The other thing I do besides cars

Knarley Darley · Member Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Posts: 1158 537254.14 points

As some of you already know, I am some what of a weight lifter. OK the truth is I have seriously trained for more than 20 years, but have never competed or gave it much thought, until recently Scot Mendelson called me (I trained with him briefly early last year) and said he was sponsoring a meet at his gym. He is the all time world record holder for bench press, and will probably reset the record next saturday at 40 years old. I was invited to compete for my first time next saturday the 22nd of August and train with his group up to the meet. Last Tuesday I opened with 429, which went up easy, then 451, and then a mind blowing, bone crushing 525 which is 24 pounds over the state record for the 275 pound class 45-49 year old men. I currently weigh 260, and after this contest I am going to diet down to the 242 class. My goal was to bench 501 which would tie the record, but I may go for the 525 at the contest depending on how tomorrows workout goes. Then I take the week off to rest and fully recover for the meet. Hopefully I can smoke the record. I am pretty excited about it and had to tell my friends here. I hope I dont get nervous and bomb when it counts. Wish me luck.

MufflerBearings69 · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 11:57 am Post subject:

I think youll be fine if you can focus the same at the meet (dont even use the word competition) as you do when you train... Sounds like youre plenty prepared! Very Happy

Big Dave · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 2:22 pm Post subject:

And I thought I was big!

Go for it! When you get older that stuff isn't an optionany more and I do miss pressing weights (but I don't think I have 500 pounds in total out on the back porch were they have been quietly rusting away for years).

Big Dave

Knarley Darley · Member Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Posts: 1158 537254.14 points

Just got back from the last training session before the meet. I just warmed up and hit my opener which is 429. I am still pretty hammered from the 525 rep on Tuesday and decided not to do any more today, so I will be rested by next Saturday.

clay · Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 7:12 pm Post subject:

That's it - I'm gonna get me a Bowflex and according to the commercial I'll be kicking your tail in about 6 weeks........YEAH RIGHT Rolling Eyes

. Absolutely go for it and good luck - hope you get the record. Clay

jeep_406 · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 1:53 am Post subject:

Knowing that you've benched 24 pounds more than the current record should give you the confidence to make a great run for it. Prepare yourself physically and mentally and give it your best effort. That's all you can do.
Wish you the best.

Skunkworkx · Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject:

525 lbs. + Shocked

DAMN !!!!!!!!!

10sec.et · Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:05 am Post subject:

Knarley Darley · Member Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Posts: 1158 537254.14 points

Thanks guys. Well tonight I went to my regular gym with my regular training partners and decided to just work on the opening lift again since I will still have plenty of time to recover by Sat. and I am glad I did. It was a major confidence boost. I hit 430 like it was nothing, and it actually felt so easy that I decided to do my mid lift which is 450 and that went up real clean too. I may raise my opener to 450, and go strait for the record on my second lift. If I miss it I still have a third attempt and can at least try to win the meet with less than the record, but I really think the record will fall after how to nights workout went.

Knarley Darley · Member Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Posts: 1158 537254.14 points

I won the meet! I decided to stick to the plan and hit 429 (Kelo plates work out to weird poundages) for my opener then I hit 451 which was enough to win the meet, then I tried to break the record with 507 which is 6 over the record. I got the bar down real controlled and clean, paused it and got the press command started to press it and got it about 5 inches off my chest and got out of the groove and lost it almost on my throat!!!! Yikes my spotters grabbed it just before I got my head cut off and saved me. It gets harder to balance as the poundages increase, and if you barely let your forearms get anything but vertical to the ground the bar becomes uncontrollable and in my case I owe a great deal to attentive spotters. That could have ended really badly.

af2 · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 12:19 am Post subject:

Congrats!!! Very Happy

Don't kill yourself trying for the record, it will come.

Big Dave · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 2:12 pm Post subject:

That's why I used to laugh at guys on universal gyms puling cables. Free weights are much more entertaining.

You also do not want to tear a ligament or tendon as the scar tissue that replaces it is very weak and you will find yourself in trouble later in life.

Big Dave (proud owner of a handicapped sticker because I picked up too much weight once)

clay · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 4:58 pm Post subject:

Good going!! Glad it turned out good - sounded like it had the potential to go badly. Clay Cheers

Skunkworkx · Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2009 8:28 pm Post subject:

Congrats

I guess we should call you Mr.Knarley ? Very Happy

Knarley Darley · Member Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Posts: 1158 537254.14 points

Thanks for the kudos everybody! Tonight is a regular training day and man am I sore. It will be a light weight/ high volume day to let my joints and attaching tissue recover. I will gradually increase each week for the next 9 weeks again and hopefully peak at the next meet in Oct. Again thanks for the support. Knarley