I have been waiting on this day for months. Waiting....

The day has finally come for me to fully test my knee, my confidence and my fortitude. A 700 pound raw squat is happening today.

Last week I hit an all time PR on my multiply squat with straight weight. In my programing the next week which is today was to go for a post op raw PR, that being 700 pounds and not an ounce less. I had thought about this all night last night and could not even sleep. All I was doing was visualizing the lift over and over in my mind. Going through my pre lifting ques....set my feet, make sure the width for my raw stance is right on point, deep air into my belly, push that 2board gut into my belt hard, keep my chest up as I descend, feel the confidence in the stability of my knee, get to parallel and drive my feet through the floor, continue to keep my chest up all the way to the top....

I could not get to the gym quick enough today. Im 41 years old. I have been lifting weights since I was 13 years old. This feeling I have now of an anxious kid going after a big lift is the same now as it was 20+ years ago. That desire still burns deep within my heart and soul to train and to lift heavy....

BB Raw Squats

used elitefts P2 Lever Belt on all sets
used elitefts heavy sleeves
used Metal All Black Knee wraps
used elitefts Krait Knee sleeves
used elitefts heavy elbow sleeves on all sets

1 x bar - 2
1 x 135 - 2
1 x 185 - 2
1 x 225 - 1
1 x 275 - 1
1 x 315 - 1
1 x 365 - 1
1 x 405 - 1
1 x 505 - 1
1 x 595 - 1
1 x 700 - 1!

Rev Hyper

5 sets x 10 reps each set

Occlusion Leg Ext

300 total reps

Hack Squats

3 sets x 10 reps each set

Leg Press Calf Raises

2 sets x 100 reps each set

Tsunami Lat Pulldowns

200 total reps

Abs

I joined team elitefts™ in 2007. I have been competing in powerlifting for 20 years now. During these past 20 years I have competed raw bench only, multiply bench only, raw push/pull, multiply push/pull, multiply deadlift only, raw full power and multiply full power. I got my start as a raw bench only lifter. My best raw bench-press in competition is 530 pounds in the 242 weight class. I competed raw bench only many years then switched over to multiply bench only. My best multiply bench-press in competition is 805 pounds in the 308 weight class weighing in at 286 pounds.

I have remained ranked as one of the top 15 multiply bench pressers in the world for my weight class for the past 10 years. My best ranking for the year is currently 4th place for my weight class. I hold several APF and SPF Federation state, national and world records. I also have an elite total for full power raw and an elite total for full power multiply.

I am 41 years old. I am a circulation manager for two NC newspapers. I live in Nebo, NC and train at my own private training facility – Nebobarbell. My Greatest achievement is that I am a father of one magnificent, wonderful, smart and beautiful daughter - Katelyn Smith. She trains with me, she is a McDowell High Lady Titan Basketball Player, Lady Bandits Travel Basketball Player, throws shot-put and discs for her High School Track Team, competes with Team Nebobarbell in powerlifting meets and above all is a straight A student with a current 5.0 GPA.

I am currently in off season training and still rehabbing from 2 major surgeries in the past 18 months. The first surgery I went under the knife to have repaired was a complete anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and a lateral meniscus tear. Both of these injuries were done on the right knee. 7 months later the second surgery was to repair a complete distal biceps tendon tear. I had this reattached to the bone. The injury was to my left arm.

I am currently in off season training preparing for a multiply bench only meet some time this year….