Kemari Copeland became famous in 2024 after breaking the Virginia Tech squat record, lifting an incredible 605 pounds—with 10 reps! And, while the Hokies lineman’s hard work in the gym builds a solid football foundation, he also works on the finer details, like executing his technique and hitting the right bodyweight on Saturdays this season—and hopefully on Sundays in the NFL.
M&F sat down with the exciting lineman to find out more about his passion for lifting, and how he’s been using the offseason to get ready for 2026 and beyond. And the way he explains it, it’s become a family affair.
With three football-playing brothers, and a Navy father, Copeland has never been short of a strong male presence to spur her into action. Still, being part of a Marine family has meant a lot of moving around for this young athlete who showed promise as a stellar defensive back at Floyd E. Kellam High School. He started his college football career in 2022, at Army West Point, but will soon transfer to Iowa Western Community College in search of more minutes on the field.
He says: “You need to have self-belief M&F. “Because you don’t really know, when you jump into the transfer portal, there are a lot of unknowns. There are kids who were abandoned, kids who couldn’t find a home, so I made a bet on myself and I was like: I can prove to the college scouts that I’m the player that I say I am, and that’s what I did, and luckily.”
One of the reasons why it all worked out was that Copeland was able to withstand the trials of college life as he sought to improve himself as a player.
“The way my mother raised us, we couldn’t really mess around, because we were in the military,” explained Copeland. Still, although life as a military family gave the young man self-control, the constant travel made it difficult to make friends. So, when Covid hit, he decided to use the massive isolation period to strengthen his relationship with the gym.
“They say hard work pays off, so I worked as hard as I could during Covid to try to pass people, and that’s where it started,” Copeland admitted, explaining that he would repeat the split/drag. “I’ve actually never told anyone about this, but I just searched for a random workout plan, too The Big Man on campus (by Steve Cook) came,” he shares. “It was kind of my escape. I wanted to be the best football player I could be and I love to work, so it was the best of both worlds. “
Kemari Copeland Remembers Her Record-Breaking Squats 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 him long to make an impact in the Hokies weightroom, once again setting a record 10 squats at 605 pounds. “I knew I was going to be able to do it,” he recalls, noting that by the time he was 19 years old he had already run one champion at 675 pounds.” Still, Copeland recalls having to go to a “dark place” in his early 20s to nail the 605-pound, double-rep feat. “I fainted after that, but I did it,” she said.
Copeland’s herculean strength is one thing, but it is telling M&F that now he is focused on form and on the way, to improve as a player. “After that swing record, there’s no point going out and going up in weight,” he notes. “As a football player, you only need to be very strong.”
Kamari Copeland Digs into the Details Ahead of the 2026 Season
Besides the traditional back squat, Copeland also practiced the cable front squat at Virginia Tech. “So, our coaches want us to do a lot of moves based on trying to get strong clean power,” he explained. “It’s building on an explosive movement. So, front squats with ropes work at the end of a clean power movement, where you have to get under them, squat, and stand up.” Copeland says the ropes also help those with stiff shoulders or wrists, because the elbow is further away from the barbell.
In terms of fueling his aggressive work on the defensive line, Copeland says his main diet is protein, and he tries to eat about a gram per pound of body weight, which means he eats about 280 to 300g of protein a day, mostly made up of whole foods like chicken, beans, and rice-filled shakes. The immune system also takes vitamin D to strengthen his bones. This is important, he says, because Copeland’s body is constantly beaten on the field. “I would say as a D-lineman, we’re always bent, and we’re always hitting somebody. So as far as what hurts the most, the next day, my fingers are tight. You’re using your knees, your ankles, and you’re always bumping heads.
To recover, the Hokies get regular massage treatments, and Copeland is a big fan of hot saunas. “We will have a game on Saturday, then on Sunday we will have a rest day, and then Monday will be our day of preparation,” explained the footballer. Of course, the best way to deal with injuries is to prevent one in the first place. “If I don’t stretch in the front, my back will be stiff,” Copeland said. “I’m stretching my hip flexors, my glutes, my hamstrings, my quads, and I’m trying to make sure my whole lower body is relaxed.”
Copeland says he uses a foam roller to build flexibility, and that since he’s kept up with his training, he’s excited about what’s to come in 2026. “I want to know as much information as the case,” he shared, noting that he has been studying film to build his strategic IQ. The Hokies Number #13 says he is also increasing his cardio to shed about ten pounds from his frame.
In his limited time, Copeland continues his passion for creating social media content. “Since I was 8 or 9 years old, I made little silly videos,” he jokes. “I have a TikTok channel that has grown to 150,000 followers. I just love making content.” But right now, next season is more important, then there is the hope of gaining interest in the NFL. “I try to take it day by day,” Copeland said. “I was expected to be drafted last year but I decided to come back to play my last year and raise my stock. I’m definitely going to make the NFL Draft next year, and hopefully a high pick, so we’ll see.”
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