USPA Western States Multiply Invitational 7/2/11

[Isaku900]

USPA Western States Multiply Invitational Write Up
July 2nd 2011

Weighed in Friday 7/1 at 302.0 pounds. Don't know what I lifted at but I felt hydrated and ready. Lifted in the afternoon session on Saturday, I've never lifted in a meet broken up by section so it was a new experience, but one I took advantage of, I ate a good breakfast, got some foam rolling in, and most importantly hit my lower back and a couple other spots with my TENS unit before heading down to the meet.

Squat:
Warm ups felt kind of rushed, the pace of the meet had picked up a little from the day prior and we were trying to run 15 people on two monolifts with radically different openers ranging from low 500s to 800lbs, so people kind of split up according to where they were opening.

Took bar, 1, 2,3 plates raw, put on my briefs and took 5 plates, wanted to do 3 warmups in my suit, two with straps up and was running out of time, 1st flight was finishing up 2nds/thirds. Got my suit on and took 6 plates straps down. My back felt awesome. Straps up for 7 plates on the narrow mono, looked good. 1st flight had finished and they came back for the platform monolift, I asked if I could take one more warm up, and they said yea but I should hurry. 8 plates were loaded on the platform mono, so I put my straps up and went, looked and felt like ****, but my back felt solid.

Opener: 365kg/804lbs
actually felt a little off on this one, didn't have my straps set properly for the weight, and it wasn't very fast. Felt a little off balance at the top too, came forward too much. Still a good lift and went to my next planned attempt.

2nd: 387.5kg/854lbs
straps were tightened up a bit, everything felt perfect. Heavy but easy lift. Came up, 3 whites, head was hazy and felt like it had been in a vise, Suzanne came up to me to ask what I wanted for my third and I said 881, but Marcus came up and said "go 900, go 900" so I told her 410kg.

3rd: 410kg/903lbs
didn't tighten the straps more, felt I was good there. Felt very heavy, didn't feel like I started the lift properly, really leaned into the suit to keep my chest up, felt my knees come in as a I pushed back, but managed to keep them out. Felt right on the border with what I could handle. Barely heard Suzanne call me up, it felt like everything was very far away and that Suzanne was whispering...guess that's the pressure of 900lbs. Came up pretty good and felt solid, 3 whites.

3/3 on squats
132lb Squat PR in 6 months.


-Getting the suit off took 4 people and some "interesting" positions. By the time my suit was off the 1st flight was into their 1st attempts. Changed shoes and equipment, grabbed my bench shirt, slipped the singlet on and went to warmup for bench

Bench
grabbed a banana and a gatorade prime from Kendal, no time to eat but needed *some* fuel.
Warmups: started at 2 plates, did a double, 3 plates single, 4 plates single off a 3 board.
shirt on.

did a double at 5 plates, 2nd rep broke form a bit and touched. Someone said "well that's good you touched 5 plates" to which I responded "well yea, but I'm opening 120lbs heavier". received shocked face.

5 plates, quarter single, no boards felt better, more locked in.

6 plates, latched belt, no set to shirt, felt great, stopped an inch or so from touching.

Opener: 280kg/617lbs
Felt great, belt latched, touched no problem, missed the groove to lockout by pressing straight up, elbows locked but I wasn't in a supportive position so I had to hold the weight with my triceps only, got a rack command and my elbows got floppy on the way to the rack. easy but not as clean as I'd like, considering my benching issues in the past.

2nd: 292.5kg/644lbs
set the shirt a little more, kept it fairly high, just reminded myself to hit the groove all the way. Came down very nicely, touched easily, press was fast and smooth. Proud of this one.

3rd: 305kg/672lbs
took this one to set me up for 2300lbs, set the shirt a bit more aggressively, came down pretty good, but started to helicopter a bit, my right elbow opened up a bit too much and I lost it towards my stomach, Marcus caught it no problem, glad to have my teammates there for me, experience lifting with eachother means they were right on top of it, never even got close to touching me.

2/3 on bench
44lb bench PR in 6 months
subtotal: 702.5kg/1548lbs


Deadlift

Warmups:
was not as rushed as my shirt comes off a lot easier. took my time getting my kit off and changing into my long socks and deadlift shoes. Grabbed another banana and another Prime.

Took 2 plates, 3 plates, raw 4 plates suit on straps down, all fast and easy yay. My back still felt solid as hell, no issues. Straps up for 5 plates, fast easy, 6 plates same. My planned opener of 300kg/661lbs was going to break 2200lbs for me.

Opener: 300kg/661lbs
Set up a bit too far back from the bar, so I had to roll it in farther and that got my hips lower than I like to start, stayed patient on the bar and got back into proper starting position and the weight flew.

2nd: 322.5kg/710lbs
-picked the attempt to get a small PR on my deadlift (previous 705), good attempt selection, got proper positioning, felt heavy when it left the floor but kept good form and locked it out fine. I knew that a 755lbs attempt for 2300 was not going to happen, came off the platform and said "that felt heavy".

3rd: 332.5kg/733lbs -last and heaviest pull of the flight
picked this as a nice intermediary, setup was good but my back was a bit rounded as I came off the floor, got above the knee fine, but as often happens when you start off a little rounded encountered the triangle of death and actually hitched it a little and then a callous tore and dropped it as I was trying to get my shoulders back, probably would not have passed due to the hitch. Still a good (close) attempt, next time I'll get this.

2/3 on deadlifts
5lb deadlift PR in 11 months.
total: 1025kg/2259.7lbs, elite at 308.

PR on total of 253lbs in 6 months. 2nd elite total.

Couldn't have done it without my amazing girlfriend Kendal, and all of Team Wild Iron, and Marcus, Suzanne, Brad, Cliff, Mark, who came down to the meet and assisted in many many ways.

Next year I'm contemplating a few single ply meets possibly to see if I can qualify for the Olympia, then I'll refocus on a PRO total (2400 @ 308) and squatting 1000+lbs.

YouTube - ‪Bill 2011 USPA Nationals‬‏

YouTube - ‪Bill 2011 USPA Nationals‬‏

[J_Byrd]

Great work man. All lifts looked super clean and soild. People love to bitch about not being able to tell depth from the front. If they dont think those were down...then they are DUMB!

[6footmidget]

great write up. that was some impressive work there. Huge numbers! I really enjoyed the videos and after reading the write up knowing what was going through your mind during the entire event.