world.
Thank You!
Thank you so much for your continued encouragement and support.
Whether you realize it or not, you inspire and motivate me to become a better coach and athlete every single day.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of 2015 will bring.
Never Minimal. Never Maximal. Always Optimal.
-J