Interview with Jay Nera RUM 4 Middleweight Champ by Raw PL
Interview with Raw Unity 4 Middleweight Champ Jay Nera
January 25, 2011 | 
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Interview by Adam “Hulk” Hires for RawPL.com
January 25, 2011
1. Introduce yourself.
My name is Jay Nera. I compete raw(no knee wraps) and have been competing for almost 20 months now. I walk around at about 227lbs and recently started competing at 220lbs. I am a CSCS,business co-owner and strength coach at DYNAMO FITNESS(www.dynamofitness.ca) with one of my best friends, and training-partners/business-partner Will Albert.
I have always LOVED competing. I find competition brings out something special. My first competition was tae kwon do sparring at the age of 8, and then diving, and then my first love basketball, then football in university (UWO-economics), then bobsleigh for the canadian National team, weightlifting, and now raw powerlifting( I would have never competed had a RAW division not emerged).
All I care about is increasing my total which is, as of 2 days ago at RUM4, 1901 lbs.
2. When did you start lifting and competing. And what got you interested in lifting?
I have been lifting since I was about 13 year old. I began training for two reasons: 1)I wanted my arms to look good in a jersey for the ladies. 2) I have always understood that training would develop and enhance my athleticism although I did not necessarily understand how to train properly. I wanted to DUNK!! So I did AIR ALERT II( a plyo program sold in Slam Magazine). I had no idea what I was doing.
It wasn’t until I was around 20-21 years old that I asked a stranger who I knew could help, Dr. Sam Dube(a gym rat and coach), to help me with my clean. He barely talked to me and didn’t pay me any attention until he saw me catch and sink a 225 clean and then stand up with it like it was 20 lbs…and then he wouldn’t shut up. But he told me something that changed my training completely….FORM FOLLOWS FUNCTION and that is when I decided to start reading books(not bodybuilding books, real books- NSCA manuals, Zartziorsky, Siff, Weightlifting Encyclopedia etc…)… and that is when the true quest for strength and knowledge of strength began.
I have never really respected powerlifting though. I thought that it was kind of stupid because of the equipment..The equipment makes it impossible for people to relate to, comprehend, and appreciate. I also feel that equipped lifting discredits raw lifting. I mean Belyaev benches 550lbs in a t-shirt at less than 220 and then there are handfuls of guys in that weight class benching over 650lbs in multi-ply…to the general public who don’t know any different, Belyaev is decent at best… his skill is something to be admired yet people measure it against ‘assisted’ lifters. Note: there are some multi-ply freaks who are handling ridiculous weights…and that is very respected in my books. ie. Frankl(although his squats are high for my liking…I wouldn’t want that weight on my shoulders.) Guys who do both RAW and EQUIPPED show their true dominance in the movement, ie Sam Byrd squatting… Anyway, I started competing as soon as I found out there was RAW lifting.
3. What are some of your best lifts in meets and gym?
Best bench press 465lbs touch and go in gym. 457lbs in Idaho at WPC Raw Worlds 2010.
I JUST HAD THE BEST SQUAT AND DEADLIFT DAY OF MY LIFE AT RUM 4 2 days ago. I hit a new PR squat of 716lbs on my 3rd attempt. The 2nd attempt, 705lbs, is what got my emotions flying the most though. I have been chasing a 705lbs squat for what feels like forever. And having Sam Byrd attempting 750lbs right after my attempt, him attempting to DESTROY Jesse Kellum’s ugly 730lbs all-time raw squat, really had me fired up…what better time to join the small 700 pound club. And then I hit a PR deadlift 744lbs because I needed to pull it to win the meet. But more exciting to me is that I moved 762lbs to my knees…I MOVED IT OFF THE FLOOR!! 350 kilos is whispering in my ear now.
