interview of Igor N. Jolevich -
by the WPA President Mr. Scott Taylor
WPA Powerlifting
- Yugoslavian style!!!
Scott: Can you give the
readers some background information about yourself?
Igor: My name is Igor
N. Jolevich and I'm 31 years old. I am a Serbian, born and currently
living in Belgrade, the capital city of Yugoslavia. Since I
have traveled alot around the world with my parents as a child, I have
attended American and British schools which appeared to be a good
investment because I can communicate with people world-wide much easier
(and I enjoy it as well). As the matter of fact, I had trouble adjusting
back to the Serbian language after my return to Yugoslavia, because I spoke
English all the time. Now it's the other way around. I just hope it's not
that obvious...LOL...
Scott: What has been
your greatest accomplishments in this sport?
Igor: I'm a relative
newbie in this sport. Although I have been lifting weights for more than
5 years, I was more interested in developing muscle mass. I had a
very light built figure to start with (150 lbs. on a 6 feet frame)
and I brought it up to 220 lbs. During those 5 years I never did 1 RM attempts.
Now my emphasis has switched from gaining muscle mass to gaining strength
and speed. Powerlifting just seamed more goal setting and competitive
than bodybuilding and a more objective sport. I like to keep things
real. After years of higher rep ranges I'm adjusting myself
to doing true max attempts. I like the mental aspect of the dead-lift
most. My back is my strongest part and I always have the "nothing's
gonna stop me now" attitude when my shins touch the bar. I'm also very
satisfied that Yugoslavia has become a WPA affiliate. This would be my
small contribution to integrate my country with the world occurrences again.
This is also where you fit in Mr. Taylor, and I thank you once again.
My country has been suffering
alot. I think it deserves better. I hope we regain world acceptance
in all other fields as well...
Scott: What has been
your most and least favorable moments in the sport?
Igor: Oh, the most
favorable moments in the sport are following me every day now! Every time
I see a strength increase I feel satisfied within. That's what I strive
for, and that's my quest. On the other hand (and that's the other side
of the coin), I had periods of great disappointments. The greater
the obstacles are, the greater your pride will be when you solve them with
success. The real reason could be found in the lack of valuable training
information. For every hour spent in the gym it's a wise approach to balance
it with at least 5 times more time spent in gaining knowledge by reading.
I don't hesitate to ask the knowledgeable, but I also listen with attention
to others that know less then me. You can always learn not only from
the successful approaches of others, but from the mistakes of others
as well...
Scott: How
did you become involved with the WPA?
Igor: I opened a Website
called "POWR RACK GYM" which topic was powerlifting. The only reason for
starting that Website was my love towards the sport of powerlifting
and towards the people involved in it. To be honest, I was wishing it would
draw world-wide attention but actually it has surpassed my expectations!
Scott: What
advice would you give to a novice lifter entering their first competition?
Igor: My advice would
be a rather simple but effective one: ease up on the openers! Get in the
game first before trying to finish it. Also, I would like to say
a few things which I'm sure will find disagreement. I have always been
a drug free lifter (if multi-vitamins & 500 mg of vitamin C don't count).
I have one opponent, and one opponent only. His name is Igor N. Jolevich.
And every time I beat him, I do so with a feeling of supreme pride.
I don't care how much Tom, Dick & Harry lift. I'm not Tom, and
I'm not Dick, and I'm not Harry. I'm headin' for that Igor guy! And
that's why I don't need steroids, I just need that hunger feeling.
Hunger for pride. Do your best to deliver, and you'll get just what you
deserve. No more. No less...
Scott: How many days
a week do you train?
Igor: I train four
times a week. Each session lasts about an hour, give or take. I rest
alot and relax as much as possible between workouts (although I'm thinking
about incorporating some sled dragging). I'm trying to increase my workload,
and I do so very cautiously. I never miss workouts. Someone said that in
order to gain real strength you need three things: discipline, discipline,
and discipline. I think he left something out: discipline! I even trained
when I had a real bad case of salmonella which I deserved from gulping
huge amounts of raw egg whites (don't do dat!) I was badly dehydrated,
and my joints were stiffening. I had trouble just moving. My left hand
was all stiff. I had to un-lock the fingers of my left hand and wrap
them back over the bar with the other hand in order to grasp the bar. But
I didn't miss any workouts and I didn't lose any strength even with that
rather dangerous case of illness...
Scott: Do you have
any favored training method?
