USAPL Raw Nationals

Squat: Bombed 117.5 (259 lbs)

Bench: 87.5 (missed 92.5 2x) (192 lbs, missed 203.9)

Deadlift: 147.5, 157.5, 165 (325.2, 347.2, 363.8 lbs)

This one got away.

I was the only competitor in my age and weight class. Put up a total and I go to the world championships. And I didn't get enough depth on a weight I do triples with.

After that, I was so out of sync that I couldn't get 205 up in the bench.

And after that, I was so mad that I pulled everything. I probably could have pulled 400.

So, 4 good lifts of 9, and lots of lessons learned.

Lesson 1: Having to cut weight right to the meet is not a good idea. I was not fully hydrated for lifting, and I was certainly not fueled correctly. Next time around, I would do it differently, and have more margin at weigh in. But I was not fueled right for this.

Lesson 2: Find a way to get into your routine. It was later than I usually lift. It was crowded. I was probably overstimulated by the atmosphere. I was not located in my head. I didn't warm up the way I wanted to. All to say: I was out of my routine, and I am a creature of routine. That's nobody's fault but mine. I have to find a way to get into my routine.

Lesson 3: You simply must make the first squat. Must.

Lesson 4: If you miss a lift, you have to let it go. I had entirely too much clutter in my head, and I didn't wall it off. I learned that I cannot succeed unless the present effort is all that I am concentrating on.

Lesson 5: Unless your form conforms to standard, you may not get the benefit of the doubt on a lift. I'm not saying that happened to me, but I think I did see it with some other lifters who, with nonstandard form elements, were red-lighted on good lifts.

Lesson 6: Lift and learn, or lift and lose. I did not lose. I learned.

And as Jeff said, how many track meets did I have under my belt before I went to Masters Nationals? A couple of hundred? How many powerlifting meets did I have? One. It makes a difference.

Altogether this was a powerful experience. I saw some truly amazing athletes. I met some really nice people. And I learned a lot.