raf

First Asians Recap Squat: 290kg./638lbs. Bench: 185kg./407lbs. Deadlift: 310kg./682lbs. Total: 785kg. Bw: 104.2kg. GL Pts: 97.27 (Ranked 2nd for Team 🇵🇭 in ACPC 2023) First Mens Open Total Medalist for Team 🇵🇭 🥉 Total Medalist 105kg. Open 3rd out of Asia’s Best 15 Lifters at the 105 Open Class 3rd in Men’s GL Ranking for 🇵🇭 Missed 3rd squat since I tweaked my back at 290 when walking out, also popped my R ribs on the last attempt. Cramping a bit leading to bench, press command was longer than expected, and failed my 3rd @187.5 since I didn’t actually do any setup because of the cramp. For deadlifts I originally planned to open for 280 but switched it to 300 at the last second of attempt switch just to gain momentum on the competition environment and add pressure to competitors. Missed my last pull of 317.5kg./700lbs to supposedly extend my lead, badly mispositioned myself as I was grinding the lift. I have never went this all out in my entire competition experience, the real international stage is truly different. The pressure is heavier, the pacing of the competition is faster, just hitting your last attempt on the previous lift then immediately warming up for the next lift as soon as you get back to the warm-up area is 💀, the strategic approach is also a lot tougher, from the warmups until the bar is loaded on the platform. I love it, all of it. Not enough but going home with a Total Medal in Asia still feels surreal. Only the Beginning. #ThroughAllAdversity #SurpassYourLimits #PlusUltra Coach: @hani_tsa Gym: @gymzilla.ph Supplements and apparel: @wheyl @therackdotcoph @notorious_lift @equinoxathlete @powerlifting.philippines @asian.powerlifting.federation Thanks to 🇵🇭 Coaches, and Assistant Coaches for handling the whole team. @willordcapulong @joycerbtn @filipponx @thomcys @angela.progress @heneral_redulla 🫶🏼 Thank you @esmealegriaa.fitness

Claiming the throne arc… DONE. - Been a while since I got my last Best Lifter Award Squat: 330kg./726lbs. +20kg. Post Injury PR (Heaviest Squat in 🇵🇭 history) Bench: 195kg./430lbs. +5kg. PR 120kg. 🇵🇭 Open Bench Record Deadlift: 297.5kg./655lbs. Total: 822.5kg./1,809lbs. Heaviest Total In 🇵🇭 History for all Weight Classes and Division Best Lifter - Planned for 335 on squat but the bloat on refeed was really bad and warmups felt a bit heavy. When I stepped on the platform the load felt easier and lighter, not sure why or how but it felt that way. 320kg. was a bit tough so we decided to land for 330kg. on third, which is a good call. First time I grinded on squat and popped most of my blood vessels, was light headed after. For bench I was gunning for 200kg. everything was fine until I got 3 reds for 195kg. 2nd attempt for butt/feet coming up then they said the refs couldn’t see it clearly. (idk they all have diff. calls) I was already not able to plant my feet due to the platform being slippery for that so its just all arms back and shoulders. Honestly most of the lifters I know the day before were calling the platform slippery for bench and some on deadlift. And as far as I know, it is IPF standard to have a carpet on every meet. At the end of the day I had to suck it up, I guess and just execute by retaking it on 3rd. Deadlifts were hell since I was already cramping since bench, projected opener was 295kg but I was already having trouble on execution during my warmups. It led to a point that I have to humble myself by lowering my opener just to get a total and grab those Squat and Bench records. We tried solving the cramping issue by dry scooping Hydrite since I was already bloated by water but my body is not absorbing the liquids, it just goes straight to my stomach. I had like a total of 8-10 packs of Hydrite dry scooped just to execute deadlifts. I opened 250kg. just to get a total, then 275kg., at this moment I’m risking 25kg. jumps and hoping that I still get to 300kg. for me to win best lifter and heaviest total. Recalculated GL points and I only needed 297.5 for third to win, did not want to risk the 2.5kg increment for 300 just to show-off.

