Post by Mike White on Sept 13, 2006 7:17:55 GMT -5
What do you ask Elvis? How about Batman? The Governator? Pick any icon you'd like and try to think of 10 simple questions . It's a little harder than you'd think. Since this is the last interview for me, I wanted it to be MY favorite lifter. Ryan Kennelly !
I put a little more time into this one and I hope everybody hears a little somethin' they may not have known.
1) Barry Williams: You've won about all there is to win now. What else do you hope to accomplish in the sport?
Ryan Kennelly: Its win, lose , or draw, anymore and I go out to win. I'd like to hit some more 900+ bench's but in order to do that I will have to work harder no doubt.
2) BW: Looking around at some of the big lifts people are hitting, who sticks out and impresses you the most as an up and coming bencher?
RK: Bj Dirk, Jason Coker, Sean Frankl, Scott Yard, just to name a few.
3) BW: A couple of benchers have went over 1000lbs now. Where do you see this topping out? With new gear, the right supplements, etc., will there be an end?
RK: Around 1075-1100, the gear and supplements will continue to get better and so will the athlete, It’s all a matter of time.
4) BW: Do you follow anyone's training principles or make your own?
RK: As of late I'm following Kara's "Armenian style" bench routine with great success. In the days of old I use the Westside/Kennelly hybrid system.
5) BW: You're not a belly bencher like a lot of the 275's and up. Even when you've been your heaviest you maintained a normal waistline. What type diet do you follow? Any cardio added in your training?
RK: I eat like a bodybuilder half the time, only 4 weeks out from a contest do I splurge to bulk up if needed. As far as cardio, I power walk a mile every other day, and ride the stationary bike 2 times a week for 20 minutes.
6) BW: For anybody that didn't read the book***, what got you into benchin' ?
RK: It all took a twist when my local gym held an in house contest and posted the results on the wall called the infamous "record board." And come to find out the top dog was this asshole we all despised, and he had benched 451@242 and I wanted to destroy him and move my name above his on the gym record board. And in 6 months time I did just that at my first WABDL meet in Springfield OR. May 17th 1997, hitting 457@223, after that I never looked back.
7) BW: Jason Coker mentioned you in his interview as the "Best Lifter Today.” I'm pretty sure he's not alone in that thought. Who do you consider "The Best" of today or of any time frame?
RK: Thank you I really appreciate that comment, But I believe if you give 100% in training, and give 100% on the platform that qualifies you as the best in my book.
8) BW: As a whole, where do you see the sport headed in the future? What can be done to help improve it?
RK: Its passed the point of no return for improving it in my opinion, so all we can really do is ride it out on the path that its already deep into. I could sit here all day and tell you that I can’t wait till it’s in the Olympics, but I'd just be lying to myself and others.
9) I've said before that you and Kara should be the "Face" of the sport if it has one. Do you ever get overwhelmed seeing yourself in magazine articles and adds?
RK: I was overwhelmed when I first made the cover in 99, but my lifting speaks for itself and I must be doing something right cuz I get my pic in there every once in a while it seems. Ha ha. I always thought that Kara and I were like powerlifting characters or superheros like Superman and Wonder Woman.
10) BW: Outside of lifting, what do you do that may catch people off guard?
RK: Tell people I eat 8 meals a day. Or that I can loose 10lbs in a day if I only get 1 meal, all true.
BW: Ryan, please take a minute and mention your sponsors or anyone else you'd like.
RK: Boss supplements, Inzer Advance Designs, House of Pain, Ironville clothing,
BW: From the time we are kids, we all had idols. It may have been a super hero, a pro athlete, or a rock star. We all had them. As adults, we tend to lose them as we grow older and have to face what life throws
at us. Ryan Kennelly turned out to be a new idol for me when I started lifting. I had a chance to meet and talk to Ryan for a few minutes this year the day I broke my arm. I may never meet KISS or Batman; but damn it, I got to meet Ryan Kennelly.
*** "The Kennelly Method"
I put a little more time into this one and I hope everybody hears a little somethin' they may not have known.
1) Barry Williams: You've won about all there is to win now. What else do you hope to accomplish in the sport?
Ryan Kennelly: Its win, lose , or draw, anymore and I go out to win. I'd like to hit some more 900+ bench's but in order to do that I will have to work harder no doubt.
2) BW: Looking around at some of the big lifts people are hitting, who sticks out and impresses you the most as an up and coming bencher?
RK: Bj Dirk, Jason Coker, Sean Frankl, Scott Yard, just to name a few.
3) BW: A couple of benchers have went over 1000lbs now. Where do you see this topping out? With new gear, the right supplements, etc., will there be an end?
RK: Around 1075-1100, the gear and supplements will continue to get better and so will the athlete, It’s all a matter of time.
4) BW: Do you follow anyone's training principles or make your own?
RK: As of late I'm following Kara's "Armenian style" bench routine with great success. In the days of old I use the Westside/Kennelly hybrid system.
5) BW: You're not a belly bencher like a lot of the 275's and up. Even when you've been your heaviest you maintained a normal waistline. What type diet do you follow? Any cardio added in your training?
RK: I eat like a bodybuilder half the time, only 4 weeks out from a contest do I splurge to bulk up if needed. As far as cardio, I power walk a mile every other day, and ride the stationary bike 2 times a week for 20 minutes.
6) BW: For anybody that didn't read the book***, what got you into benchin' ?
RK: It all took a twist when my local gym held an in house contest and posted the results on the wall called the infamous "record board." And come to find out the top dog was this asshole we all despised, and he had benched 451@242 and I wanted to destroy him and move my name above his on the gym record board. And in 6 months time I did just that at my first WABDL meet in Springfield OR. May 17th 1997, hitting 457@223, after that I never looked back.
7) BW: Jason Coker mentioned you in his interview as the "Best Lifter Today.” I'm pretty sure he's not alone in that thought. Who do you consider "The Best" of today or of any time frame?
RK: Thank you I really appreciate that comment, But I believe if you give 100% in training, and give 100% on the platform that qualifies you as the best in my book.
8) BW: As a whole, where do you see the sport headed in the future? What can be done to help improve it?
RK: Its passed the point of no return for improving it in my opinion, so all we can really do is ride it out on the path that its already deep into. I could sit here all day and tell you that I can’t wait till it’s in the Olympics, but I'd just be lying to myself and others.
9) I've said before that you and Kara should be the "Face" of the sport if it has one. Do you ever get overwhelmed seeing yourself in magazine articles and adds?
RK: I was overwhelmed when I first made the cover in 99, but my lifting speaks for itself and I must be doing something right cuz I get my pic in there every once in a while it seems. Ha ha. I always thought that Kara and I were like powerlifting characters or superheros like Superman and Wonder Woman.
10) BW: Outside of lifting, what do you do that may catch people off guard?
RK: Tell people I eat 8 meals a day. Or that I can loose 10lbs in a day if I only get 1 meal, all true.
BW: Ryan, please take a minute and mention your sponsors or anyone else you'd like.
RK: Boss supplements, Inzer Advance Designs, House of Pain, Ironville clothing,
BW: From the time we are kids, we all had idols. It may have been a super hero, a pro athlete, or a rock star. We all had them. As adults, we tend to lose them as we grow older and have to face what life throws
at us. Ryan Kennelly turned out to be a new idol for me when I started lifting. I had a chance to meet and talk to Ryan for a few minutes this year the day I broke my arm. I may never meet KISS or Batman; but damn it, I got to meet Ryan Kennelly.
*** "The Kennelly Method"
