By 2008, I had competed equipped for thirteen years, broken over 20 world records (including the all-time 148 total), and had been ranked number one in the 148 lb class for eight consecutive years, but I felt like something was missing. When I started competing in 1995 there was no raw division, so it took some adjusting. To prove to myself that I was strong, regardless of the circumstances, I took on the challenge of competing in the 2009 Raw Unity Meet and inadvertently helped to represent the entire multi-ply lifting community. In January of 2009, I competed in the 148 lb. weight class at the RUM2 where I squatted 501, benched 325, and deadlifted 551 for a 1377 total. That total gave me the #2 raw ranking in the nation that year and my #1 Raw Unity record stood until the recent RUM8, where Kyle Keough broke it, and the all time record, in the process. Congratulations again Kyle.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL-cd1X0K48]
Here’s how I did it:
