Hammer Forged Strength

Meet Recap
Athlete: Kasey Cicero
Coach: Jake Karboski, CSCS, PA-C
Meet: 2026 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals
3rd place women Open 82.5kg, 7/9

Squat: 192.5kg/424.5lb (+2.5)
Bench: 92.5kg/203.9lb
Deadlift: 225kg/496lb
Total: 510kg/1124.4lb
BW: 80.30kg/177.03lb
DOTS: 479.654

Kasey: This Nationals came full circle for me. Last year, I didn’t have a coach or any guidance, but still wanted to podium. It was during that time that I met Jake and the rest of the team. This has been a great past year of discovering more of who I am as an athlete on the platform and learning to trust my prep and tapers.

I’m so grateful with how everything went. Prep tested my mental fortitude more than anything, balancing training with a lot of life changes. But with the help of my coach and team, we were able to secure top 3 and my pro card…goals beyond what I could have imagined for the year. I was a bit discouraged after bench and weighing in light, but I trusted that we would finish strong on deadlifts. Overall, I am blessed with how all of prep and meet day went and even more grateful for all those who support me.

Jake: I remember meeting Kasey last year at Raw Nats in Georgia where she was running around alone trying to get her warmups in. We got started together immediately after that and it has been nothing but fun. Even though I knew she had more on the tank for deadlift we chose to load exactly what she needed for 3rd place and she executed. Powerlifting and rubix cub pro!

Interested in coaching?
Simply follow the link in the bio and fill out the form!

Meet Recap:
Athlete: Shannon Clark
Coach: Luke Strong
Meet: 2026 USAPL Raw Nationals
2nd Place Men’s Raw Junior

Squat: 661lbs / 300kg (+32.5kg)
Bench: 396lbs / 180kg (+12.5kg)
Deadlift: 650lbs / 295kg (+20kg)
Total: 775kg / 1708.6lbs (+65kg)
Dots: 439.5 (+30.9)

Shannon:
Nationals was never the finish line. It was the first look at the mountain I intend to stand on top of. I learned more in one weekend than I could have in months of training. I saw the standard. I felt the pressure. I looked the best in the country in the eye and realized they’re human too. This wasn’t a dream fulfilled it was a warning shot. The fire burns hotter now. The work begins again tomorrow. Next year, I won’t be arriving to see where I stand. I’ll be arriving to take my place.

Luke:
In the past 5 months working with Shannon his progress has shocked me to say the least. His mindset and determination is unmatched and he makes it apparent every session in the gym. He trains hard and consistently even while working the night shift at his new job. Not to mention he cut 22lbs 4 days before meet day. He had a great first nationals and a 9/9 day. This is only the start for Shannon and I can’t wait to see what his future holds.

Interested in coaching? Follow the link in our bio and fill out the form.

Meet Recap
Athlete:
Coach: .karboski_hfs
Meet: 2026 World Classic and Equipped Bench Press Championships
3rd place M4 Classic Bench

Bench: 135kg/297.6lb

Ken:
Just days after competing at Full Power Nationals in Corpus Christi, I had the opportunity to represent Team USA at the Bench Press World Championships in Warsaw, Poland.

My goal was to build on last year’s 132.5 kg performance and see how much progress I had made.

I successfully completed 135 kg on my second attempt, a 2.5 kg improvement over last year. Based on how things were moving, .karboski and I decided to take a shot at 140 kg on my third attempt. I couldn’t quite finish the lift, but it confirmed that the weight is within reach.

Between Nationals and Worlds, I set a new Powerlifting America Full Power National Bench Press Record of 138 kg and followed it up with a successful 135 kg on the world stage.

Beyond the lifting, Warsaw was a great experience. .karboski, , and I had the chance to represent Team USA, explore a beautiful city, and enjoy a memorable week together.

I’d also like to thank my Hammer Forge Strength teammates. We push each other every day in training, and several of them will be heading to USAPL Nationals in Chicago in the coming days. I’m looking forward to seeing what they accomplish on the national stage.

Special thanks to .karboski, , , my Hammer Forge Strength teammates, my family, and everyone who supported me throughout this journey.

Now it’s time to recover from hernia surgery, get back to training, and look ahead. If all goes well, I’d love the opportunity to take a shot at the M4 83 kg Full Power Bench Press World Record at Full Power Worlds in Reno this October.

🇺🇸🏋️‍♂️
Interested in coaching?
Simply follow the link in the bio and fill out the form!