First Powerlifting Meet
My first powerlifting meet took place at a local YMCA back in 2006. I competed in the 165 pound weight class, raw division against 2 other people, it was also in a age group as well, think the age group was 18-24, but not certain anymore. I weighed 161 pounds during the weigh in the day before the meet. This was a raw and geared meet, but just about everybody competed raw, there were only two people who competed in bench shirts. probably about 30-50 people total, it was a small competition. First attempt 215 pounds (Failed due racking the weight before given the rack command): My parent's didn't get any pictures of it unfortunately. I smoked the lift easily, but did not know you had to wait for a rack command, before racking the weight back on the bench hooks. So this lift was red lighted and didn't count because I racked the weight before being given the rack command. Second attempt was 235 pounds (Completed Successfully) I got this fairly easy, and almost racked again before giving the command to rack the weight, but remember to wait for the command before it was to late, all I wanted to focus on was the pause and the pressing, so it was hard for me to remember while performing the lift. But I successfully completed the lift. This was my highest completed lift of the day, and only attempt I completed successfully. Third and final attempt 255 pounds (Failed due to not being able to complete the lift) I failed to complete this attempt getting the weight about halfway up, I was really disappointed, a few weeks before the meet in training I had even completed 260 pounds for a single paused, and had done 245 for a double paused also. So this was 5 pounds off my old best personal record and I had failed to complete it. Awards Ceremony: I took second place in 165 pound weight class in the raw division in the 18-24 age group, with a lift of 235 pounds. The first place winner had won with a lift of 280 pounds. Third place person Dave hit 205 pounds. My personal thoughts about the meet overall: My first powerlifting meet was terrible for me, I had missed almost all three attempts due to lack of experience and because I couldn't complete my final bench press attempt. I thought for sure my 235 pound attempt would get red lighted, but luckily it didn't. I had gotten smoked by a good 45 pounds by the first place winner, but I beat the third place person Dave. Other things about the meet: Third place finisher Dave went to the same high school as me and we both graduated in 2003: Something interesting to note about Dave was we both went to the same high school, were in the same grade and graduated together, and also in some of the same high school classes, so he was considered my prime rival. His first attempt was 205 pounds, and his second and third attempt was 225, which he completed barely due to hitting the bench press hooks, but both lifts were failed attempts for him, because he hit the bench press hooks, that's right another rule I didn't know about, if you hit the bench press hooks while trying to complete your lift it counts as a miss and failed attempt and gets you red lighted. The heaviest bench press of the day: The heaviest bench press that day was done by a guy 200 pound guy who competed in the 220 pound weight class, his best lift that day was 380 pounds on his second attempt, but he missed his third attempt of 405 pounds. He took first place overall as the best lifter overall. How much the geared/shirted bench presser's lifted: The first shirted guy was a 60 year old man named Peter, who competed in the 60-65 master's class I think against one other person, his best lift was 305 pounds, this guy also had a raw lift of 260 pounds, and hold's the record for my state, he actually sold me his old bench shirt , and gave me some advice on powerlifting as well sometime ago. He took first easily. The second man who used a bench shirt was a 190 pound guy named Jim, who competed in the 198 pound weight class, in the age 40-49 age group. He is the guy who actually gave me lift offs on all my bench press attempts, I also gave him lift off's as well on his three attempts, we also were training partners sometimes when training for powerlifting at my formed gym which actually was this local YMCA. Jim had done his first two attempts raw, 250 was his first attempt I think, 275 his second attempt, although I am vague. He attempted 325 in a bench shirt for his third but could not complete the lift, and i had to spot take the bar with the other two spotter's. He took first in the 198 weight class for the age 40-49 weight class, with no one else competing in that weight class and age group, so he won by default. How many times I used the bench press shirt peter gave me: I only used it once didn't like it and haven't used a shirt since then, this was before my first powerlifting meet.
My first powerlifting meet took place at a local YMCA back in 2006. I competed in the 165 pound weight class, raw division against 2 other people, it was also in a age group as well, think the age group was 18-24, but not certain anymore. I weighed 161 pounds during the weigh in the day before the meet. This was a raw and geared meet, but just about everybody competed raw, there were only two people who competed in bench shirts. probably about 30-50 people total, it was a small competition. First attempt 215 pounds (Failed due racking the weight before given the rack command): My parent's didn't get any pictures of it unfortunately. I smoked the lift easily, but did not know you had to wait for a rack command, before racking the weight back on the bench hooks. So this lift was red lighted and didn't count because I racked the weight before being given the rack command. Second attempt was 235 pounds (Completed Successfully) I got this fairly easy, and almost racked again before giving the command to rack the weight, but remember to wait for the command before it was to late, all I wanted to focus on was the pause and the pressing, so it was hard for me to remember while performing the lift. But I successfully completed the lift. This was my highest completed lift of the day, and only attempt I completed successfully. Third and final attempt 255 pounds (Failed due to not being able to complete the lift) I failed to complete this attempt getting the weight about halfway up, I was really disappointed, a few weeks before the meet in training I had even completed 260 pounds for a single paused, and had done 245 for a double paused also. So this was 5 pounds off my old best personal record and I had failed to complete it. Awards Ceremony: I took second place in 165 pound weight class in the raw division in the 18-24 age group, with a lift of 235 pounds. The first place winner had won with a lift of 280 pounds. Third place person Dave hit 205 pounds. My personal thoughts about the meet overall: My first powerlifting meet was terrible for me, I had missed almost all three attempts due to lack of experience and because I couldn't complete my final bench press attempt. I thought for sure my 235 pound attempt would get red lighted, but luckily it didn't. I had gotten smoked by a good 45 pounds by the first place winner, but I beat the third place person Dave. Other things about the meet: Third place finisher Dave went to the same high school as me and we both graduated in 2003: Something interesting to note about Dave was we both went to the same high school, were in the same grade and graduated together, and also in some of the same high school classes, so he was considered my prime rival. His first attempt was 205 pounds, and his second and third attempt was 225, which he completed barely due to hitting the bench press hooks, but both lifts were failed attempts for him, because he hit the bench press hooks, that's right another rule I didn't know about, if you hit the bench press hooks while trying to complete your lift it counts as a miss and failed attempt and gets you red lighted. The heaviest bench press of the day: The heaviest bench press that day was done by a guy 200 pound guy who competed in the 220 pound weight class, his best lift that day was 380 pounds on his second attempt, but he missed his third attempt of 405 pounds. He took first place overall as the best lifter overall. How much the geared/shirted bench presser's lifted: The first shirted guy was a 60 year old man named Peter, who competed in the 60-65 master's class I think against one other person, his best lift was 305 pounds, this guy also had a raw lift of 260 pounds, and hold's the record for my state, he actually sold me his old bench shirt , and gave me some advice on powerlifting as well sometime ago. He took first easily. The second man who used a bench shirt was a 190 pound guy named Jim, who competed in the 198 pound weight class, in the age 40-49 age group. He is the guy who actually gave me lift offs on all my bench press attempts, I also gave him lift off's as well on his three attempts, we also were training partners sometimes when training for powerlifting at my formed gym which actually was this local YMCA. Jim had done his first two attempts raw, 250 was his first attempt I think, 275 his second attempt, although I am vague. He attempted 325 in a bench shirt for his third but could not complete the lift, and i had to spot take the bar with the other two spotter's. He took first in the 198 weight class for the age 40-49 weight class, with no one else competing in that weight class and age group, so he won by default. How many times I used the bench press shirt peter gave me: I only used it once didn't like it and haven't used a shirt since then, this was before my first powerlifting meet.