Kemari Copeland shot to fame in 2024 after breaking the Virginia Tech bench press record, deadlifting an astounding 605 pounds – for 10 reps! And while the Hokies defensive lineman’s powerful performance in the gym creates a solid foundation for football, he’s also working on the finer details, like working on his strategy and hitting the right body weight for Saturdays this season and, hopefully, Sundays in the NFL.
M&F sat down with the exciting lineman to learn more about his love for lifting and how he’s using the offseason to prepare for 2026 and beyond. And as he describes it, it was a family affair.
With three football brothers and a father in the Navy, Copeland never without a strong male presence to motivate her to action. However, being part of a Marine family meant a lot of moving for this young athlete who showed promise as a standout defensive lineman at Floyd Kellam High School. He began his college football career in 2022 for Army West Point, but will soon transfer to Western Iowa Community College in search of more minutes on the field.
“You have to have confidence in yourself,” he says M&F. “Because you don’t really know, when you enter the transfer portal, there are a lot of unknowns. There are kids who get dumped, kids who don’t find a home, so I had to make a bet on myself and be like: I can prove to college scouts that I’m the player that I say I am, and that’s what happened, and fortunately.”
One of the reasons it all came about is that Copeland was able to resist the temptations of college life to better himself as a player.
“The way my mom raised us, we could never mess around because we were in the military,” Copeland says. However, while life as a militarian family gave the young man self-control, the constant movement made it difficult to make friends. So when Covid hit, he decided to use more alone time to strengthen his relationship with the gym.
“They say hard work pays off, so I’ve been trying as hard as I can during Covid to get ahead of the crowd and that’s where it’s really been,” admits Copeland, explaining that he’ll be repeating the push/pull split. “I’ve never actually told anyone about it, but I just looked up a random exercise routine and Big man on campus (by Steve Cook) came,” he recounts. “It was kind of an escape from me. I just wanted to be the best football player I can be and I love to train, so it was the best of both worlds.”
Kemari Copeland reminisces about his record-breaking performance at Virginia Tech
Signing with Virginia Tech in 2023, Copeland had already helped Iowa Western win the NJCAA Division I national championship, and it didn’t take long for him to make an impact in the Hokies’ weightlifting class, posting a record 10 squats at 605 pounds. “I knew I could do it,” he says, noting that at age 19 he had already deadlifted 675 pounds once. Still, Copeland recalls that he had to go to a “dark place” in his 20s to reach his 605 pounds and double-digit reps. “I almost passed out, but I did it,” he said.
Copeland’s herculean strength is one thing, but he says M&F he is now focusing on form and technique to further develop as a player. “After this squatting record, there’s no point in maxing out and going higher in weight,” he said. “As a football player you just need to get that much stronger.”
Kamari Copeland is looking for details ahead of the 2026 season
In addition to the traditional back, Copeland also practiced with front straps at Virginia Tech. “So our coaches want us to do a lot of moves based on trying to clean up strong power,” he said. “Building explosive movements. So, front squats with straps work at the end of a clean strength movement where you have to squat, squat, and stand up.” Copeland says the straps also help those with stiff shoulders or arms because the elbows are farther away from the barbell.
In terms of fueling his ferocious defensive efforts, Copeland says his nutritional priority is protein, and he tries to consume about one gram per pound of body weight, meaning he eats about 280 to 300 grams of protein a day, mostly from whole foods like chicken, beans and rice — with shakes. The immune system also takes vitamin D to strengthen its bone density. That’s important, he says, because Copeland’s body takes a regular beating on the field. “I would say as a D-lineman, we’re always bent over and we’re always hitting somebody. So in terms of what hurts the most, the next day my fingers are tied up. You’re using your knees, you’re using your knuckles and you’re always hitting other guys.”
For recovery, the Hokies regularly receive massage therapy, and Copeland is a big fan of hot saunas. “We have a game on Saturday, then we rest on Sunday, then Monday is our repair day,” explains the baller. Of course, the best way to deal with injury is to prevent it in the first place. “If I don’t stretch beforehand, my lower back will get really tight,” says Copeland. “I stretch my hip flexors, my glutes, my hamstrings and my quads, and I try to keep my whole lower body loose.”
Copeland says he’s been using a foam roller to build flexibility and is excited about what 2026 will bring after he’s been consistent with his training. “I want to know more about the offense,” noting that he studied film to build his strategic IQ. Hokies number #13 says he’s also upping his cardio to shed about ten pounds from his frame.
In her limited time, Copeland continues her passion for creating social media content. “Since I was 8 or 9, I was just making silly little videos,” he jokes. “I have a TikTok channel that has reached 150,000 followers. I just love creating content.” But for now, the upcoming season is the priority, and then there’s the possibility of getting some attention from the NFL. “I try to take it day by day,” Copeland says. “I was projected to get drafted last year, but I decided to come back and play my last year and increase my draft stock. I’m definitely going to do the NFL draft next year and hopefully it’s a high pick, so we’ll see.”
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