The APF Masters Meet

By Joel Whitmore

For www.EliteFTS.com

Beginnings

Like many a powerlifter, I began training with weights for sports. Growing up in a small town, there were no gyms, fitness centers, or personal trainers. I began lifting with my cousin in his backyard with a set of plastic, concrete-filled weights. Around 1981, my sophomore year of high school for those who want to date me, I saw the World’s Strongest Man competition on ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Kazmaier and Geoff Capes were among others performing these amazing feats of strength. That same year, I got hold of my first copy of Powerlifting USA. And my journey into building strength began.

I have been training for over 20 years. My interest in strength training began to wane in early 2001. Then, in 2003, I stumbled across Louie Simmons’ website. I devoured the articles and, gradually, they began to make sense. I found the EliteFTS site next and began to study even more. I would have to say the EliteFTS website has been the single most important source of information for me in the last ten years, and I can’t thank Dave Tate enough for bringing together all those talented lifters and trainers to share advice and answer questions.

First meet

This leads me to, believe it or not, my very first legitimate powerlifting competition. My meet experience consists of an intramural meet at Louisiana State University in 1986 as a student and a bench press competition. Last year, events in my life led me to leave the small gym I was a member of and strike out on my own with a home workout center that I was able to put together with the help of Jim Wendler.

I saw the ad for the APF Women’s, Junior, and Master’s National meet in Baton Rouge and decided to jump in feet first. I know conventional wisdom might say to start at small meets and work your way into something like this, but there simply aren’t that many meets in Louisiana that allow double ply gear. So I sent in my entry fee and began training for the meet.

I know there are not that many Master’s single heavy weights out there, but, to be honest, I was not concerned in the least about beating anyone. Heck, there were 165-lb guys who crushed my total, but I wanted to get in a meet and see what it was like. About four weeks out, I ordered some new ACE briefs, and Jim Wendler helped me get the size right. When they came in, I began the process of trying to break them in.

Two weeks out, they were not where I wanted them to be, but I tried a heavy session with the ACE suit. I was working out alone with some Spud safety straps set where they would catch me in the 3 X 3 rack that EliteFTS.com sells.

Long story short, the suit and the new briefs handled me. I was constantly searching for depth, which was occasionally causing me to lose tightness in the hole. I worked up to 800 lbs that day.

With my box set at 14 inches, I did not touch it once. Part of that was fear, but the other part was my sheer lack of experience (and guidance) with the equipment. The 800 flew up from where I bottomed out, but I know I did not get the necessary depth. Then, the new King Pro deadlifter (actually a medieval torture device in its former life) gave me fits trying to get down and grab the bar.

During this point, I sent a Q&A out on the EliteFTS.com board to Marc Bartley. He gave me some suggestions on the suit/brief conundrum and also said he would be at the meet handling two of his lifters. He said “stop by and say hello.” What a cool guy! At this point, my 20-year old nephew, Jacob, who is on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) powerlifting team, suggested that I wear my suit only for the squat. Even though I am the one who brought him to powerlifting, he has three times the meet experience that I do and I should have listened.

Meet day

Gary Frank was putting this meet on, and I knew it would be of a high caliber. I weighed in Saturday (it always tickles me why us SHWs have to strip to weigh) and watched the women and teens for half the day. I began to get nervous, REALLY nervous about my squat. Historically, this was always my strongest lift. “Please God, just let me hit depth” was my continual prayer Saturday night.

I woke up at 6:00 am on Sunday and drove to the Holiday Inn Select. I was stunned by what I saw. There was Al Mehan, Jim Hoskins, Craig Stutes, Jim Hoskinson, Greg Damminga, Mike McDaniel and his beautiful wife, Gary Frank, and, yep, the trimmed down Marc “Spud” Bartley. At this point, I was a bit star struck. Here were people that I had been reading about in magazines, watching on DVDs, and reading about on websites. Now, I was lifting with them! I had to give more thanks to my nephew, Jacob, and his powerlifting teammate, Kerry Louque. They helped wrap me and keep me calm.

I went over and introduced myself to Marc. He looked about 20-years-old I swear, and he smiled and offered a handshake along with words of encouragement. While warming up, I was feeling conspicuous. I am 6’4” and weighed in at 186 kilos (I like the metric system) so I was by no means able to blend into the background. I suppose some might have wondered who this large man was, and this made me feel like a fish out of water.