“If I lose it all…” - I did. Literally almost died 7 months ago to this sport. Had multiple impressions of disc bulging, and multiple radial tears. From normal 2,000 creatinine kinase to 110,000, organs luckily didn’t fail from Rhabdo. Projected recovery time: 2 years - Me after 7 months of grit, grind, and surpassing my limits. - Goin’ #BeyondFurther #PlusUltra #SurpassYourLimits #DemandGreatness #ThroughAllAdversity @a7intl @sbdapparel @badassathleticsph #IfIloseItAll #5HrsOut #RedemptionArc - #Powerlifting #PowerliftingPh #PowerliftingMotivation #Powerlifter #StrengthAthlete @powerliftingassociation.ph

Pre-workout on me - courtesy of @wheyl Follow @wheyl (and me, if u want, idk) and drop your training partner’s handle in the comments for a chance to win Wake Pre-workout Sunkissed Sour Candy. Wheyl has been a consistent supporter of the powerlifting community, and this is just one way of giving it back to the people putting in the work.

SBD PH Nationals 2026 Dedicating this one for the anime that was there when I started it all. Go #BeyondFurther #PlusUltra 287.5kg./632.5lbs. 192.5kg./423lbs. 320kg./705lbs. 🇵🇭 Open Record Total: 800kg./1,760lbs. 🇵🇭 Open Record GL: 98.99 I can confidently say that 100gl or 810 total was there, just chose the conservative end. We finally hit 800 and the lightest to ever do it. Still need more effort to be at least a contender again in the Asian level. The only PL meet that I wasn’t too much in rage mode. Just having fun and hitting all of my attempts. 8/8 babyyyy On to the next one @filipponx Thank you to my sponsors. I wouldn’t have been able to succeed if not for them. @wheyl @gymzilla.ph @sbdphilippines @equinoxathlete Thank you to me handlers @aud.sbd @esmealegriaa.fitness And to the on-call PTs that helped me on my final deadlift!!! @lksyn.arce @denaaalifts Appreciate you both!! They helped me warm up when my forearms were cramping!

When the program says 3*4 but you have 8 accessories left. #powerlifting @wheyl : RafSbd @gymzilla.ph @sbdphilippines : RafSbd (Free shipping) @equinoxathlete

My Resolve. Go beyond :) #PlusUltra

Hawak mo ang @knorrph #BakaNaman

Three athletes. Three divisions. Three Best Lifter titles. At SBD PH Nationals 2026, SBD athletes delivered dominant performances across the platform: Rhadlee Marzan – Men’s Junior Best Lifter Joyce Reboton – Women’s Best Lifter Rafael Cahilig – Men’s Best Lifter A clean sweep of the Best Lifter awards and a statement performance from the SBD PH team. Congratulations to our athletes for setting the standard on the national stage.

Patience and Determination. 7 years since my last Jr. year, first best lifter award, and we still ballin’ (bawlin’ 🥹). We finally got the other 700lbs. Went up a weight class, tore my hamstring, got heaviest squat, got injured, almost died, atrophied low back muscle (Multifidus), got the heaviest total, competed internationally, and still trying our best. #ThroughAllAdversity #sbdphnationals2026 #WeAreTheException @wheyl : RafSbd @gymzilla.ph @sbdphilippines : RafSbd @therackdotcoph @equinoxathlete

Lightest 800 total First 800+ total 5x 🇵🇭 National Champion 3x Best Lifter I am not yet but I’ll keep being delusional that I am. More to come. #ThroughAllAdversity #WeAreTheException

@sbdphnationals Year 2 Mar 8, 2026, Sunday 4pm SM North Edsa Skydome Livestream: SBD Philippines - Youtube channel - 3 National Champions, 3 National Athletes, 1 Platform This is gonna be my meet of the decade ngl.