So there I was, walking into meet day. The same feelings were there. I was pumped. I felt ready. I felt the anticipation of what my lifts would look like and what they would feel like. During the rules meeting I had already been visualizing my openers. I could feel the power in my hands through my feet during warmups.
I kept repeating in my head it's time. Work is done. Make it happen.
The meet was the 2016 RPS Lexen Dog Days. I competed push/pull in the 198-pound raw classic weight class, but my actual bodyweight at weigh-ins was only 182.
My first bench attempt was 225 pounds for an easy opener. I then jumped to 240 on my second and then 250 on my third. All three lifts passed and it was finally deadlift time!
I opened my deadlift at 375 and had no problem with it. My second attempt of 400 also came up easily, so I made a jump to 425 for my third and got it. I hit all six lifts and finished with a 250-pound raw bench and 425-pound raw deadlift.
Deadlift is my favorite lift but doing push/pull is new for me. I wish I could train squat but it is highly important for me to be able to walk 60 miles a week for my job. It's unfortunate that my job is so physically demanding but I love my job completely. Taking care of others is what I am here for. It's my purpose. My passion is lifting and keeping the ability to do so.
This meet was different for me. I took my client with me for her first meet, and watching her world change before my eyes was the best feeling I could have imagined. She made me regain why I love this sport so much. It is uplifting and magical, and this cruel world needs to have these moments. This is living — living in color and not seeing the dark and ugly all the time.
MORE: Why Do You Lift — Meaning, Identity, Hope and Passion
I get asked all the time "why do you lift?" or "why do want to look like that?" or, my favorite, "don't you want to have a family someday?" My answer always is, "Why wouldn't you want to lift?" Our bodies are meant to move and improve for better quality of life. I never want to be old one day saying, "what if I could have done..." And why wouldn't I want to look like "this" versus the normal sloppy American using excuses for what they look like because they think they're "too busy" to work out? The third question — I absolutely do want to have kids and have a family, but you still can lift and be active, showing your kids how important it is take care of yourself.
Anyways, this meet couldn't have gone better for me or for my client, who rocked each lift. Meeting new people and being inspired by a sport is something that not nearly enough people thoroughly understand.
Note: What was that guy doing behind you on? Was he trying to..spot you on a deadlift? Is that a thing in the RPS?