My Results from the USPF Regionals

By Mike Ruggiera

For www.EliteFTS.com

First off, let me thank Ryan Celli and his crew for all their support, assistance, and friendship. They really came through for me in a pinch, and it really means a lot. It’s guys like this who keep me in the sport. Thanks guys!

Training for a meet at a commercial gym and not having the kind of crew or support that one would have at a gym like Westside proved to be difficult. My training for the USPF Regionals had its ups and downs and left me guessing where I would be on meet day. The meet itself really opened my eyes to where my weaknesses lie.

The meet...
I have to admit, I was nervous as hell going into this meet. I barely got any sleep the night before. I woke up about an hour before I was supposed to and at breakfast I could barely eat. When we arrived at the meet, there was no need for any caffeine or ephedrine. My adrenaline was flowing like water, and I was worried that if I took anything it would send me over. I was pretty geeked.

There weren’t many competitors, and I was surprised. The venue was great, and the Mylan Park ProPerformance Center was really an awesome place to have a meet. There were plenty of Strongmen around for the Strongman competition being held at the same time as the powerlifting meet.

Squat

My warm ups went well, and I felt pretty confident though still nervous. My opener was 722 lbs, which I knew I could do in my sleep. However, as luck would have it and if you know my history of squatting, I didn’t get it. Actually, I fell over with the weight. LOL! I don’t know how it happened, but I took it again and it was a smoke show.

For my third attempt, I jumped to 804 lbs, another weight that should have been easy. Actually, it was easy, but I got called out for depth.

Bench

This was a big worry. I hadn’t practiced in the shirt I was using. My first attempt was with 534 lbs, and the lift took forever to get down, but I finally got it. My second attempt was with 566 lbs, and I nailed it. I jumped to 600 lbs, and my bad triceps raised its evil head. By the video, it looked like I was just about to lock it out on that side when it started to come down. It would have been nice to have landed that one.

Deadlift
I opened with 722 lbs, and it felt great. I thought for sure I was going to have an 800 plus day. I decided to make a modest jump and went to 777 lbs. Again, it felt great too until I just about had it locked out. I felt a pop in my left arm. I held on to lock it out and get the down signal, but I was done for the day. I tore my bicep for sure.

Total
For wearing single ply gear, having to walk the squats out, and not competing for awhile, I don’t think my 2066-lb total was half bad. I had a great time and met some awesome people. I definitely have the powerlifting bug back again. I think the single ply route is the way to go for me. The stuff is a lot less restrictive, easier to get on and off, and easier to work with. You might not get a lot out of it, but that’s what getting stronger is all about.

Live strong,
Mike Ruggiera