Second Meet-Kick Ass MoFo's

[Kiknskreem]

So today I competed in my second PL meet, the USAPL PA State Champs in King of Prussia PA. Like my first meet, this was an awesome experience. Being with the other lifters, settin' PR's, watching American Records get crushed! THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!!!

So I competed at 165 Raw weighing in at 72.5 kilos. I felt so confident, going in knowing what to expect this time around. I had also added 37 pounds to my official total when I maxed a few weeks ago. Hooah, ready to go. Got there, weighed in on time, saw some familiar faces. It went so smooth.

Warmups were superb, everybody was helping out, there were plenty of platforms etc. Picture perfect. Flight's go up, I'm first up for every lift. Oh well, what do you expect as a raw lifter and relative newb. Didn't let it phase me, I had been visualizing my lifts all week. I was going to kick ass. I knew it.

So first squat to kick off the meet, I open with 275 and sink it so deep they thought my bunghole was gonna sprout out of the ground in Beijiing. Alright, I knew I was going to go for a small PR on my second attempt. 325, 5 pounds over my best gym lift. Sweet it was. Now I was following Malik(he was last lifter I was first, so this happened pretty much every time), who if anybody knows is one of the top 165's in the country. Room got quiet when they stripped all those plates for my second attempt. Huslander shouted to the crowd, "WHY'S IT SO QUIET". Cheers erupted. I let out of a bellow, set up, and dropped into a deep squat (I squat high bar olympic, so its a sight to see). Came up with good speed. 3 Whites again. Now I usually plan on making my thirds attempts reaches, but 6 whites felt so good, I just had to have 9. Took another 5 pound increase to 330. Ten pounds over my best gym lift. Listened to some disturbed "Fear" off of The Sickness. Went up, set up, got under and put it out of the hole like nothing, but towards the top slowed. The crowd erupted again and I powered it through the sticking point. Walked 'em all back to the rack myself. 3 for 3... damn skippy. Now no matter what else happens I will have something to look back on at this point. Total failure averted.

Get warmed up for bench. Made friendly with a 17 year old who had been at my first meet. Strong guy, must've totalled at least a grand, thought I don't know for certain. Hit the bar for 10, 135 for 6, 185 for a single. Opened with a easy 192 (same as my previous meet). Went up like butter, announcer proclaimed to the crowd "takin' an easy one, now he's gonna put some real weight on the bar". Damn straight. Went to 220.25, a quarter pound over my best gym lift, 5 pounds over my official bench. Slowed at the top but easily locked it out. Up to 226, I have t'n'gd 225, but never paused, and I missed it as my third attempt at my first meet. Pressed it up easily again.

Now at this point I am 6 for 6 and having set 4 PR's (though only two were significant) and am on cloud nine. In fact, squat and dead are my preferred lifts, so I was pleased at how well benching went.

Went to pull 340. Wasn't quick, but it came up well. Two and a half weeks prior I had maxed my pull at 400. The following week I strugged in my workout to hit 345 for a single (i was supposed to make 5). I quit the workout on the spot because I knew so close to the meet I needed make sure my deadlift taper went ok. I am craving making my pull an official 400+.

So here is where I shoot myself in the foot.

I jumped straight to 402 for my second. My best official dead had been 386. I pulled it relatively easily (not letting the extra knurls throw my grip off as it did my first meet), but at the top, unbeknownst to me, I came up on my toes and thus the bar slipped after the motion had started, and I got 2 reds. At this point I am in a predicament. I have put myself here, I MUST get myself out. Now deadlifts in PL meets move quickly..... good. I was going to go out there and rip that mother right off the god damn platform. Chalked up, I run out, let out a bellow, and pull with all my might. WHOOOO!!! The crowd goes wild. (I have been getting massages from my GF between flights, just wanted to add that. And yes, it was awesome) But by the lightening bolt of Zues I got two reds and called on the same sh*t again. Dammit, I got greedy and just destroyed my total. I am sulky as I retreat to the stands with my parents, aunt and girlfriend. They are excited but sympathetic to my grumpiness. I have done this to myself. This will not happen again.

One of the best things to come out of this as well was Rob Keller saw where I went to school, called me up and told me he wanted to introduce me to somebody. He said I had a lot of natural ability (he knew I train at home, for gym location I put "my basement" So I was announced as "and ..... is 20 years old, and is from his basement". So he introduced me to two VERY experienced coaches and lifters who run a club right near my school, and invited me to train with them. Holy sh*t, this was like the most perfect thing that could have happened.

So overall, it was a great day, with seveal PR's, got to watch some records get smashed, and the meet was run great. Spotters, announcers, everything.

End Stats
2nd place
75 Raw competing at @72.5 kilos
Squat-275---325 (pr)---330 (pr)
Bench-192---220 (pr)---226(pr)
Dead-340---x402---x402 (curse the gods)
Total--896 (8 pounds under last official total, and 58 under expected, but read the above and you'll know why that was ok.

[miles1]

Great job on all you pr.It sound like you had a blast.

[jmil]

Awesome job man, congrats!!!

Congratulations. That was a fantastic story. Good job at the meet.

[mjw8204]

Very inspiring narrative, Kik. Congrats on the new PRs. It feels great when you hit them and nobody notices; I can't imagine the rush of a cheering crowd. Glad to hear you had a good time.

[Kiknskreem]

Thanks guys.

^^self serving bump.

[John Prophet]

good job bro


sounds very typical of what happens to powerlifters....they get all happy thinking they can lift anything, lol...and they jump to some crazy number. I was "handling" a friend at a meet....he did about the same thing. He was using all brand new gear FOR THE FIRST TIME at the meet, lol, so he was getting PR's etc. Then on deads he jumped up to some crazy number and moved it like 8", lol.

