Shawna and I arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 12, so that we could get acclimated to the difference in atmosphere and weather. We checked into the Marriotte so that we would sleep well and be rested, they had a Starbucks downstairs so that was just too handy. We went in to weigh in the next morning and ate a light breakfast. I weighed in at 238.6 lbs a little light but not bad considering the travelling. Shawna made weight easily too. The gym looked great, it was large with a boxing ring in the middle, they had two monolifts and about 4 or more Forza benches.

Meet Day Saturday April 14

We arrived before 9 am and sat and waited. Manditory rules meeting was supposed to be at 9:30 am and lifting was to start at 10 am, but nothing was happening, equipment was not set up and we waited for 45 minutes not knowing what was happening. There was one flight of full power lifters, 11 people, mostly raw. Shawna was fifth up in the flight and I was 10th.

Scott Mendleson decided that he  would not lift at this meet and instead worked the meet doing everything to help the lifters, back spotting the squat and handing off on the bench and giving helpful advice. Shawna and I warmed up on the main platform with pound plates, but the squat bar was not a real squat bar, instead it was a shorter 45 lb bar.

Squat

280 kgs, 617 lbs  Scott called my depth and I waited then flew up with it easy. I got one red light for depth, they said that one side was not as low as the other. Later in the video I saw that it was not as deep as I would have liked or as deep as it felt. But got the lift and was in the meet.

Second attempt - 325 kgs, 716 lbs stand up was too forward and I descended with the weight like it was crushing me. I went down as far as I though without losing it - there were no chains on the monolift - and went back up early, knowing it was high, it just didn't feel right from the beginning.

Third attempt - same weight, unracked it, couldn't balance the weight, called for a rerack this time. Then, stood up better, started forward again, then moved back but went down too slow, again got to a point where I thought I should go back up before I loose it, and agian know that it was not anywhere close. Shawna said the the lift looked good and I was in control this time and did everything right. I was very disappointed with just getting my opener but the weights felt very heavy and I was shaking.

After the squat, I knew that we really needed to have a handler. Wrapping my knees and wrapping Shawna's knees and taking off her suit just took too much energy. I  felt rushed and out of breath and my arms were cramping.

Bench

warm ups were the same as in the gym but just held 315 raw instead of benching it. 225 lbs raw felt very heavy and my one warm-up with 425 lbs I pushed up slow and hard trouble locking out. But, I've had this happen before and the energy on the platform should make the weights feel lighter.

First attempt - 215 kg, 474 lbs, flew. Scott commented and said it was a beautiful bench.

Second attempt - 240 kgs, 529 lbs. Everything was great, I planned to bring the weight down faster, but at the bottom I overshot a bit and dumped the weight forward, then at the press command, I pulled it back and grinded it up, I pushed as hard as i ever have with my legs and got it all the way to the top and locked out my left arm but my right arm was all the way back with no where else to go and not locked out, everyone screaming and it just sat there, no lift. When I got up off the bench I was dizzy and felt like I was going to vomit. I don't think I ever pushed so hard in my life.

Third attempt - same weight, didn't go up as well and couldn't finish it. ran out of steam on that one. nothing left.

Deadlift

|n short the deadlift was a fiasco. We warmed up raw quickly before the other lifters, Shawna went up to 135 lbs and I did 135 and 225 lbs, then we went to put our suits on. Shawna's legs were blown up and sweaty and the briefs were damp and it took us 15 minutes to get them on, but we couldln't get them up all the way properly. She asked how much time before the deadlft starts and they said 30 mins. Well, they started in 20 mins instead, because most of the lifters were raw and most were opening with light weights, I was last in the flight with 525 lbs. Shawna was second in the flight. We told them we needed more time, Shawna had not been able to get one suited warm up in at all yet. Then they just started the flight and Shawna was second up. She didn't even have her suit on. She was hanging in the monolift trying to get her suit on, when they told her she had 45 secs to get to the bar for her first attempt deadlift. This really messed with her and made her angry. She had a huge PR in the squat with 425 lbs and a huge personal success and PR in the bench with 292 lbs and now she was confident with the deadlift her best lift and was well on her way to getting her goal of an 1100 total, 500kgs. But, they were calling her to the platform and her gear was not on yet and she didn't have any warmups at all. I decided that she should go and try the attempt anyway because she can now pull 363 lbs on a bad day and she will probably get the lift. Shawna went up to the platform and struggled to get down to the bar because her briefs were not all the way up. She was angry and frustrated and tried to put that aside and make the lift anyway. It didn't work, she couldn't pull it. 

Ok, now it was my turn. I was helping Shawna and didn't even start changing into my suit and I was in the same flight. I got my briefs up part way and asked a stranger to help my pull them up, Shawna helped me get into my suit and my turn was up. Put my belt on and went up to the platform. But, this didn't bother me because, I have been in this situation before and I know that I don't need any warmups for the deadlfit. I walked over, and just picked it up with poor form and locked it out, Done, I was finished the meet and tired, Second and third attempts were with 575 lbs but I had no desire to pick them up, because my goals were all gone and I didn't care anymore about my total. Plus, I was just woopped, really tired.

So, I ended up with just my openers, happy to stay in the meet, but not very happy with my results.

The meet atmosphere was relaxed and friendly and it was similar to our meets. It was a fun meet and we got to see the real Scott Mendleson and his family. Shawna was on her way to the best meet in her life before the deadlift and I think she was more frustratred than i was. We got to see Scott's young 14 year old daughter bendh in the same  style that he banches and she almost locked out 240 lbs, very impressive. She is going to be very strong. He said he doesn't want her squatting yet until she gets older. The weather in LA was great, we relaxed by the pool the next day, both happy with the kind of meet it was but unhappy with the way it turned out for us.