*He has squatted over 800lbs and deadlifted well over 700lbs as his lifts are on the rise!
* He has done dumbbell bench press reps with 150s!
* He has done Rack Lockouts on the bench press with 765 for several singles! 945 on Rack Deads for one rep.
* He has curled 185lbs for 25 reps.
*He is known as the BRUTE as a name given to him for lifting everything with brute strength!
Lets start the interview with powerlifter and powerlifting writer, Curtis Dennis Jr.
CRITICAL BENCH: Hey everyone, Critical Bench is here with powerlifter and established writer from bodybuilding.com Curtis Dennis Jr. Before we get started what is your height and weight?
Currently as of this interview I am 6-0, 308.-315
CRITICAL BENCH: Very cool. What type of bench shirt do you use and why?
Currently I have 2 bench shirts. I use a metal pro Viking and the Inzer Rage X. Right now I wear a Rage X. I prefer the Inzer Rage X because the groove is a lot lower than the metal and the groove isn't hard to find either...
CRITICAL BENCH: Got ya. What is your advice for someone who wants to get the most out of the Inzer Rage X or in any bench shirt in general?
My best advice is to get a single-ply shirt and work it! Don't change up. Train in it and practically live in it. This was hammered into me a good bit by my good friend, Tim James out of Tampa Barbell. It's something I most definitely recommend if you're going to use one...
CRITICAL BENCH: Curtis, what fed do you compete in and why?
Here in the south, we don't have a lot of choices but the APF is pretty much where I'm at.
CRITICAL BENCH: Curtis, your lifts from the introduction are insane. Tell us about your training routine and diet that helped you to get so scary strong?
My training is pretty much ME bench, ME squat, and accessory work every week and once a month DE work to deload. i change up stuff so often to keep things goin and interesting. and my diet...well i'm a powerlifter...LOL!! i eat pretty much clean but my goal is to be strong...even though i'm pretty lean at 310-312.
CRITICAL BENCH: (ME stands for Maximum Effort for those who don't know.) Curtis, Describe the feeling of benching, squatting and deadlifting a new personal best on the platform?
It's Effin awesome and for it to be done on the platform is the ultimate rush. Although, the goal of every meet is to set a PR, it doesn't fall in the place like that. It's something that can't be described unless u do it yourself...
CRITICAL BENCH: Curtis do you think powerlifting will ever be mainstream? Do you want powerlifting to be mainstream or do you like it underground sort of like a "dark side" type of thing? If powerlifting goes mainstream does it become less hardcore or better from your point of view?
I don't know if u want to be mainstream really. i mean it's a sport NOT everyone can do like bodybuilding. It's one of those sports that mentally tests u more than anything. i think it will lose the "hardcore" aspect if it does and may get watered down a bit.
CRITICAL BENCH: That's why powerlifting is the best even though it's not mainstream! It's the HARDEST sport to do, but also the sport that has the greatest satisfaction in the end for the few who know! How do you prepare a week before a powerlifting meet? What do you usually do with the other powerlifters after a meet?
A week out, I rest up. I still go to the gym but just to do some light accessory work is all. After a meet, I usually hang out a bit with some of the lifters.
CRITICAL BENCH: You've been a writer and an interviewer. You must have heard a lot of different advice over the years. What was the best advice you were ever told? What was the worst?
Well, I can tell whether i'm bein told the truth or the bullshit. i just don't listen to the BS so i can't remember the worst idea i was told. However, the best advice I was told was to "stay in my shirt" when i was training for my last meet.
CRITICAL BENCH: What is the best part about being a powerlifter in this crazy sport?
The best part is knowing that youre involved in a sport that only a few can do. even though the sport is growing, like i said before, only a select few can do it because of the mental aspects of it.
CRITICAL BENCH: So far in your powerlifting journey, what has been your.....
Most hardcore moment? Benchin 589 after i fucked up and struggled 570
Favorite?- totaling 2005 at 308
Most memorable?- WADBL riverfest in 03...one of the best run meets ever!
CRITICAL BENCH: Shifting gears, some highlights from other lifters.
The most hardcore thing you've seen was? - paul key comin back after a pec injury...shows just how much u can't quit! and he's now almost back up to 800 again...no fear!
