Now would be an easy time for me to quit, to give up. I’m not getting any stronger. Hell, if anything I’m getting weaker and am lucky to just maintain. What’s the point? This autoimmune disease seems to be gradually destroying me from the inside out.
A few years ago I had to re-evaluate why I continued to stay in this sport. I didn’t want to continue to compete when it was only for my own ego. I had to find another reason. When my good friend Tyler Marino decided to film Behind the Iron he wanted to include a quote from me as to why I powerlifted. He wanted me to say it was for the records, for the medals, for the recognition, but it wasn’t, at least not anymore. None of that mattered to me. So why was I doing it?
Recently I re-visited this internal battle. I realize that regardless of how we try to look at it, ultimately we powerlift for ourselves. We’re not saving any lives by doing what we do. I brought this up to one of my clients who had a good reply. He said you may not be helping people when you lift, but you’re helping them through your knowledge and experience. He’s right. We may not be helping people while we’re lifting, but we can definitely help them through what we learn, and that’s exactly what I try to do. What I’m going through now is just another experience that I will get through, learn from, and do my best to help others because of. Regardless of how much I’m lifting, the quote above is still why I’m not giving up.
Live, Learn, and Pass on.
I have been competitively powerlifting for over 20 years. Within that time I have competed raw, single ply and multi ply. I hold the highest all time total of 1930 at 148, the third highest total of 2045 at 165 and have broken over 35 world records, over 25 of which I still hold. Through the years in this sport I have learned a great deal from various training methods, met and formed long lasting friends, as well as learned the importance of balancing life, work, and training.
Elitefts accepted me as a team member over ten years ago and I am currently the longest standing still competing powerlifter on the site. I appreciate Dave Tate and Elitefts for giving me the opportunity to learn from and teach others through the Q&A and my training log.
In 2005 I opened Orlando Barbell – a 24 hour powerlifting friendly gym. As well as running Orlando Barbell I designed and sell the Home GHR and Doorway Home Gym, wrote the 12 Weeks to a Bigger Bench EBook, and produced the 12Weeks to a Bigger Bench DVD.
My latest contribution was writing the M2 Method EBook, designed to be the quintessential Raw Powerlifting training manual for beginners to advanced lifters looking to get stronger and prevent injury while incorporating the powerlifts.
15 mins on the treadmill for the old ticker
Prehab
PVC rolled on:
Lower back, shifted to right and left
Upper back, shifted to right and left scapula w/hips up
Armpits
Hamstrings
Glutes
Adductors
Flat DB Press-
20x10
30x10
40x10
50x10
60x10
Cybex Incline Chest Press-
130x12
140x12
150x12
Tricep Presses on Cybex Incline Press-
100x12
110x12
120x12
Single Arm Light Band Pressdowns-
X15x3
I trained alone today so I just did what I could.
The M2 Equipped Training Ebook
The M2 Method Raw Training Ebook
The Affordable and Effective Floor Based Home GHR
Buy your own Doorway Home Gym and never miss out on your accessory work again
12 Weeks to a Bigger Bench EBook
Any lifter who trains, and competes, long enough will confront these challenges.
It may be, for some of us (perhaps all) learning and accepting that our potential, intellectual or physical, at any given place in our lives, will be different. For me, striving to maximize what strength potential I have at this point (now at 70) is perhaps more rewarding now than it was in the past, and I'm certainly more thankful for each day in the gym (even the not so good days).
Be well, and thanks for all you do, and have done for our sport,
Joe