User blog comment:Rayjr/Chad/@comment-1712587-20100113094714

I know being around Ichigo awoke his powers but there's no doubt he was pretty special well before that. I mean what normal person survives a girder hitting them or can tear of a telegraph pole and use it as a baseball bat!!!

there is not enough known about his grandpa but both he and Ichigo were noted to be exceptional before either manifested any kind of offensive abilities.