2025 Powerlifting America Age Nationals - Classic - 05/28
-Weight: 104.49
-Squat: 215, 227.5, Pass
-Bench: 192.5, 200x, 200x
-Deadlift: 250, 267.5, 287.5, 2.5kg PR @ 105
-Total: 707.5
GL/Age - 87.549/89.3, DOTS - 427.532/436.082
2nd Place Men's M1 105
Squat: Warmups started off great started early and worked on opening up shoulders for a solid bar placement, everything felt good. Once we got to 175 there was discomfort in the hip and the bar speed wasn't there, we lowered opener and passed on 3rd after the 2nd caused a decent amount of pain. Thought the chance at silver was lost.
Bench: Warmups started off great, then felt heavy, still proceeded with the planned opener. First two attempts had horrible lift offs on top of me just not being there. Opener moved like a 2nd, should have only jumped 5kg, might have been able to eek that out. 187.5, 195, 200 would have been the best calls to make after foggy warmups, but we didn't have time to make the change.
Deadlift: At this point we figured silver was out of reach. Warmups felt good so kept the opener, moved well so jumped to 267.5 and if that moved we would load enough to pull into 2nd place. 287.5 would have been a 2.5kg PR at 105, initially put in 280 and made the change to 287.5 at the last second and hit it easily to move to 2nd place. The 3rd place guy needed to change his attempt up 2.5kg to pass me but he was too busy jumping around and dancing with his handler watching me lift, once they loaded his bar we knew we locked in the NAPF invite.
The only things that went well were deadlift and upper body squat warmup. I am going to embrace the larger 2nd to 3rd jump on deadlift in competitions more.
2025 Powerlifting America Age Nationals - Equipped - 06/01
-Weight: 109.32
-Squat: 255, 272.5, 282.5 Passed
-Bench: 220, 235, 242.5x
-Deadlift: 250, 270, 297.5
-Total: 805
GL/Age - 80.821/82.437, DOTS - 477.894/487.452
1st Place Men's M1 120, Best M1 & M2 Lifter Award, World's Invitation, USADA Tested
Squat: 44 Super Centurion, broken in Titanium wraps. Got great bar position with the solid warmups. A little bit of pain at 175 again so was cautious. Linette was having trouble wrapping so we skipped the 3rd attempt. At most I had another 10kg to add, wasn't worth the risk of making the hip worse for bench and deads.
Bench: 50 Low Cut Super Katana. This shirt is officially broken in completely for me at 120, got it on with 0 effort, didn't even use slips. Everything in the back felt great. Had the best handoff guy in the US doing the handoffs opener and 2nd attempt flew, went for the meet PR of 242.5 but got called for my left elbow 2-1, jury did not overturn. It was very close, could have gone either way, not upset at all. Many people came up after and said I was robbed.
Deadlift: Was contemplating just taking my opener to lock up first, but warmups and opener felt great so we kept going. jumped to 270 and smoked it, knew 295 was my Powerlifting America PR so loaded a best, which was also the closing deadlift, something I am a fan of. 2-1 good lift, I think I was gifted this one tbh, shoulders weren't really back to standard and when I watched the stream my right leg locked then unlocked. I'll take it though as it earned me the best lifter award and the coveted USADA drug test.
Need to hit a heavier bench closer to the meet, essentially need to bump the sessions closer to meet day by a day and bump the intensity up a hair.
A lot of great lessons learned for next year's Masters World's in Reno. If I get an invite I will have to make sure to get there a day or two earlier to get acclimated to the location better. Coming the day before was a mistake especially after having to connect.