Igor: YES! This was
the question I was waiting for! I train Westside style. At first,
when I was getting aquainted with these methods, I was very skeptical and
reluctant to try them. I tried to do the "one thing at a time" approach.
Since I saw resultsfore-coming, I had more faith in the program so I tried
more. The more I tried, the more satisfied I got. So, I'm sold toWestside
now. It's not only a result producing program, but it also keeps your enthusiasm
high at all times because of the use of many different exercises applied...
Scott: How does your
pre-contest training differ from your year round training?
Igor: Actually, there
is no major difference. I work full intensity right up to a contest,
but I do drop the work load in order to recuperate better. I arrange
my mini-cycles in such a manner that the exercises that address my weakness
best are used 2 weeks before contest. Since I always slow down from the
mid-point on in the bench press, I use board press to remedy this. Either
with chains or without them. My hips are the weakest link in the SQ/DL
motion so I used kneeling squats as a mini-cycle. I actually used them
together with arched back GM's which keep my back prepared for max efforts
and since huge poundage is used, it also serves the purpose of the walkout
in the squat.
Scott: How far do
you plan to go in the sport?
I will go as far as I can
go without the use of steroids or enhacers (does coffee count?) I also
find satisfaction in exchanging knowledge with others and for providing
the opportunity for our lifters to compete. Fortunately so, they now have
a much wider platform to compete on.
Scott: What are your
interests outside of the sport?
Igor: I like to increase
my knowledge in the field of computers. I also used to play the electric
guitar earlier before. I even had a rock band when I was younger. We played
rather hard rock with thoughtful lyrics, full of metaphors. I liked
the sound of electric guitars like the coating Metallica has, or Offspring
or Exodus. I stopped playing the guitar when I started training seriously
because my hands were trembling for hours after my workouts...LOL...
Scott: Do you think
single event meets contribute or hurt the growth of our sport?
Igor: Personally,
I like the full meets most. I do think that the single event meets
do have a function and that would be to include a higher margin of
lifters who are willing to compete, but I think that it hurts powerlifting
somewhat because of it's recognition in the general public. Powerlifting
should have it's essence easily recognized in the three lifts (squat/bench
press/deadlift) even throughout the public that has no interest in
this particular sport. It still does not have that now. People outside
of this sport are confused...
Scott: What do you
do for a living?
Igor: Although I have
studied law, I work with computers. That's also where my interests currently
are...
Scott: Do you feel that
there should be more divisions or less divisions in powerlifting meets?
Igor: I'd like to
quote Louie Simmons on this one: He said that he would never enter any
age related divisions...ever! He is always ready to test his strength with
others even if they are 25 years younger! That's the spirit! I think confidence
is very important, but I also respect people who have no fear that they
will lose. Dealing with yourself as an absolute winner is easy. It takes
character to respect yourself even if you lose (Not that this applies to
Louie. He is definitely in the winning business...)
Scott: Who has been
your greatest inspiration in the sport?
Igor: My greatest
inspiration in the sport of powerlifting is Bob Youngs. Not
only because he is an awesome lifter, but because of his personality as
well. He is not dwelling in his success, he respects others and within
that behavior I see that he is very satisfied with himself deep inside.
I like people who are successful and yet approachable. Somehow I
feel I owe him alot... Even when I'm sittin' down and eating pizza...LOL...(Bob,
I know you're reading this! I just had to mention the Italian specialty!).
I'm also very impressed with Kirk Karowski. He is a typical example of
how I imagine a powerlifter...
Scott: Do you think
the sport of powerlifting will ever receive the same amount of public exposure/recognition
as bodybuilding?
Igor: Actually, people
are more interested in taking part in bodybuilding (than powerlifting)
because it is a sport that is in direct relation with appearance. It is
a cosmetic sport. So there's a larger pool of participators to draw
from. Since powerlifting has more resemblance with other sports in the
sense of being an athletic rivalry in which your capabilities are
easily measured without any doubt, I hope that powerlifting has a good
groundwork to be recognized. I'm sure that powerlifting can receive
more public exposure than it is right now, but I'm not sure it can beat
bodybuilding. I've recently heard someone saying that bodybuilding will
become an Olympic sport when dwarf throwing and under-water hockey becomes
one too. It's a good joke, but I hope it's not close to the truth,
especially if it also applies to powerlifting. I wish both of these
sports all the recognition
they can get....