23 Dec 10/20/Life Client Zakk Plocica Totals 2K @ 242

By: 10/20 Journalist

“I was always a small guy and graduated high school at 135 pounds,” says the guy who just totaled 2,000 @ 242 in his third meet ever. Yeah, I spit my cheerios at that one too.

26-year-old Zakk Plocica has been very active in sports for the majority of his life and got his first motorcycle at eight years old. He spent the next 10 years racing across the country where he eventually qualified for Loretta Lynn’s amateur nationals in two different classes, both with top 15 finishes.

Later, Zakk’s interests began shifting toward the gym with the same goal that we’ve all had at one point or another: to just get bigger. That led to training for his first bodybuilding show; after that was completed, however, Zakk spent the next few years training “without any real goals or focus”.

[wa-wps]

Last year, Plocica’s friend Brian Panus pulled the trigger on registering for a powerlifting meet and convinced Zakk to do it with him. “We went into it without any real guidance aside from following a basic program,” he said. Zakk’s quick 12 weeks of training earned him a 1730 total at his very first meet. “Since then, I’ve been hooked.”

Plocica’s friend Rob De La Rosa introduced him to 10/20/Life coach Jonathan Byrd at his second meet. He’d heard of 10/20/Life through guys that he trains with, but didn’t really get a full grasp of it until he started talking with Byrd. “Once he laid it out for me, it really peaked my interest and that’s when I decided to give it a try in the offseason,” Zakk said.

So I had to ask the same question that I’m sure you have as you’re reading this: What the hell is Byrd doing that added so much onto his total? Zakk commented that in addition to laying out his programming and helping him to improve his weak points, Byrd has also strengthened his mentality. “Mental toughness is a huge part of this sport,” Plocica said. “I really tend to overthink things and get into my own head. He’s really helped me to trust in the programming and my work ethic and come meet day – do what I know how to do.”

In addition to powerlifting, Zakk is a family man who expressed a huge amount of gratitude to his father, mother, his 5-year-old son Gavin, and fiancé Sherri. “Aside from my mom, Sherri is the most supportive person in my life. She puts myself and our boys ahead of herself always.” Zakk said. “She’s been a huge part of the success I’ve had these past two years competing. She preps all of my meals, takes care of things at home, and continues to make sure that I meet my goals. I’ve got a great family all the way around.”

Zakk earned his 2K total in his most recent meet where he went 9/9 with 800/440/760. Unfortunately, he is currently dealing with a slight groin tear from his last squat attempt but is applying the 10/20Life warm-up and Dr. McGill’s Big 3 to assist in the rehab process and stay injury-free in the future.

“10/20/Life has made all of the difference for me,” he said. He described the deloads as his “saving grace” and the key to providing your body with enough time to fully recover from each training session. Zakk also mentioned that RPE-based training is equally as important as deloading, as it allows you to push more on some days but scale back on others. “Now I’m nursing a slightly torn groin getting ready to start prepping for the Arnold,” he said. “Life’s good.”

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Brian Carroll

Owner and Founder at PowerRackStrength.com

Brian is a retired world-class powerlifter with over two decades of world-class powerlifting. From 1999 to 2020, Brian Carroll was a competitive powerlifter, one of the most accomplished lifters in the sport's history. Brian started off competing in bench press competitions 'raw,' then, shortly into the journey, he gravitated toward equipped lifting as there were no "raw" categories then. You only had to choose from single-ply (USPF) and Multi-ply (APF/WPC). Brian went on to total 2730 at 275 and 2651 at 242 with more than ten times his body weight in three different classes (220, 242, 275), and both bench pressed and deadlifted over 800 pounds in two other weight classes. He's totaled 2600 over 20 times in 2 different weight classes in his career. With 60 squats of 1000lbs or more officially, this is the most in powerlifting history, regardless of weight class or federation, by anyone not named David Hoff. Brian realized many ups and downs during his 20+ years competing. After ten years of high-level powerlifting competition and an all-time World Record squat at 220 with 1030, in 2009, Brian was competing for a Police academy scholarship. On a hot and humid July morning, Brian, hurdling over a barricade at 275lbs, landed on, fell, and hurt his back. After years of back pain and failed therapy, Brian met with world-renowned back specialist Prof McGill in 2013, which changed his trajectory more than he could have imagined. In 2017, Brian Carroll and Prof McGill authored the best-selling book about Brian's triumphant comeback to powerlifting in Gift of Injury. Most recently (10.3.20) -Brian set the highest squat of all time (regardless of weight class) with 1306 lbs – being the first man to break the 1300lb squat barrier at a bodyweight of 303 lbs.

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