Meet Recap: APF/AAPF South Carolina Open

Held at American Muscle in Pelion, SC. A decent sized gym, but a bit too small to house 27 powerlifters, 13 benchers AND about a hundred spectators. By the end of the day everyone was complaining about the heat. It did not bother me, but the one bathroom and the port-a-potty for all of the above was problematic.

Judging was a bit inconsistent. They gave a few of the big-time squatters extra time to prep for lifts and made an egregious error on the bench bar. For a meet from a federation that was supposed to be for the lifter, I was a little surprised by the attitude of some of the judges and the meet promoter. All in all, I was not won over by multiply lifting, especially when it came to squats. There were a lot of high squats passed. I really have no problem with it, I mean if the judges give it to you, you take it, but I don't think I would want to do it. The single ply stuff was hard enough. MP would prolly kill me.  It takes a lot of work to do multiply. My hats off to those who do, but sometimes it seems the rules get bent a little as a trade-off. Saw some utterly amaxing lifting by Rex Hubbard out of NGBB: 745 raw squat, 755 raw DL: 1855 total at 275. Good to reconnect with WC Waldren from NGBB and then Justin and John from SC.

They asked Logan to spot and load, which he did all day. I was proud of him, but missed him in the back with me.

And now: the horror.

Squat
Warmups were problematic. Two squat racks, one a monolift, and it just was hard to get it done in time. Plus, with five guys warming up on a rack, there was not the luxury of raising and lowering the rack. As such, the setting was too high for me, I could not get the bar low enough on my back, and 495 and 545, weights I can handle easily, felt heavy.

As such, I was off in the brain.

Throw in the equipmemt I am not used to using, namely: Mastadon-type bar, hundred pound plates and mono-lift and:

Opener: 600... pinned me. My opener, a weight I have done for a triple, pinned me. And I was shitting my pants! And...

I freaked the fuck out. Christan tried to talk me down, but I was ready to go home. Luckily, I got my shit together.

Second attempt: 600... 2 whites, one red: good lift. I asked them to lower the rack before I went. That helped. Kept my head up, but it felt hinky in the hole. There will be no more training with a mirror in front of me, I can tell you that. Here is footage: 600 squat

Sadly, this beat the AAPF (drug tested) raw Amercan Record by 104 lbs. A sad state of affairs.


Humiliating, but not as humiliating as...

Third attempt: 625... never even tried. Could never feel right under the rack. Had them lower it again, but it just wasn't happening. Felt like 700 lbs on my back. Just... guh.


No blame on my squats, I just had no confidence, but the equipment issues were part of the problem.

Bench
Warmups went pretty well.

Opener: 365. Got it, but it felt wrong. Here is footage: 365 bench

I asked Fred if the bar rings felt narrow. He said he did not know (he gets stupid focused), but when I went back to check, WC and Rex were already measuring. Sure enough, the rings were an inch closer to the center of the bar. So, they tell the meet promotor, who swaps out the bar... for a squat bar. A thick, whippy, squat bar. Rex got pissed and they swapped the bar out for a decent one.

Should have kept the old one.

Second attempt: 385... miss

third attempt: ditto.

What a waste of time and money to get a 600 squat and a 365 bench. The only plus was that I did not bomb. I had only three goals left going into the DL: not to bomb, to break the AR in the total, and get a PR total.

Deadlift
Warmups were terrible. Could not decide on sumo or conventional. Only warmed up to 495. Opted, as I walked up to the bar, to go sumo. Why? Because the plan was to go to conventional. The plan did not work at all, so I went contrary.

Opener: 585... my biggest opener ever... got it, but not with much speed at all. See for yerself: 585 pull
this gave me the AAPF raw American Record. Phffff. So, two goals down...

Oh, the socks were a big hit.

Second attempt: 615... a 15 pound PR, and I got it. This was a grind, but a 2-1 good lift: 615 PR Pull 
I remember thinking I was locked out, looking at the head judge and him just looking at me. I figured, "Better pull just a little more." And I did. I was happy for the first time on the day.

Christan yelling for me not to give up makes me want to cry. It just makes me feel loved. And, not having quit, I gave her all I had.

Took a third at 630, but I had nothing left.

So. 1580. A whole 30lb PR total at 242 and a 15 lb PR on the deadlift (one that I got a lot of props for).

I really don't know how I feel about continuing. I'm sure I will, but I am embarrassed right now. Depressed. Start back late next week.

Thanks to Christan and Gage for always being there. Double thanks to Christan for her yelling,

Thanks to Logan for working harder than me at the meet. That spotting and loading will whip you after eight hours. And he always came over to help me whenever possible.

Thanks to Fred for hanging around and offering advice.

Thanks to Jeffery and Jenny Parr for paying my APF fees.

Thanks to Justin and John for being my SC cheering section.

Some more bitchin' and thoughts:
Made an error on my record application sheet. IT WAS MY MISTAKE. I freely admit that. Was it egregious enough for the meet director to be a prick about it. I debate that. Fed up, I just said, "Fine. Just give it back." Then he acted like it was no big deal. Huh.

Actually had some competition in the 242 raw class: me and two other guys. I was fortunate enough to come out on top.

Oh, even though I paid an extra ten bucks to be part of the APF AND the AAPF, and even though of the seven AAPF (drug tested) lifters there, I was the only one tested (I was more than happy to comply) it bugged the hell out of me that the APF/AAPF were not considered seperate. Even when it came to best lifter. There were two of us that might have won best lifter in an AAPF division, but the best lifter went to an APF lifter. He deserved it, no question, but the reason I paid for the AAPF card was to lift against fellow willing-to-be-tested lifters, not those unwilling to be tested. Again, I have no problem with how a person wants to lift, I just think apples with apples, oranges with oranges.

Speaking of testing: all meets test a percentage of available lifters. That was why I was the only one of seven lifters to be tested. What was crazy was the fact that the Meet Director gave me my piss cups and let me go about my business. Chain of custody be damned. I could have gotten Gage to piss for me and noone would have been the wiser. Also, typically, the test is done at the end of the meet. They had me do it at the end of the squat. That was fine, but I was worried I would be unable to fill the cups. Turned out to be no problem.

Fred Carpenter hit a nice 390 raw PR bench with a very near miss at 400.

I am convinced that gym weights are lighter than weights used for meets.

Well, its all in the past and I am shot out. TTFN, kids.

Pete

Getting Ready to Head Out and a Good Cut

Weighed in at 238.6 this morning. A very good cut this time and do not feel weak. It was not hard at all. Even drank a slim fast this morning. Should be dead on to weigh in at 239 or a tad under.

We should be gone and gone by 11:00 am.

Gots to shave myself, get the hair ready and I's is good to go.

Updated plan

Squat: 600-635-655
Bench: 365-390-400
Deadlift: 585-625-645

This gives me a tie for my last meet on my openers (and the measly AAPF American Record will be mine!) and gives me a shot at 1700, and gives me my goal on second attempts: 1650.

Opener squat will give me the American Record at 242, second deadlift will give me the American Record as well.

I want that 655 squat so bad I can taste it. And it taste like victory... and mandarin oranges.

Luck you will wish to me?