Hideaki Inaba, Deadlifter
In 1982, Hideaki Inaba won his 9th World Championship title, the same number of world titles as America's Larry Pacifico. This is quite an accomplishment, but now he has a new goal: to win his 10th World Championship title. Since the beginning of powerlifting history no one has won 10 championships, but that is what he is after in 1983.
In the Fall of 1982, Inaba's condition was very good. At the Japanese World Team selection meet in September he squatted 233 kilograms at a bodyweight of 53 kilos (513 at 116). On October 3rd at the meet in South Africa he made 237.5 kilos (523), and again on October 17th, at the Japan Cup, he succeeded with 237.5 kilos in the squat. Two days before leaving for the World Championships in Munich, he squatted 245 kilos easily (540).
Inaba thought that Joe Cunha might be competing for the United States in Germany (his world record is 242.5 kilos - 534, and he felt good because he can usually do 5-10 kilos more at a meet than he does in training practice. However, when I went to Narita International Airport to see Inaba and his teammates off to Germany, he told me that he had just been stricken with fever and vomiting and had not been able to eat anything. He understood that at this year's World Championships there would be drug testing, so couldn't take any medicine for his ailment.
After the championships I had an international telephone call from Mr. Inaba and he told me that he had won the competition with 225/110/217.5 (496/242/479). He said that the victory was wonderful, but his sickness was still not completely well, and that Chuck Dunbar had been his biggest competitor. On November 13th I met Inaba back in Japan and he talked about the meet. He felt sorry that his condition wasn't the best. Even though he felt that he did not do well, he still wants to win the 10th World Championship. He told me several times, "I will . . . I will . . . I will make the 10th World Championship." Dunbar and Cunha are both very strong, but Inaba will never give up.
In the coming year he plans to total 580 (1278). Powerlifting is the joy of his life. It gives him much happiness and through powerlifting he can make lots of friends all over the world. He loves powerlifting deeply inside of his heart. He showed me a picture taken with Pacifico with nine fingers showing (for each World Championship) and one with Ken Leistner and John Gamble, his new friend He really enjoys powerlifting deeply.
Training Year Schedule:
Dec-Jan-Feb -- Long Layoff
Mar- April -- Power Training
May -- Japanese Nationals
June-Jul-Aug -- Bodybuilding
Sept-Oct -- Power Training
Nov -- World Championships
His goal in doing all this schedule is to win a World Championship. After the World Championships each year he takes a three month long layoff. During that time he never even holds a barbell. During those three months, his muscles get kind of loose, out of condition, but the rest is the secret of his winning nine World Championships. Because of the rest period, he does not set any World Records in the Japanese National Championships, because after two months (March and April) of practice, he is not in condition yet. But after the Japanese Nationals he trains continuously for the World Championships.
Training Week Schedule:
Sunday - at his home,
light assistance work with his family.
Monday - at the gym
heavy benches, 10-15 sets
light squats and deadlifts, 5 sets.
Wednesday - at the gym
heavy squats, 10-15 sets
light benches and deadlifts, 5 sets
Friday - at the gym
heavy deadlifts, 10 sets
light benches, 10 sets
light squats, 5 sets.
Two to three years ago, he only lifted weights at home, but now he trains at Kadaira training center, squat, bench, and deadlift 3 times per week, heavy day 10-15 sets. On Sunday he spends time with his wife and kids, and does assistance work with them. Except for Sundays, he doesn't do any assistance work, just straight powerlifts. When he starts his training, he does light weight repetitions, many repetitions, but when the competition gets close he does heavy maximum singles. When he practices, it lasts about two hours.
He changes his workout according to his condition. He will do 10 sets on a light day, and 15 sets when he wants to work hard.
Regarding his nutrition, he likes traditional Japanese food. He doesn't like Western food, hardly eating it at all. In the morning he eats soybean paste soup, Japanese style cabbage pickle, and rice. For lunch at work, he eats at the cafeteria, the same as his coworkers. For dinner he eats at home, and his favorite is raw fish (sashimi), and sushi. He likes a lot of raw fish. He doesn't like steaks, like Western lifters. When we went to South Africa I heard nightly in the bedroom, "Oh, I want to eat sashimi," or, "I want to east Japanese style soup!" I think it strange, as a powerlifter, for Inaba not to like meat dishes. After his victory in Munich they looked all over the place to eat sashimi in a Japanese restaurant. He does not eat protein powder or supplements at all. He wants enough of what he wants, that's his diet plan.
His usual bodyweight is 54 kilos (119). He is thinking of going up to the 56 kilos class (123) after winning his 10th World title, but that is not sure yet.
Heavy Squat Workout:
(at the start of a cycle)
265 (lbs.) x 2 sets of 8 reps
310 x 2 x 6 reps
350 x 2 x 4
395 x 2 x 3
330 x 2 x 5
290 x 2 x 7
(in the middle of a cycle)
310 x 2 x 6
350 x 2 x 4
395 x 2 x 3
440 x 2 singles
460 x 2 singles
374 x 1 x 4
330 x 1 x 4
285 x 1 x 8
(before competition)
265 x 2 x 8
310 x 1 x 6
350 x 1 x 4
395 x 1 x 3
440 x 1 x 1
465 x 1 x 1
485 x 1 x 1
505-540 x 1 x 1
285 x 1 x 8
Heavy Bench Workout:
(at the start of a cycle)
135 x 2 x 10 reps
175 x 2 x 8
200 x 2 x 6
155 x 2 x 6
135 x 2 x 10
(in the middle of a cycle)
135 x 2 x 10
175 x 2 x 8
220 x 2 x 4
245 x 2 x 1
200 x 1 x 6
175 x 1 x 8
155 x 1 x 10
135 x 1 x 10
(before competition)
135 x 2 x 10
175 x 2 x 8
220 x 1 x 3
245 x 1 x 1
255 x 1 x 1
260-265 x 1 x 1
220 x 1 x 5
200 x 1 x 8
175 x 1 x 10
155 x 1 x 10
135 x 1 x 10
Heavy Deadlift Workout:
(start of cycle)
330 x 5 sets of 4 reps
(middle of cycle)
330 x 2 x 4
400 x 2 x 3
440 x 2 x 2
375 x 2 x 4
305 x 1 x 4
(before competition)
330 x 1 x 4
375 x 1 x 3
420 x 1 x 2
460 x 1 x 1
475-505 x 1 x 1
415 x 1 x 3
375 x 1 x 4
330 x 1 x 4