4. What is your proudest moment in powerlifting?
1)Breaking the 700lbs squat…and then on the 3rd attempt hitting a 716lb squat was icing on the cake. I don’t think that anyone other than elite level powerlifters can empathize what it is like to chase a number like this. People do not see nor understand the amount of work, discipline, determination and sheer guts it takes to constantly and consistently push towards what at first may seem like an unattainable number. Especially after failing time and time again. I failed a 710lb squat 1 week before the comp..miserably. I literally had to fight off emotions after hitting that 705. It meant a lot to me. And that my father was watching from home over the internet to see that moment…even though he is one of the people who cannot comprehend it..when he sent me a text….it still means a lot that he saw it.
2)Sharing a podium with 2 of the best 220 lbs powerlifters Jeremy Hamilton and the of course the Legendary Sam Byrd. Knowing that I would be competing against Sam Byrd brought the best out of me. Truly honored and privileged to have made friends.
3) In Russia, after squatting 667lbs, Dmitry Klokov, my favorite weightlifter, came up to me to tell me he liked my squat. Made my trip.
5. Who did you look up to when you started, and now?
Anyone who has developed a skill or art to a point of incredibility. I am going to name some people who are masters of their skills in no particular order: Dmitry Klokov, Lu Yong, Fedor Emelianenko, Misha Koklyaev, Manny Pacquiao, GSP, Koji Murofushi, Gary Kasparov, Devon Larratt, Alexey Voevoda, Usain Bolt, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Pablo Neruda, Andrea Bocelli….Not Barrack Obama.
My point being, anyone who demonstrates WHAT TALENT CAN BECOME WHEN THE SKILL IS DEVELOPED holds my highest admiration.
In powerlifting. My second competition in Oct 2009, Russia, across an ocean….with over 700 competitors!!…lol…this shows my lust for competition. I had the privilege of watching Andrey Belyaev total 2028lbs at 220lbs body weight.
It was PURE SKILL:
-a 2nd attempt squat at 705lbs looked easy and he waived his third attempt.
-benched 507 FAST!!
-deadlifted 816 without a grind
I think that that day he could have totaled over 2050 AT LEAST if he wanted to.
Watching him lift truly made me appreciate the sport of powerlifting. It demonstrated the notion that strength is a skill and when you see someone who has been powerlifting and developing those skills for over a decade…
NO ONE CAN EVER WALK INTO THE SPORT AND CHALLENGE THAT….ITS IMPOSSIBLE(period).
SQUAT:Kirk Karwoski and Sam Byrd. I have watched their videos so many times that they are probably making money on YouTube because of me alone. Squat is KING, as are they.
BENCH: no one…this is probably why my bench is garbage for my weight and Philip Brewer at 165lbs can out bench me…I will start looking up to him and Greg Doucette.
DEADLIFT: Konstantin Konstantinov, aka KK. I met him in Russia, very humble yet ferociously powerful human being. His deadlift is simply astounding. His strength and character are most admirable.
Willie Albert, he’s 181lbs and pulls 727lbs…training with him pisses me off because I have 40+lbs body weight on him and we can share a bar training the deadlift. I FINALLY get to start talking trash about the deadlift now that i have officially out pulled him.
COMPLETE POWERLIFTER: Andrey Belyaev. Just watch his WPC Raw Worlds in Russia video and then understand that he capable of so much more. No need to say anything else about the guy. He is the best. ***Of course Coan is BOSS, that goes without saying.
6. What is your favorite lift and why?
I would have to say the squat. The SQUAT has always been a lift I love and IT IS KING. It comes naturally, and, to me, it’s the most extreme of the 3 lifts because your body is fighting being crushed. I feel that it elicits the fight or flight response…and it can be such a rush sometimes. Whether it’s an extremely heavy single, a heavy max reps set, or even a 20 rep set…by the end of it all…time sits still and all you care about is standing up.
The DEADLIFT is gaining ground on me as well. As I get better at it, I respect it more. It is not easy. It is primal. It is a grind. It ends the meet and sometimes determines the victor.
7. What are some of your future meets and goals?
I ALWAYS set my goals high. They are always realistic and attainable in my eyes, but they dabble on the higher end of my capabilities or ‘day of my life’ scenario.
RUM 4-January 22 2011 – I was hoping to go 716-474-750 1940…I went 716-440-744….an increase on my 1868 total to 1901 has satisfied my thirst.
CPF Raw Nationals-June 2011 -More weight than January 22 2011
October – at World’s in Latvia, I hope to total greater than June 2011, and share a podium with Andrey Belyaev and Andrei Kisel.
ULTIMATE GOAL 2000lbs@220 at some point in my life…and then Hara Kiri.
8. I love your psycho intensity, especially on the squat. I notice you slam into the bar several times before squatting. Where does that come from and what is going through your head?
It came naturally the first time I ever squatted over 600lbs raw. 610lbs on the bar. Training alone, without a belt or wraps it was a true NO-NO-NO squat. I remember thinking it looked too heavy( thick plates ha ha) and my not knowing anything about powerlifting, at my gym 5 plates was a CRAZY squat…so 6 and change was… Anyway, I felt intimidated by it and so I gave it a smack. Kind of like when you aren’t sure if you are about to be in a fight so you punch first…baha. So basically, if you ever see me smack the bar…it’s because I am a little intimidated by the weight…and am trying to show ‘gravity’ who the F*ckin ALPHA is.
There is not a lot going through my head. Sometimes I yell "Osss!!" which is a Japanese word used in martial arts meaning "push, endure, persevere." Or I simply yell "LETS GO!!" But aside from yelling and shaking to excite my system. I just tell myself not to take anything for granted, that it will not be easy and to embrace the challenge because it gives me a chance to test myself. This TEST is what fires me up the most..because I believe a true champion whether successful or not steps up to the challenge. This challenge is not to win a medal, it is to show that I have improved, increased my strength, become a better powerlifter…honed my skill further….."Osu!!"
9. What is your favorite movement for each lift?
Squat- I have always loved the front squat, sometimes more than the back squat…I can’t wait to attempt a 600 pounder now that the comp is done, just have to weight for my pulled calf muscle to heal. Hands-by-hips safety squats are a hell raiser. Jumping keeps me feeling athletic and agile. Zerchers make men. And one of my other favorites are extremely heavy half-squats starting from the bottom with at least 120% your max. It’s such a conquering movement because it takes a while to get it moving and takes your entire being when starting from the bottom…there is NO HALF ASSING.
Bench- Ummmm….Well, it’s my worst lift because I don’t even enjoy using boards… Movement? I enjoy doing levered push ups on parallel bars. lol
Deadlift- I enjoy pulling from a deficit…I do not enjoy pulling from an advantage. Chains are AWESOME to deadlift with. Very fun. But my weakness is off the floor so I prefer to stay heavy at the bottom too.
10. I will throw some words out and you just say what first comes to your mind….
1900- 1901, and proud of it.
2000- This is my 220lbs goal. 1 year and a half to 2 years I hope to accomplish this. By then, Belyaev will have reset the all-time 220lbs total from 2028lbs to around 2070-2100lbs.
Russians- Russians…some of the most talented, gifted, and disciplined people…corrupt too. HAHA!!
Great scientists and mathematicians. One of the greatest novelists EVER Fyodo Doestovsky. Gary Kaspararov IS the greatest chess player. And then the athletes….Belyaev, Klokov, Koklyaev, Vovoeda, Konstantine, Malanachev,Emelianenko, Vovchanchyn, Chigichev, Sharapova, Ovechkin, Federov, Bure, Plushenko, Alexeev, Sheiko …there are simply too many….my favorite Russian…Mr. Yuri Verkoshansky.
Justin Beiber-..from Stratford, Ontario. I took a picture with a cardboard cut out of him, posted it on my Facebook as a joke and now, to the RawPL, my sexual preferences may be at question.
2011- Great time so far.
11. Anyone you like to thank?
Anyone who supports or has supported me and my endeavors. Everyone who is helping the sport grow and inspiring others to lift. The people who organize meets are changing many people’s lives. The Higgins in Idaho, Ross Saldan and Cheryl Mackenzie in Montreal, Bruce McIntyre of the CPF…and of course for my last meet Eric Talmant
My fam is my numero uno. Friends close second. Lifters…don’t ever stop….EVER.
Last but not least…my training crew Will Albert and Kade Weber.
