Posted inCompetitions Powerlifting

So I Did a Powerlifting Meet 100% Raw

August 10, 2014

Let me start out by saying that I love the 100% Raw powerlifting federation due to the fact they are vehemently against performance enhancing drugs and supportive equipment. I have always liked what this federation was doing so when I heard that they were putting on a somewhat local meet, I knew I had to try it out.

Coming out the hole with a World Record Squat.

The timing with my competitive weightlifting schedule worked out and I was in the area on vacation. It was meant to be. I was after the squat world record, in the law/military/fire 100kg class (225kg), and the national deadlift record in the same category of 248kg. I have done more than these numbers so I was confident to get it done. With 5 weeks to train, after taking 3 weeks off after nationals, I got to work adding bench in for the first time in years. 2 weeks into benching I strained my right pec so benching was out for a couple weeks. Squats and deads were coming along nicely as they were programmed around my Olympic lifting. The week of the comp I was on family holidays, so it was easy to taper. I just changed the one day of training to lower volume back squats and continued normally with my snatches and cleans.

Meet Day
In the hole.

I weigh in with the nice folks at the meet, and was told by a director after the technical meeting, that I would not be lifting until 11am. With that in mind, I go off to have a leisurely omelette at my cousins house. At 10:15 I decide to head back to the meet. As I’m pulling, in I get a text saying I just missed my first squat. Instant adrenaline rush. I run into the warmup room, load 2 plates for a set of 5, 3 plates for 3, 4 plates for 2, 445 for a single then run up the stairs for my opener of 205kg for my official second attempt. I smoked that, and 215kg. Since I was attempting a world record I was given a 4th attempt that would not count towards my official total. I loaded 225.5kg and smoked it. I didn’t want to take any chances so I only beat the record by the minimum .5kg. Definitely had more in the tank.

On to bench. My right pec had a strain from trying out bench press in the previous weeks. I kept it light so it wouldn’t aggravate it. Embarrassingly, I  started with 105kg, then onto 115kg and a fast 120kg. I just started to feel my pec hurt a bit with 120kg. Glad I didn’t go higher.

Bench Press

I had my eye on the 248kg national deadlift record in the law/fire/military category. I started with a conservative 230kg. Then went for the new  national record 248.5kg and smoked it. It was challenging though, so I knew I could not have beaten the world record of 267.5kg. I decided to go for 255kg and break my high school deadlift PR by a couple pounds. Unfortunately my back started losing it’s arch half way up my shins so I put it down. Some guys can deadlift with a round lumbar but not me. I strain ligaments and hurt my SI joint thus leaving me unable to lift for a couple weeks. I would rather be safe than sorry.

Deadlift

All in all it was a great meet. I enjoyed lifting in that environment and it was a casual meet for me so I had fun. I also enjoyed how easy it was for me to warm up for a power meet compare to an Olympic weightlifting meet. I did not make 1 PR but it was my first official PL meet, so some will say all the lifts are PR’s. Official total-583.5kg, unofficial total (including the 4th squat)-594kg. Next time I will smoke 600kg for sure!