Montreal Barbell The PR GYM

What an incredible weekend!  Weighing people in Friday morning I could feel my excitement building - not just for myself, but to see the relief of the weigh-in being over on people faces and know that now they were on to the next phase of preparing for the meet - eating and drinking themselves stronger.  The thoughts turn to the next days openers and going over technique (for me anyways), and will you do well, will all your training and hard work come together, will you crumble under the excitement or rise to it....and then its Meet Day.

As always, an incredible group of lifters - some with a lot of history in Powerlifting, some brand new lifters and everything in between. Montreal Barbell was jam packed with lifters, handlers, family and friends, and the music was blasting.  Bench Only flight was up first - Ross Saldan, Ryan Tingman, Scott MacDiarmid and Clint Harwood.  Ross wanted 525 lb bad.  He opened 475 lb and that flew so he went right to it on the second attempt.  Everything looked great on the way down and he got a great pop off his chest but he didn't have the leg drive to lock it out.  He tried it again on his 3rd but I think he gave everything he had on the second.  It was the first time I've seen Clint Harwood lift and it was impressive - I'm not sure what he ended up with but I watched him get in a 700+ lb bench, and made it look easy.  Both Ryan and Scott got PR's on the bench and Scott competed in his first meet!

There were three flights of Full Power lifters, I was in the second flight so I was warming up while the first flight was lifting and missed a lot of it.  I did get to see Glendy Randall hit a 330 lb squat with just knee wraps, an All-Time record, which was amazing.  I opened in the Squat with 353 lbs - lift was good, my 2nd attempt was 380 lbs - lift was good, and then missed my 3rd attempt, 402 lb.  I was able to watch some of the 3rd flight's squats - WOW!  Al Mehan squatted 1160 lbs, Joanick Boilard got his 800 lbs squat in a meet and Joffrey Laurin got a squat in even with a busted knee!  I watched Ryan Selk squat the deepest 903 lb squat I've ever seen - I thought he was falling through the bottom of the squat and somehow he came all the way back up with it!  Shane Church had a solid 900+ lb squat in there, too.  

I missed all the 1st flight's bench's too.  I opened with 253 lb on the bench and missed it - I was too excited and instead of following my form I threw the weight at the press call and couldn't keep up with it.  Ross looked at me to see what was going on, Cheryl (who was the head judge) came and told me to settle down, Jay Nera was nearby and said "you need to get your mind right".  Ross and I decided to go up in weight to 265 lb for my 2nd attempt - I spent the entire time before my next attempt breathing in and out, trying to calm myself down (I could feel my heart racing a million miles a second) and I nailed 265 lb, 3rd attempt was 281 lb and I sailed that up, too!  I don't usually get over excited about my lifts but I have to admit that the 281 lb in a meet was thrilling!  Ross asked if I wanted to take a 4th attempt and go for 300 lb and I wasn't sure, and then Bill Crawford and Ross said "you're satisfied now but you'll wish you had in a few days" so I went for it.  I set up and started to take the hand off and I wasn't set up properly so as Ross started to let the weight into my hands my right arm wasn't in the right place so I couldn't hold it, shook my head and the spotters took the weight back - one day I'll get it!  I was able to catch Al Mehan's 771 lb bench and it was incredible - he had his handler's getting him psyched, Bill Crawford adjusting his shirt, Ross talking him through it...and he made it look easy!  

Deadlift's felt great.  After the mess at the CPA Meet in October, Ross was wondering if we should drop my deadlift opener to save my squat and bench but I felt solid!  I opened with 319 lb and it flew off the floor but I bounced the bar at the top - no lift.  It wasn't heavy though so Ross decided 330 lb was next (add some weight but be conservative to stay in the meet).  It was the nicest 330 lb deadlift I've ever done!  My goal for the deadlift was 365 so I went for that on the 3rd, got the weight to my knees and bounced the bar, got the "Down" command and that was that - no lift.  My goal for the day was 1000 lb Total - I ended up with 380/ 281/ 330 for a 991 lb Total and got Best Lifter - pretty good day I would say!  

The 3rd flight's deadlifts were a sight to see.  Thom Lamb deadlift 700+ lbs raw and was entertaining to watch!  Ryan Selk deadlifted 700+ lbs with tissue stuffed up his nose to catch the nose bleed.  All Mehan got his deadlift in which gave him a 2600+ total!  The energy in the gym was electric - I loved it!  

You can't really explain the feeling you feel at a meet, whether you're competing or watching it, it is something you just have to experience - personally, it is the best feeling in the world.  

My day went so well because I had my dad by my side all day - he understands me, knows what I am capable of, encourages me, brings out the best in me and calms me - Thanks Dad.  Thanks to Cheryl and Shany too, for knowing what to say and when to say it to keep my head right!  And thanks to Metal Militia Montreal for ALWAYS being encouraging and supportive and wanting the best for each other.