I almost don’t know where to start, wait, I do. In June of 2014 I benched 900 lbs equipped. It was an awesome meet. The next day was not so awesome. I was on a plane leaving for Aruba and my body was not cooperating. I was experiencing wild spasms in my back. Things like coughing; sneezing, bumping into something, or just turning the wrong way was quite an experience in pain. It felt like a painful tuning fork resonating from the inside of my body out.

As soon as I got back from vacation I saw my sports dr and then my physical therapist. I was suffering from some bulging discs as well as some issues with my right psoas. It was a new and most unpleasant pain that reached up near my ribs on my right side. The team and I went to work immediately on remedying the problems.

While doing a lot of rehab I kept on benching. I just kept my legs up as to interfere with my back recovery as little as possible. I was clearly in no shape to perform the max effort lifts that conjugate training requires. So I talked to Wendler and took up 5/3/1. I was just working at a much lower percentage.

Sometime in January I was feeling a fair amount better, albeit not a 100%, but I felt the need to compete. I planned on a meet around March. Well, wouldn’t you know it; I partially tore my mcl slipping on some ice. So the meet was off and back to the sports doc and physical therapist I went.

I ended up being in a brace for about a month and rehabbed for about 6 weeks. That got me to around 90% and then I just had to be careful about movements and training until it got back to 100%. Still, during the whole time I kept on benching. Good thing I had lots of practice benching with my legs up. Sh!t, I had problems with my knee a good seven years ago and I was benching with my legs up with a bench shirt on. I benched 750 like that training with Dave Tate in Boston. If you can lie down, you can bench.

Alright, are we board yet? Thinking back it was probably around June when I got the bright idea to put the bench shirt on to compete in Atlantic City in August to qualify to lift on the main stage at the Arnold Classic. Yep, it only took a few times in the shirt to realize it was all the extra weight that the shirt could handle that my back and hips couldn’t. The back and hip issues that I had been rehabbing for the better part of a year came back with a vengeance. Luckily I had all the tricks in my bag from rehab to combat it.

Realizing my equipped career was over, I got back on the phone with Wendler and put my 5/3/1 program back together for a raw meet somewhere down the road. For a few weeks I had to return to benching with my legs up. What’s new? Actually, I did my 5/3/1 FSL sets (additional volume work) with my legs up all the way until this meet. Speaking of this meet, I had to scratch that competing itch so I found a meet in September. That’s the RPS Supreme Iron Warrior which I competed in this past Saturday.

Mind you during this whole time I am undertaking Operation Be Less Fat. It was pretty much the only thing I could control. I dropped a good 20 lbs during the course of the year. Not to be melodramatic as it’s just lifting weights I was just going to be happy to get on a platform again. Between weight loss and injuries competing was a victory regardless of what I pressed. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I developed a nice case of tendonitis in my left arm two weeks out.

Coming into the meet the most important thing was trying to get healthy. I was getting extra sleep, rehabbing, taking contrast showers and had been getting deep tissue once a week for the past two months. Which by the way, I swear was helping with my injuries more than anything. If you’re struggling, give it a shot, but not just one time. It’s like physical therapy in that you just don’t go one time and get better. There’s a cumulative effect to it.

One week out from the contest I was 11 pounds overweight by design. I have cut over 20 pounds in the past so I knew I could handle the 11. I still recruited help as I know I’m no rocket scientist. Mike Mastell was awesome enough to help me out. It was the easiest cut I have ever made. Mike’s a smart dude. If you are looking for help with nutrition or programming, he’s someone you should talk to.

A lot of times I get asked “Why cut?” I really like cutting at least a little because it gives me something to focus on other than lifting. It directs any anxiety I might have the week before a meet to the cut rather than competing.

Finally meet day arrives. I didn’t get struck by lightning, nor did I slip and fall, or even get side swiped by a tractor trailer. Dare I even say my back, hip, and elbow were all cooperating in a tolerable manner? I bloated back up from my cut and even came in a few pounds over from where I started. I was ready.

The time had finally come for my training partner Karsten and I to warm up. This was a little different for us. We usually don’t compete together. We usually choose different meets so we can focus on helping each other. Or it might just be that I’m an intolerable selfish diva when it comes to competing. That said between my injuries and age, I know my lifting is waning. I think of powerlifting like one might think of golf. My happiness is not predicated solely on my performance, it’s something I like to do and am happy just to go out and play.

My warm ups went fantastic. Everything felt super light. Karsten’s on the other hand did not go so well. His last warm up of 365 was quite the grinder, so much that someone asked me “What’s he opening with?” That’s never a good sign. However, Karsten set the table. He got on the platform for his first lift and smoked 400 which was his goal for the day. That number has taunted him for a while. Congrats big guy, you worked hard for it.

Now it was my turn. The 500 opener felt like play weight. I was hoping for a 550 for the day so I kind of split the difference with a 530 for my second. The big problem after my lift was everyone was coming over to me telling me how easy it was and that I should put some weight on the bar. The reason that was a problem is that I started believing the hype. Instead of separating myself from everyone like I usually do, I was accepting adulation and completely overlooking the task at hand.

When I took the 530 for my second I was as astonished as everyone else that it stopped somewhere around two thirds of the way. I knew it wasn’t going so I told them to take it so I could save my energy. I asked Karsten if he had noticed any flaws which he did not. I checked my video and saw nothing glaring and then it hit me. I was buying into my own BS. So I quickly separated myself from everyone, sat down, and started repeating the mantra of “Head down, meet the bar, and drive.” I also mimed a few good reps to reinforce the form.

Moving to the platform for the third I knew I was going to have to psyche myself up. Missing an attempt can really screw with your mind. After setting up I repeated the mantra to myself and then asked for the bar. I dug deep and gave it everything I had. It came off my chest with good speed and then started to slow where I missed the last rep. I drove hard through my triceps and ground the weight to lockout. I didn’t even have to look at the lights. I knew it was a good lift. I was stoked.

That 530 bench press landed me back in the top ten for current benchers in the 242 open class. Right now it has me at seventh, but I know that’s a fluid list with people coming and going. That’s good enough for me. Even though I’m 46, I’m not ready to enter the old geezer class yet. I’m holding off for 50 to do that. I think I still have a few good years in me. Anyway, this was just a temporary stop. I’m on my way down to the 220 class.

I know this is boring for you all, but I’d be remiss if I did not thank a few people. My wife Jessica who is a loyal reader of my log, thanks baby, I could not have done any of this without your support. Karsten, you better read this also. You are a damn fine training partner. Thanks for being there for me through this bumpy ride. Congrats on your 400. I can’t wait to see you hit the 5, which I know you will. Mike Mastell thanks for the cut. Expect a call when I’m getting ready to compete at 220. Huge thanks to Jim Wendler who taught me to use little weights to move big weights. Nobody I talked to could believe my heaviest working weight while using 5/3/1 was only 415 pounds. Jim knows his stuff and 5/3/1 works. Jim you are an awesome coach and even a better friend. Lastly, thanks to Dave and everyone else at EliteFTS. It’s a great collection of people and I am proud to be part of the team.