I was so nervous now and still praying. Warm-ups were ok, but I was still worried about my depth. Then I heard Kerrian Kidder call my name and tell me that I was in the hole. Hearing his voice brought back visions of the WPO Arnold competitions. “Geez, I’m out of my league here,” I thought as Jacob and Kerry were wrapping my knees. On deck, I was looking at the back wall of the hotel ballroom, not really hearing anything.

Like an eager kid, I was on the platform nearly as soon as the lifter before me was off. I chose 300 kg as an opener, something I knew would be easy. All I could do was stare at the bar and try to concentrate on keeping my knees out and my head up, hoping I didn’t fall over. Then, something happened that surprised me completely. One of the spotters, some kid I don’t even know, looked at me and yelled, “Come on big guy, you got this!”

Now, I don’t know why, but all that anxiety seemed to fall away. I owe that kid a free lunch, but I don’t think he realized what he did for me. I took the weight out and went down. As soon as I reversed the weight, I knew it was high. Sure enough, I got three reds. People were yelling words of encouragement even as I walked off the platform.

I walked off the platform to await my chance to take it again. But I was calm now and for some reason happy! My two trusty handlers gave me more encouragement. I took the platform again. Two of the judges yelled out my name, encouraging me to make the lift. I took the 661 down and tried to dip, but it was a little unsteady because I had my feet a little closer than I wanted. I rocketed the weight up and saw three whites! I high-fived the spotter who kept me from fainting on my first attempt and yelled out, “I am in the meet!”

Grinning like a possum in a persimmon tree, I nearly ran over my poor nephew, who was trying to unwrap my knees. I went for 320 kg next. This one I barely felt on my back. I went down and shot up so fast that I lost my balance and took a step to the side. I got three reds, but hey, I was in the meet!

My trusty helpers had to leave to study for finals so the only person I had assisting me was a cousin who had never seen a powerlifting meet. He adjusted my shirt as best as he could. I was still nervous, but I could cope now. The 190 kg went up easily. Next up was 210 kg (463 lbs). It came off my chest easily, but I lost it back over my face. I didn’t have enough concentration.

The next attempt came off easier, and I held it for what seemed like 10–15 seconds and never got a rack command. No lift. My left arm was not quite locked out. I was a bit bummed, but hey, I was still in the meet. Then something happened that I did not expect. Marc walked up to me after my third attempt and said, “Man, you’re losing so much in that shirt. You barely brought the bar down to your nipples.” This world-class lifter, who I had only just met a few hours before, took 10–15 minutes and went over with me the proper way to put the shirt on. Now that’s having class and dedication to your sport. Spud was definitely the highlight of my day, and that single act impressed me more than any of the lifting I saw.

I hit all three of my deadlifts ending with a 225-kg lift that was basically a Romanian deadlift. Marc told me after the bar was over a foot from my shins on its way up. Mike McDaniel was the head ref by that time and offered more words of encouragement, which was really great from someone of his caliber. Walking off the platform after my second deadlift, Gary Frank called me over to the announcer’s table and asked me where I was from, where I was training, and what I did for a living. He told me to “keep it up…you are a strong guy.” Now, this was coming from one of the three strongest men in our sport!

Afterwards, many competitors walked over to talk and offer words of encouragement. Even one of the judges stopped by and chatted. Once again, I was like a star struck teen backstage at a Hanna Montana concert! For those of you who have never been to a meet, what you hear is true. These giant, immensely strong guys and gals are just truly nice people.

What I learned

Now, I totaled a whopping 1577 lbs, but I’m happy that I went to that meet. I know I have tons of room left for improvement. And I will improve! Perhaps the most important lesson I learned is the value of training partners. The last two years that I trained in a commercial gym there were always guys willing to help out spotting and some bench only guys but no one to really train with. These past ten months, I have been training at home alone so there’s no one there to push me. Marc Bartley showed me that having someone around you with experience is crucial.

I have some weak areas and a lot of room for technique improvements. The coach of the ULL powerlifting team has offered an open invitation to train with them. I need to take advantage of this if I am to fulfill what potential I have. This meet showed me that I need more heavy work in my suit and briefs, something I did not get enough of training alone (sometimes it is just not safe). I also need to work on my hip flexibility more because I think this is a major factor in my crappy deadlift sumo form. However, it will come, and I can honestly say that this meet has given me new energy for training and improving.