A meet report

[hbriem]

Saturday Mar 13th 2010 - 2010 Icelandic Powerlifting Nationals - Meet Report

I weighed in at 94.3kg (208 lbs). I didn't bother to skip breakfast or dehydrate because I had no chance of making 90. I weighed in with the heavyweights and someone quipped that the bodybuilding contest was last week. I suppose compared to a lot of the big guys I look pretty ripped. Comparatively speaking. I was pleased with the compliment anyway.

Squat

Warmups:
60kg (132 lbs) x 8 (straps down)
120kg (265 lbs) x 1 (straps up)
140kg (309 lbs) x 1 (wraps on)
160kg (353 lbs) x 1

Attempts:
180kg (397 lbs) x 1 (lot's of people commented on depth.)
200kg (441 lbs) x 1 (meet PR!)
210kg (463 lbs) x F (a bit too heavy. Might be on though on a good day. I was still feeling the 200 a bit.)

At this point, my main rival Kristján was ahead of me because he made his 210. We slapped each other on the back and talked trash.

Bench Press

Warmups:
60kg (132 lbs) x 8
80kg (176 lbs) x 3
100kg (220 lbs) x 1
120kg (265 lbs) x 1 (shirt and wrist wraps on)

Attempts:
135kg (298 lbs) x 1 (fast and good)
140kg (309 lbs) x 1 (meet PR! a little slower)
142.5kg (314 lbs) x F

I had asked for 145 on my 3rd, but my old mate Hjalti was the announcer convinced me to go for 142.5, saying that was all I had left. He was right. I lifted it OK and thought I had it, but it was a little too uneven I think. Again, I'll see it later on video.

Kristján benched 130, so at this point we were dead even with 340kg each. I was 5kg lighter so if we were even I would win. He had deadlifted 235, the same as me, so we were neck and neck.

Deadlift

Warmups:
150kg (331 lbs) x 3
180kg (397 lbs) x 1,1

I warmed up in the squat suit, buI decided to take my opener without it. I wasn't quite confident enough lifting in it. I had a lot of trouble bending down to get hold of the bar and kept losing my balance forward. At the last minute I tore it off and got into my singlet with seconds to spare.

225kg (496 lbs) x 1

Kristján made his 220 opener easily, so now I had a 5kg lead. I asked for 235, he went for 230. At this point I made a strategic mistake. I lost a little confidence and put the squat suit on again.

235kg (518 lbs) x F

I lifted it and felt the suit give me a starting boost, but just couldn't finish the lockout. It was just too tight and with a couple of inches to go, I just couldn't finish. I tried for what felt like eternity but was probably only 5 seconds. No lift.

Apparently, the loaders made a mistake and loaded 235kg for Kristján, not the 230 he asked for. He got it anyway, damn him and asked for 240 for his 3rd.

Again, I took off the goddamn suit and decided to take the last attempt raw. I told Kristján: "My only chance now is to make this lift and you fail. I'm still rooting for you!"

235kg (518 lbs) x F

I was just too tired from battling that 2nd attempt. Couldn't budge it this time. Kristján did his 240 and removed all doubt that on the day, he deserved the title. Kudos to him.

So, I ended up with a 565kg (1246 lbs) total, a 15kg (33 lbs) improvement from last November. I got 1st place in the Masters I division and 2nd place in the Open.

I'm glad this is over and I can train a bit more leniently for a while. I still have to nurse my right bicep a bit. I'm thinking whether to try to scrape off a bit and get down to 90 again. We'll see whether I have the stones for that.

Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs3aDjNkwyA

Full results of the meet here:
www.kraft.is/mot/urslit/islandsmot/islandsmeistaramot_2010.xls

[K.Diesel]

Great job Helgi, and congrats on those meet PRs! To me, those are the most satisfying, to hit them when they count the most.

Plus, I didn't realize you compete in gear. IPF, single-ply I'm guessing? Glad to know there's another one of us here.

[hbriem]

Thanks K. Yes, I compete in the IPF and, these days, in single-ply gear. Until 2009 I competed raw, but last year I decided to bite the bullet and get some equipment. It's all second hand and not very tight, but gives me a few kilos.

BTW, it looks as if my nephew is going to the Univ. of Maryland on a basketball scholarship this fall. That's in your area isn't it?

[Tiburon]

Nice work! Thanks for posting, always cool to read something like this.

[Guido]

Great job, Helgi. It seems that we are very similar in size (I weighed in right about 208 at my meet last weekend, too) and we had identical lifts in squat and bench. Very cool. Glad to see that you did well. You'll beat Kristjan on a another day.