I think you had a good thing going with the "conservative" approach


be careful of the two 'experienced" coaches...that they dont totally put you on some wack program, lol...if its not right for you, go back to the basement, lol

[gettnthere]

great story man, gotta give you that hah, but no offense this is why i dont wanna compete in the usapl raw....if im blowing out 20yr old's in the same class as me..

[ProOne]

Originally Posted by Kiknskreem

So today I competed in my second PL meet, the USAPL PA State Champs in King of Prussia PA. Like my first meet, this was an awesome experience. Being with the other lifters, settin' PR's, watching American Records get crushed! THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!!!

So I competed at 165 Raw weighing in at 72.5 kilos. I felt so confident, going in knowing what to expect this time around. I had also added 37 pounds to my official total when I maxed a few weeks ago. Hooah, ready to go. Got there, weighed in on time, saw some familiar faces. It went so smooth.

Warmups were superb, everybody was helping out, there were plenty of platforms etc. Picture perfect. Flight's go up, I'm first up for every lift. Oh well, what do you expect as a raw lifter and relative newb. Didn't let it phase me, I had been visualizing my lifts all week. I was going to kick ass. I knew it.

So first squat to kick off the meet, I open with 275 and sink it so deep they thought my bunghole was gonna sprout out of the ground in Beijiing. Alright, I knew I was going to go for a small PR on my second attempt. 325, 5 pounds over my best gym lift. Sweet it was. Now I was following Malik(he was last lifter I was first, so this happened pretty much every time), who if anybody knows is one of the top 165's in the country. Room got quiet when they stripped all those plates for my second attempt. Huslander shouted to the crowd, "WHY'S IT SO QUIET". Cheers erupted. I let out of a bellow, set up, and dropped into a deep squat (I squat high bar olympic, so its a sight to see). Came up with good speed. 3 Whites again. Now I usually plan on making my thirds attempts reaches, but 6 whites felt so good, I just had to have 9. Took another 5 pound increase to 330. Ten pounds over my best gym lift. Listened to some disturbed "Fear" off of The Sickness. Went up, set up, got under and put it out of the hole like nothing, but towards the top slowed. The crowd erupted again and I powered it through the sticking point. Walked 'em all back to the rack myself. 3 for 3... damn skippy. Now no matter what else happens I will have something to look back on at this point. Total failure averted.

Get warmed up for bench. Made friendly with a 17 year old who had been at my first meet. Strong guy, must've totalled at least a grand, thought I don't know for certain. Hit the bar for 10, 135 for 6, 185 for a single. Opened with a easy 192 (same as my previous meet). Went up like butter, announcer proclaimed to the crowd "takin' an easy one, now he's gonna put some real weight on the bar". Damn straight. Went to 220.25, a quarter pound over my best gym lift, 5 pounds over my official bench. Slowed at the top but easily locked it out. Up to 226, I have t'n'gd 225, but never paused, and I missed it as my third attempt at my first meet. Pressed it up easily again.

Now at this point I am 6 for 6 and having set 4 PR's (though only two were significant) and am on cloud nine. In fact, squat and dead are my preferred lifts, so I was pleased at how well benching went.

Went to pull 340. Wasn't quick, but it came up well. Two and a half weeks prior I had maxed my pull at 400. The following week I strugged in my workout to hit 345 for a single (i was supposed to make 5). I quit the workout on the spot because I knew so close to the meet I needed make sure my deadlift taper went ok. I am craving making my pull an official 400+.

So here is where I shoot myself in the foot.

I jumped straight to 402 for my second. My best official dead had been 386. I pulled it relatively easily (not letting the extra knurls throw my grip off as it did my first meet), but at the top, unbeknownst to me, I came up on my toes and thus the bar slipped after the motion had started, and I got 2 reds. At this point I am in a predicament. I have put myself here, I MUST get myself out. Now deadlifts in PL meets move quickly..... good. I was going to go out there and rip that mother right off the god damn platform. Chalked up, I run out, let out a bellow, and pull with all my might. WHOOOO!!! The crowd goes wild. (I have been getting massages from my GF between flights, just wanted to add that. And yes, it was awesome) But by the lightening bolt of Zues I got two reds and called on the same sh*t again. Dammit, I got greedy and just destroyed my total. I am sulky as I retreat to the stands with my parents, aunt and girlfriend. They are excited but sympathetic to my grumpiness. I have done this to myself. This will not happen again.

One of the best things to come out of this as well was Rob Keller saw where I went to school, called me up and told me he wanted to introduce me to somebody. He said I had a lot of natural ability (he knew I train at home, for gym location I put "my basement" So I was announced as "and ..... is 20 years old, and is from his basement". So he introduced me to two VERY experienced coaches and lifters who run a club right near my school, and invited me to train with them. Holy sh*t, this was like the most perfect thing that could have happened.

So overall, it was a great day, with seveal PR's, got to watch some records get smashed, and the meet was run great. Spotters, announcers, everything.

End Stats
2nd place
75 Raw competing at @72.5 kilos
Squat-275---325 (pr)---330 (pr)
Bench-192---220 (pr)---226(pr)
Dead-340---x402---x402 (curse the gods)
Total--896 (8 pounds under last official total, and 58 under expected, but read the above and you'll know why that was ok.

Great job Kikn.....the play by play was great also.....keep up the hard work

[Danimal]

Nice job and congrats on a fine meet! Don't worry about the DL, you still did great.

[elpogue]

sounds awesome. good job hitting PR's and an invite to a gym!