Jesse Kellum: My name is Jesse Kellum, I am 37 yrs. old, a Tulane University graduate, and I am married with 5 kids.
BT: WHAT ARE YOUR BEST LIFTS?
Jesse Kellum: My best lifts at 198-
Squat- 909 (all time record)
Bench press- 652
Total- 2234 (all time record)
My best lifts at 220-
Squat- 931
Bench press- 735 (all time record)
Total 2390 (WPO Record).
BT: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COMPETITING?
Jesse Kellum: I have been competing since 1979.
BT: WHAT TRAINING STYLE DO YOU USE?
Jesse Kellum: KELLUM STYLE!!! I have developed my own unique style while incorporating "good ideas" from all sorts of other people. Ex: Use of bands from Louie Simmons.
Jesse Kellum: My dad used to compete and got me into it.
BT: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE BEGINNERS MAKE?
Jesse Kellum: Beginners don't work on their flexibility enough. Beginners should also get a good coach to show them how to perform the lifts correctly.
BT: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE POWERLIFTING EXPERIENCES?
Jesse Kellum: Breaking Coan's all-time total record at the wpo in N.O. in front of my friends and family. I was blessed by God there. Breaking Halbert's all-time bench at 220.Getting best lifter at the worlds in Africa and Canada. Winning the Arnold classic full meet and then winning the bench meet the next day.
BT: WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS?
Jesse Kellum: My goal is to break Ed Coan's total at 220. Bench press, 705 at 198. And to bench press over 750 at 220.
BT: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO UPPING YOUR LIFTS?
Jesse Kellum: Training smart, consistent, intense, and giving God the glory for your
victories.
BT: WHAT DOES YOUR DIET CONSIST OF?
Jesse Kellum: I usually eat pretty clean-lots of tuna, filet, chicken, cheese, skim milk, peanut
butter, protein supp. I eat sushi 5 x a week.
BT: WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES FOR POWERLIFTING?
Jesse Kellum: Quotes: “I can do anything through Christ who strengthens me.”
BT: WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN AVERAGE LIFTER AND A CHAMPION?
Jesse Kellum: The difference is, a champion trains like their life is on the line during every workout.
BT: WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE RAW/GEAR DEBATE DRUG/DRUG FREE DEBATE?
Jesse Kellum: I think gear adds a lot to the sport. They give the lifters $$ and the sport. I think most people want to see big weights lifted and gear helps us to achieve that. Gear also protects lifters from injury. But if someone offers big $$ for a raw meet. then I will enter. Drugs/No drugs-whatever floats your boat-who am I to judge?
BT: CAN YOU TELL READERS ABOUT KELLUM STYLEONE OF THE BEST TRAINING METHODS OUT THERE?
Jesse Kellum:Kellum style is a whole different system that I have based on lots of singles. On the bench, My father and I invented the "board press as it is called now today. Weve been doing this since 1980 and I am the one who introduced them to Lou Simmons.
An example would be, let's say for bench, to do 8-12 singles off of different board levels. I also re-invented the floor press, which is widely used today. And I do lot's of them. I don't want to tell too much because I will be coming out with a training manual/video pretty soon. The system works pretty good- I train August Clark 505 bench at 148 and 446 at 132. Also Kenny Palazola 600 bench press at 198 in his 2nd meet.
BT: WHAT HAS POWERLIFTING TAUGHT YOU?
Jesse Kellum: To be disciplined in what you do and to "refuse to lose"
BT: WHAT DOES POWERLIFTING MEAN TO YOU?
Jesse Kellum: Powerlifting has been a huge part of my life. It's made me the man that I am today.
BT: ANY FINAL WORDS?
Jesse Kellum: I want to thank god first, then my wife Carol for all the support. Then I want to thank my kids. I also want to thank my dad, Tom, for being my biggest fan and supporter for over 20 years. Lastly, I want to thank Kieran Kidder for bringing $$$ and "hype" into the sport which keeps guys like me motivated to train and compete.
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