From Aesthetics to Powerlifting: The Inspiring Journey of Ken Guntan

In the dynamic world of fitness and strength sports, athletes often find themselves exploring new territories, pushing the boundaries of their physical capabilities. One such inspiring individual is Ken Guntan, whose journey from a physique bodybuilder to a powerlifter has captured the attention of many enthusiasts. In a recent interview with Philippine’s Strongest Man Carlos Lanzona, Ken shared his motivations, challenges, and triumphs during this transformative period in his athletic career.

Having initially established himself as a successful physique bodybuilder and classic physique competitor, Ken’s decision to transition into powerlifting raised eyebrows and sparked curiosity among his peers. What drove him to shift from the pursuit of aesthetic perfection to the pursuit of raw strength? The interview provides profound insights into the motivations behind this transition.

1. Carlos: Hi Ken! Good morning, pare! Could you please introduce yourself and share what you have been working on recently?

Ken: I’m Ken Guntan, a former bodybuilder and classic physique competitor who transitioned to powerlifting. Right now, I’m competing as an under 90kg lifter under PHPL.

2. Carlos: You used to be a physique competitor. How did you come to transition into powerlifting as one of your sports, and what drove you towards strength sports from such an aesthetic background?

Ken: In the past, I recognized my potential for powerlifting based on my raw strength alone, without any technical proficiency or knowledge. I decided to give it a try and enjoyed it so much. Powerlifting is more competitive, challenging, and I appreciate the powerlifting community. Preparing for powerlifting competitions is less expensive than preparing for bodybuilding shows. Bodybuilding requires expensive meal prep, supplements, and other needs. As powerlifters, we can eat whatever we want, as long as we make weight and get enough protein. It’s not as much of a hassle being a powerlifting athlete.

3. Carlos: As a new athlete in the sport, coming from a bodybuilding background, what challenges did you face, and how did you overcome the differences?

Ken: In 2022, I participated in high-level powerlifting and bodybuilding competitions just ten days apart from each other. Bodybuilding is difficult because you have to drop to an unsustainable body fat percentage, deplete water, deal with hunger, and so on. In powerlifting, you don’t have to do any of that, so it’s more relaxed for me.

4. Carlos: I’m glad you’re enjoying the barbell grind, friend! With all these things happening, including proper nutrition, training, and life commitments like holding a job in this economy, how do you balance your training schedule and life?

Ken: Last year, I worked in a call center, and it was difficult to find time to train. I eventually quit my job and pursued coaching. Now I work as a fitness coach at Anytime Fitness, which allows me to train while doing my job. It’s working out well for me.

5. Carlos: Coming from a bodybuilding background, what does your training routine look like right now, and how do you maximize it with all your prior knowledge?

Ken: When it comes to training for bodybuilding, I cap it at a maximum of 2 hours per training day, and I almost always train muscle groups to failure. In powerlifting, you don’t have to go to failure each time. You can overshoot your RPEs (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and detrain. In powerlifting, we usually do sets of 6 reps, 4 reps, 3 reps, and singles most of the time.

6. Carlos: Do you have any difficulties practicing restraint in training, considering your “to failure” mindset? Your friends say you’re the Overshoot King (laughs)

Ken: Haha! I tend to overshoot, but during my training for the ASEANA Open, Coach Priest mentioned that I’m mostly undershooting, so hahaha.

7. Carlos: Everyone knows that preparing for bodybuilding takes a toll on your mental health—starvation, dehydration, depleting your water. Transitioning to a healthier and more holistic approach to dieting, has it helped your mindset now that you have two sports to choose from?

Ken: Absolutely, it’s a big game changer for mental health. In bodybuilding, the calorie deficit for 3 to 4 months is too high and challenging. In powerlifting, even if you’re above your weight class 3 to 4 months out, you don’t have to worry too much about it. Plus, you won’t experience brain fog from lack of energy when preparing for a competition.

8. Carlos: How many years have you been competing in Powerlifting?

Ken: I’m about to hit my one-year mark of competing this July!

9. Carlos: Oh, nice! What are your current aspirations in your weight class, and moving forward into the future, what goals are you setting for yourself, both short and long term?

Ken: My short-term goal is to hopefully break Nestor Redulla’s deadlift record in the under 90kg weight class. I still hold the national record for bench press, but the squat record belongs to him, and I don’t plan on taking it anytime soon (laughs). After that, I plan to compete and transition into another federation under the IPF (International Powerlifting Federation) in hopes of getting a shot at competing abroad in Asia or Europe.

10. Carlos: What advice would you give to people like you who come from a different sport and feel intimidated to get into powerlifting or any of the barbell sports?

Ken: Don’t get intimidated. Everyone starts lifting with light weights, and everyone starts from nothing. I didn’t start out lifting 200kg on the bar; I started lifting a regular barbell, and now I lift 200+ kilos. Start as soon as you can, and gradually, you will improve.

11. Carlos: Any parting words for the readers of this interview?

Ken: Choose a sport that you enjoy! At the end of the day, your mental and physical health are important. So, choose something that you can enjoy and adhere to.