So, like most stories, this one has some good news tarnished by some bad news.
First, the good. Weigh-in was right on point. After starting my water load/carb depletion monday, weighing in at 237 lbs, I steadily dropped a little over a pound a day throughout the week. By Thursday morning, when I started my final cut shutting off all food & water, I was sitting at 234. After several doses of dandelion root & water pills, buy 6 PM I was hovering just over 227. Knowing I had plenty of time, but not wanting to leave anything to chance, around 7 I headed to the local LA Fitness to hop in the sauna & sweat off a few lbs. After 6 or 7 10 minute sauna sessions, I was about 224.5. It was now just before 10 PM, 12 hours out from weigh ins, so I decided I would probably shed those last few lbs naturally. However, not wanting to leave anything to chance, I set my alarm for 4 AM (an hour before I wanted to be on the road) to give myself time for a few last minute hot baths if I still had some weight to shed. Good thing I did this...I was still sitting at 223. After 4 10 minute baths, it was a few minutes after 5AM and I was sitting at 221.5. I knew I could spit this out on the 3 hour drive, so I was off. 3 hours later, after stopping to pee twice along the way and filling 1/3 of a shaker cup with spit, I arrived at weigh ins. There was already a decent line formed...after 15 minutes or so, filled in by small talk with some lifters I hadn't seen in a while, I stepped on the scale at 220.2...perfect! Now it was time to rehydrate and eat!
Day of the meet, I felt great! I was peeing clear, my energy was up, and I was ready to go. The venue was perfect, set up in the corner of the expo hall right next to the bathrooms with plenty of room in the warm-up area. Nearly everyone from Iron Haven made the trip to help, which really put my mind at ease knowing I'd have plenty of handlers to keep me on track. All the multi ply lifters were in one flight, so I just fell in with them as warm-ups started. Warm-ups went great...I felt a little flat, but all the weights felt light so I didn't let it get to me. Warm-ups were over, and it was time to hit the platform for my 760 opener. Depth call was on point, weight felt light and flew up... 3 whites, good lift! Sticking to the plan, I went right to 810 for my second attempt. We left the straps on my suit the same as for my opener, and once again, good lift...2 whites this time. My depth guy said the judge on his side wanted a little more, but based on what I was seeing out of everyone else, I told him to ignore that and keep calling my depth the same (I trust my depth guy, he always puts me where I need to be). Again sticking with the plan, I jumped to 855 for my 3rd attempt. My setup felt fine, unrack felt a little heavy but not bad...back, back, back...I felt a little off in the hole, for some reason I was tentative and too slow on the decent...jumped the up call by a hair, and ran out of gas about 3/4 of the way to lockout...no lift. While I was disappointed with myself for screwing up this lift (I'm sure I was strong enough to squat it), I was happy to finally hit a small (5 lb) PR squat for the first time since my left ACL repair.
I knew it was going to be a good day now...I was done with the squat (which has been my nemesis ever since my knee surgery), and my back felt great...I didn't even feel as if I'd done any work yet. The bench had been strong all training cycle, and it's the one lift I'm most confident in. Warm-ups went great, on to the platform for an easy 565 opener. As soon as I laid on the bench, I realized the racks were too low, but I figured "screw it". The handoff was a little rough as a result, and resulted in a really ugly grinder of an opener, but a good lift. My training partners were a bit concerned, but I knew it was a technical issue, not a strength issue. Sticking with the plan, I went right to 605 for my 2nd. This time, I made sure the racks were raised, we set my shirt better & pushed my pecs up harder. I dug in, got a good tight setup, and 605 went up way easier than 565...another good lift! At this point, I knew my projected 3rd 635 was a good call, so we stuck with it. Another good handoff, and the weight flew off my chest...slowed down a bit right before lock-out...but a little grind and it locked out nicely...good lift and a 65 lb meet PR!
On to the deadlift. With my back feeling little to no fatigue (not the case in past meets), I knew I had a good shot at a monster deadlift. Warm-ups went great...everyone told me my deadlifts looked super explosive and they felt light. Time for my 655 opener. Here's where things went bad...because my warmups felt so light, I rushed my setup just a bit, and as the bar passed my knees, my left hand was losing grip just a bit. Trying to save the lift, I tried to twist my wrist just a bit and BAM...just like that, my left bicep tore right off at the elbow...down crashed the weight...no lift! As I made my way back to the warmup area, a bit in shock and angry at myself for such a mistake, and as my teammates slowly came to the realization something was really wrong, it started to sink in...I might not be able to finish the meet, and I'd lose the best squat and bench I'd ever hit. After calming down a bit, talking to my teammates, and thinking clearly about the role the bicep plays (or actually doesn't play) in the deadlift, I decided that if I was going down, I was going down swinging. I wasn't actually in much pain, so I decided to retake 655 on my 2nd attempt. The look of disbelief on the judges faces as I walked back out on the platform was priceless. I took my time, got a good tight grip, lowered my hips and pulled...the weight popped off the floor, passed my knees, shoulders pulled back...followed by a down command and 3 white lights...a good lift! My total was saved, and I was still in the meet! After making my way back to the warm-up area, I was considering shutting it down. However, after a little coaxing from some of my more aggressive teammates, and realizing how easy and relatively pain-free 655 felt, I decided to go for a PR 700 on my 3rd...and I'm sure glad I did! I heard my name, my teammates cranked down my straps, and onto the platform I went. Once again, I took my time to get set, got a good firm grip, lowered my hips, and pulled...up, up, past my knees, shoulders back...another down command, and 3 white lights! Finally, a 700 meet pull! (and with a torn bicep). My total was 2145, 140 lbs higher than at the Arnold 5 months earlier, and good enough for 3rd place overall. I felt vindicated, finally putting up the numbers that I believe I should have been able to lift at the Arnold.
In reflection, the torn bicep was a hefty price to pay, but I finally put up a total that I feel reflects where I'm actually at (after a few meets where I felt that technical errors at the meet kept my total from truly reflecting my current strength level). The unfortunate thing is that, faced with a 3 month recover after bicep surgery, I probably won't be competition ready in time for the 2016 Arnold, so I'll have to pick a different meet later in the year. My goal for the off-season is to drop some body fat from 17% to about 12%, in the effort to maximize my strength in the 220 class. I realize that my days in 220 may be numbered, but I feel I still have some unfinished business (like cracking the all-time top 20 list...need a 2300+ total, which I feel is within reach). Never satisfied, always improving.
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