Most impressive lifts you seen? - kennelly's 1036 bench...nuff said...
Lifts you've seen that impacted you the most were? - luyando's 900+ bench at 242...raises the standards once more...gotta love it!
CRITICAL BENCH: You have written some great articles about the iron mind of the powerlifting warrior. Where does your motivation to be the freakiest and most insane powerlifter that you can be come from?
It comes from what my goal is to be the strongest SOB. When I reach one plateau, I'm always going up to another. This sport doesn't allow u to be complacent much! Therefore, there is always a goal to go after. Seeing my own lifts progress keeps me motivated for more...what greater motivation could u have than to see yourself get stronger? Also when I see others get stronger and that motivates me as well!
CRITICAL BENCH: Well said! Curtis there are many lifters out there who bench 225x10 or 315 for singles year after year. However, great powerlifters exceed barrier after barrier and eventually bench 400,500,600+ and beyond. What do you think separates a powerlifter from the 225x10 bencher year in and year out?
Powerlifters always take it to the next level. A powerlifter would get to a 225 bench for 10 but then would want 250 for 10 again. They are never complacent with where they are at. We smash a PR one day and the next, we are tackling the next. It never ends.
CRITICAL BENCH: This is great information. Although it's obvious to the powerlifter, so many people forget the concept of "taking it to a whole new level which separates the champs from the chumps."
Curtis, what's your advice for someone that may be interested in powerlifting?
Knowledge is power. There is no excuse for ignorance. When i wanted more info about the sport, I didn't have the net at the time so I studied books and videos. I would also recommend anyone goin to a powerlifting meet...As soon as one goes to a powerlifting meet they will make the decision then and there, guaranteed!
CRITICAL BENCH: Tell us about the most intense workout you've ever experienced?
One of my most recent sessions at NGBB had to be the most intense. bein in a barbell club settin is usually intense! Knowing this forced me to put more focus into my liftin and pushing myself even harder....especially when u got a bunch of strong f*ckers around...that made me push a lot harder than normal and i like it!
CRITICAL BENCH: What are your future goals in powerlifting and outside of powerlifting?
Currently I'm a bench only guy and my goal is to get to mid-600s first and then the big 705! That's what I want, but you gotta crawl before you learn how to talk. Then, I want to get back into full meets and total 2500! Outside of the gym, i want to make planetrage.com a bigger site and more popular and not just for business purposes but to have a place where lifters can get valuable info and motivation. i'm studying right now for computer programming and hope to move closer to NGBB as well.
CRITICAL BENCH: That's a badass site Curtis. Very motivating. Good articles, good music.
Thanx! that was the whole idea behind planetrage.com so make sure to go check
it out if you haven't already.
CRITICAL BENCH: Curtis how do you see the future of powerlifting in 5, 20, and 100 years from now?
I have just a simple answer for that! I see lifters evolving and the standard gettin raised. When i was in high school, u were the shit if u were benchin 315 and now i see teens benchin near 400+...
CRITICAL BENCH: Curtis what have you learned from powerlifting over the past 17 years?
It teaches you that struggles only make u stronger and to never quit on your goals...even when they seem impossible. I found that even when I accomplish one goal, there's always another...it has also taught me to never be complacent.
CRITICAL BENCH: Curtis, it has been a pleasure interviewing the man who interviews everyone else! In closing what would you like to say?
i also would like to thank my bros on planetrage forums and the writers on board there. been the strongest brotherhood 4 years this past july running( www.planetrage.com) and my bros on myspace(they know who they are!). lookin foward to makin planetrage.com one of the more motivational sites on training info. and i would like to thank NGBB for allowing me to be apart of their barbell club...for its truly a honor indeed and will represent them to the fullest!
CRITICAL BENCH: Hey everyone, Critical Bench is here with powerlifter and established writer from 
CRITICAL BENCH: You've been a writer and an interviewer. You must have heard a lot of different advice over the years. What was the best advice you were ever told? What was the worst?
Powerlifters always take it to the next level. A powerlifter would get to a 225 bench for 10 but then would want 250 for 10 again. They are never complacent with where they are at. We smash a PR one day and the next, we are tackling the next. It never ends.
CRITICAL BENCH: Curtis what have you learned from powerlifting over the past 17 years?
