My Results from the USPF Regionals
By Mike Ruggiera
 
First off, let me thank Ryan Celli and his crew for all their
support, assistance, and friendship. They really came through for me in
a pinch, and it really means a lot. It’s guys like this who keep me in
the sport. Thanks guys!
Training for a meet at a commercial gym and not having the kind of crew
or support that one would have at a gym like Westside proved to be
difficult. My training for the USPF Regionals had its ups and downs and
left me guessing where I would be on meet day. The meet itself really
opened my eyes to where my weaknesses lie.
The meet...
I have to admit, I was nervous as hell going into this meet. I barely
got any sleep the night before. I woke up about an hour before I was
supposed to and at breakfast I could barely eat. When we arrived at the
meet, there was no need for any caffeine or ephedrine. My adrenaline was
flowing like water, and I was worried that if I took anything it would
send me over. I was pretty geeked.
There weren’t many competitors, and I was surprised. The venue was
great, and the Mylan Park ProPerformance Center was really an awesome
place to have a meet. There were plenty of Strongmen around for the
Strongman competition being held at the same time as the powerlifting
meet.
Squat
My warm ups went well, and I felt pretty confident though still
nervous. My opener was 722 lbs, which I knew I could do in my sleep.
However, as luck would have it and if you know my history of squatting,
I didn’t get it. Actually, I fell over with the weight. LOL! I don’t
know how it happened, but I took it again and it was a smoke show.
For my third attempt, I jumped to 804 lbs, another weight that should
have been easy. Actually, it was easy, but I got called out for depth.
Bench
This was a big worry. I hadn’t practiced in the shirt I was using. My
first attempt was with 534 lbs, and the lift took forever to get down,
but I finally got it. My second attempt was with 566 lbs, and I nailed
it. I jumped to 600 lbs, and my bad triceps raised its evil head. By the
video, it looked like I was just about to lock it out on that side when
it started to come down. It would have been nice to have landed that
one.
Deadlift
I opened with 722 lbs, and it felt great. I thought for sure I was going
to have an 800 plus day. I decided to make a modest jump and went to 777
lbs. Again, it felt great too until I just about had it locked out. I
felt a pop in my left arm. I held on to lock it out and get the down
signal, but I was done for the day. I tore my bicep for sure.
Total
For wearing single ply gear, having to walk the squats out, and not
competing for awhile, I don’t think my 2066-lb total was half bad. I had
a great time and met some awesome people. I definitely have the
powerlifting bug back again. I think the single ply route is the way to
go for me. The stuff is a lot less restrictive, easier to get on and
off, and easier to work with. You might not get a lot out of it, but
that’s what getting stronger is all about.
Live strong,
Mike Ruggiera
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