USPF American Cup: Post Mortem

Lifting Breakdown

:
Squat:
210kg / 551 lbs - good
215kg / 573 lbs - good
222.5kg / 589 - good


Overall the squats felt pretty good. Brent's wrapping was ok, but needs some work, haha. I was hoping for a 600.1 lbs attempt, but the other guys in my weight class were hitting 650 and 666 squats, so I knew I needed to make my 3rd if I was going to have any chance of catching up. 589 was a grinder, so that was probably the right call. I didn't good-morning it too much ;)

Bench:
157.5kg / 347 lbs - good
167.5kg / 369 lbs - good

170kg / 374 lbs - fail (inch from the top)


Bench was so-so. I think I put my grip too wide. Switching bars throws me off sometime, as I rely on the rings too much for where to put my hand. When the rings change positions between bars, I often end up going too wide. One of the other lifters and I were talking about the ring position later and we agreed it was wider. I moved mine in a few inches, but I think had I done more, I could have gotten more tricep drive for that third attempt. I haven't ever failed at lock-out like that before, so something was definitely different in that regard. Still, not a bad day.

Deadlift:
282.5 kg / 622 lbs - good (easy)
295 kg / 650 lbs - good


310kg / 683 lbs


Deadlifts felt the best they've ever felt after a heavy squat. Very quick off the ground with a solid lock out. For the 3rd attempt, I decided to try a big jump to move into 2nd place. This would have also gotten me my elite total. The bar came up quick, but the lockout went awry. I lost my grip a little on my left hand, which caused it to helicopter out and me to shift weight unevenly. Given this would have been an 12 lb. PR and done in a full meet, my chances weren't great, but I was pretty pumped, and so I am still happy with how I did. The bar did throw me off a little. They used a Texas Deadlift Bar, which has knurling about a full hand-width farther apart than I am used to. So instead of having my arms straight down, I had to widen them at an angle. This changed when my hands/arms hit my legs, which threw me off a little. Nothing much I could have done, so whatever.


Overall:
1609 total, which is a 180 lb. PR over my best so far. Big Improvement™. I was 40lbs outside of 1st place, which is pretty good in my book. Also, according to the powerliftingwatch.com rankings for last year, my total would have been the 15th best total @181 last year. Of course Bob Benedix and Ed Kinsey upper their totals significantly (they were both under 1600 last year) and beat me, but good for them. They are both excellent lifters, and it was a great time competing with them. They are both hilarious and really nice guys too. I hope we get a rematch sometime soon.

I think I might try high-bar squatting in the future. Ed Kinsey suggested I try it to keep more upright on my squat during maximal attempts. I normally feel unstable in this position since the bar isn't as supported, but I think I will try it for the next few weeks and see if I can get used to it in time for the Arnold RAW Challenge.

Lots of improvement and still lots to improve. I'm hoping to hit that 1643 total at USAPL Men's Nationals and finally get my elite total.