I’ll start my recap where most everyone else does….the weigh in. I stepped on the scale at 259 after stripping down to my boxers just in case it somehow came into play. Spoiler alert, it didn’t. I had spent weeks trying to gain some weight so I could fill out my gear a little more, but it didn’t work out for me. It’s okay because I enjoyed every Chik-fil-a chicken, egg and cheese bagel I scarfed down.
The morning of the meet we showed up a little late since we found out there’d be 5 flights and getting there at 8 only to start lifting at noon may be a little absurd. We grabbed a seat next to Shane Church and Shannon Larsen and also Ken and Sheri Whetham and just chilled out for a while.
As I started to warm up I was excited because everything I put on my back felt light and was moving relatively fast all the way up to my final warm up. That’s when the poop hit the fan. I’ve been powerlifting for nearly 20 years now and never once have I missed a warm up until this day. My final weight was 865, I unracked it, descended and stayed descended. The spotter had to stand me back up. (thank you!) I looked over at Paul Key and said, “That wasn’t good.” He responded with a simple, “nope”. (I still don’t know how much he benches) I asked Neal if we should change my opener really quick, but it was too late…the flight had already started so I was stuck with my opener of 965.
We headed to the stage and set up shop for the opener. Neal started wrapping my knees when I was three out and the next thing we know we are hearing that I’ve got something like 40 seconds to get to the bar. We try to hustle there, but there were a lot of people in the back. I slid under the bar to unrack it only to here Gene call out, “TIME!”. I’d timed out. I waddled to the back a bit distraught since things were falling apart quickly, but then one of the judges came and informed me I’d get another shot at the opener since the clock was started too soon. (Thank you, judges). So Neal begins wrapping my knees again since I’m at the end of the flight and this time I make it to the platform with plenty of time. I take 965 out of the rack, descend, get the up call and shoot my hips all sorts of wrong ways and end up muscling it up for a good lift. We move on to 1015 for my second even though I was a little apprehensive seeing as how things were going, but it is what I’d made the trip for. Neal wraps me up and off to the bar I go. I get under it, take it out of the rack and get the squat command with 2 seconds left. I had to make it dramatic apparently. This time I hit the groove like I was supposed to and sat back into it so that when I heard UP I was able to turn it around and stand up smoothly for a 5-pound squat PR and my second squat PR in the last two meets. Since this weight went smooth Neal went ahead and followed the plan and took me to 1030. When I took 1030 out of the rack it didn’t feel much different from 1015. I mean it’s only 15 pounds, right? Well, when I got to the bottom of the squat it got real heavy, real fast so I tried to turn it around sooner than I was supposed to, but it didn’t matter…1030 had beaten me again for the second time in two meets. I was happy with the 1015, but 1030 would have been much sweeter.
On to the bench press!
Nothing dramatic happened during warm ups for the bench. The elbow and shoulder were holding up and the elbow had minimal pain issues throughout. I worked up to 575 in the shirt off a 2 board and then took it off to do my opener raw at 405 like I had planned. It may have been the quickest I’ve ever benched 405 too. Neal and I put my shirt back on and sat me down to relax since we’d gone to 645 on my second. In training I’d had noting, but problems touching 645 which is why I opener raw. We both figured I’d be amped up enough here to make it touch and I did. The only thing is I lost it at the top and it started back down on me just before Gene gave me the rack command. Neal had me repeat 645 since we both knew it would touch and that I could press it relatively easy. So on my third attempt I grooved it as best I could, got the press command after touching and grooved it right back up to lockout and the rack command. I got 2 whites and a red, but that’s good enough for me. My left elbow doesn’t extend all the way and never looks locked, but I assure you that’s as far as it will go. I’m pretty sure that’s why I received the red light. So no PR on the bench, but I’m still in the fight.
On to the deadlift!
I had to have Yvonna Covington-Dearen help with the left side of my lower back at this point since it was locked up, knotted up and in a lot of pain. She did an amazing job and helped out more than she knows. Thank you, Yvonna!!!!
Sheri Whetham also got out her “Pulsinnator” which is a massage tool that emits sound waves too and went at in on my lower back. This helped release things even more so I headed off to warm up for deadlifting. Thank you, Sheri!!!! She spent a great deal of time working on a lot of people Saturday.
While warming up for deadlifting I had no issues with the back right up to 405 and it started to go sideways. Locking the weight out was pretty painful and outing the bar down was even worse so I just started dropping it. I worked up to 585ish and just gritted my teeth. The plan was to open with 665 and I had no desire to change it so we just headed to the platform area to wait my turn. My name was called so I meandered up to the platform and knew things were going to be interesting. I pulled the 665 as smooth as I could and locked it out easily, but putting it down sent shock waves of pain through my lower back. We went ahead and took the bar to 710 to shoot for a total PR, but the bar drifted out in front of me and I couldn’t correct it to even give it a go. I stayed at 710 for my third, tightened the straps down a little tighter and went ahead and gave it a shot. I tried to keep the bar close to me, but it drifted away again and the pain was too much. I tried. I’m not sure who was behind me or what his name was, but I want to say, “thank you.” If you hadn’t been there to hold me up, I’d have gone to the floor after both attempts at 710.
I finished with a 2325 total @ 275 which I think put me 4th, but I’m not sure. I wasn’t even close to the top two, Chris Dela Fave and Jonathan Byrd who both totaled 2500+...Congratulations, guys. I never will be able to get close If I can’t improve my bench and get my back right.
I got to see and meet a great deal of people this weekend and I’m sorry I wasn’t able to chat with a lot of you. Steve Brock is a great guy and I was awesome getting to meet you finally. TJ Watkins is a mountain of a man and every bit of cool as he is tall. Jack Cambra and Stacia-Al Mahoe came all the way from Hawaii to be at the Arnold and are super people. Jeff Frank is amazingly strong and humble. I really wish I could have spent more time talking to him. Bruce Mason…you won big guy and did a hell of a job. I’m proud of you. Scott Paltos, thanks for getting the cramps to go away in my calf by dragging metal across it quite hard. Although it helped, I wanted to kick you in the shin. haha
A sincere debt of gratitude goes out to Neal Cotton for handling me once again, keeping my head straight and taking care of everything. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Julia Ladewski went above and beyond to help me and Neal. She was by my side when my calves were cramping and also helped keep my head straight after things went awry in the beginning.
Walt Hill, thank you for all of your support and help over the weekend. It means more to me than you know.
From here I will be taking some time off and getting an MRI done on my left elbow and lower back to see what’s going on and what needs to be done to fix it. I’m hoping it’s something simple and that surgery can be avoided, but if not then my punch card will be full and I’ll get the next surgery for free.