In late 2010 I set a new goal for myself, to compete in a major raw competition. To give a little background, I'll fill you in on what lead me to that goal. I started my raw journey back in December of 2008. After an equipped meet in April 2008, I left the meet feeling empty. I just lost my passion for competing. Long story short, I decided to put all my gear in a tupperware bin and do a few raw meets. I set a goal to total 2000 pounds in wraps only. I competed in my first raw meet December of 2008 and totaled 1940 pounds. I thought 2000 would go down next meet easily. Little did I know after a bicep tear, a sick new born, and a new job...that this goal would take me two years to attain. Well, I finally hit 2000 pounds raw in November of 2010. After leaving that meet, I had a feeling, but it was different from that empty feeling I had in April of 2008. This feeling was for more competition, more goals, more challenges and a need to get myself out on a platform with great lifters and see where I really stacked up one day. After looking around on the internet, I found that the platform to attain my new goal is USAPL RAW NATIONALS. There are 50 lifters in each class from all over the country doing battle for first place. To get in, I just needed to finish a USAPL meet. I also found out that the IPF would be starting a raw World's Competition in 2012. A true raw world championship. This was exciting to me, so I got cooking. I competed in my first USAPL meet March of 2011. I squatted 600 (missing 655 twice for depth), benched 490, and pulled 650 pounds (missing 715 twice). I swallowed a little pride taking my wraps off and losing the benefits of a "whippy" deadlift bar, but I had a great time and the integrity of the lifting and the professionalism of the organization had me wanting more. I was in Nationals, but feelt uneasy about my performance and needed to be more accustomed to the rules. I decided to do another USAPL meet on May 28 at Vision Fitness in Brogue PA. This time, things went a little better. I squatted 640, benched 440 (missing 500) and pulled 700 pounds. I was tired from doing a three mile Mud race the week before, but I felt more accustomed to the deep depth, the bench start rules and the stiff bar didn’t seem as bad since I started to do dead stop reps for pulling, as apposed to touch and go. So, now I was in Nationals had two USAPL meets under my belt. However, I decided to make things even harder on myself. I was 261 pounds at the meet, May 29, and I thought I should take a shot at dropping down to 242 pounds again. I failed miserably last year with a 24-hour weigh-in, so why not up the ante and shoot for 19 pounds in three months and a two hour weigh-in? Well, that picks us up to speed to about July 14, 2011. This was the day I picked to begin my carb cycling to get down to 242 pounds. At this point, I was weighing about 255 and eating well. My strength was holding and my lifts were testing around 660 for the squat, 505 for the bench and 725 for the deadlift. I started to go low-carb with 100 grams of carbs or less. After the first week, I felt awful. My next heavy days were terrible. So on July 21, I decided the hell with 242 pounds! I’m going to fatten up and go 275 and try to hit some big weights. Maybe go 1900. This was my plan until July 24. I was talking to my wife and she was disappointed that I set a goal and just bailed on it after it got tough. That sat hard on me and made me realize that it wasn’t a very good example for my three-year-old. So I decided to do what I said I would do and get to 242 meet day...no matter what.

One Day Out From Nationals

So from July 27th to August 14th I went 100 carbs a day or less with two cheat meals in that period. I felt like hell. I was tired and my lifts were dropping. I stayed positive, though, as I already prepared to be at about 90% of my best meet day. The great thing about a new weight class is that on the first meet no matter what you do it's a PR! I constantly reminded myself of this and plugged away. A week out, it was time to hunker down. I was 4 pounds away. I decided to go virtually carbless until the meet. This really blew. I basically had around 20 carbs or less each day.  On Saturday, I drove up to the meet. It was at a Hilton Hotel. I got there and stepped on the scale. I was 244. To that point I had a small shake and a few bites of chicken. The rest of the day I had 10 ounces of water, a small salad with ranch dressing and three bites of my wife’s chicken Caesar salad. By the end of the day, I was 243 pounds. A half pound out! I went to bed and woke up at 5AM, ran down to the scales at 6:30AM and stepped on the scale...241! I made it! Then, I realized F&%$, I still have to do the meet! So, I sat and waited for weigh-ins to start. Around 7:15AM my number came and I weighed-in at 241 on the nose. I went to the breakfast buffet and had a nice casual meal. My glycogen stores were on empty and I knew that no matter what I did, they wouldn’t be replenished come my opener around 9:30AM. So, I decided to focus on fluids and ate sparingly to stay off the toilet all day.

On the Platform

The meet was crazy. Multiple platforms and a scoring system projected on a big screen that let you know each lifter's attempt, the next attempt and projected totals  It went very smooth and on time for 340 lifters. I knew if I played it smart and took into account my depleted body and played my own game, I would win. I just had to accept the fact that my numbers would be down a good 10 percent or more. But, again, it was a National Championship on the line and you can’t let your ego pick attempts.

Squat

Since I tested 660 pounds a month out, I decided to end the day with 605 pounds. I opened at 530, then went 580 then went 605 pounds. I got three whites on all lifts. I was proud to go three for three as I haven’t done that since I totaled 2605 pounds in 2006.

605 Squat Video

Bench

I tested around 505 pounds all cycle, so I knew I was going to be around 460-480 pounds today. I opened with 440 and it moved well on video, but felt hard. I looked at the National record that was also projected on each attempt on the big screen and that was 457 pounds. I went 462 pounds for three whites and a new record. I decided to go for it on a third with 479 pounds. It felt heavy and didn’t move.

462 Bench Video

Deadlift

After my last bench, I realized each lift was slower and harder and that my energy was gone. I did my last warm-up at 535 pounds and it was heavy. I knew I wouldn’t budge much today, but had to at least get one in. I tested at 725 pounds at the highest during the training cycle, but knew that I was going to be down around 70-80 pounds after the cut. I played it safe and opened at 618 pounds. This was heavy, but moved for three whites. I then went to 650 pounds and missed it...twice. The first time I got it to my knees, and on the third attempt, it didn’t budge from the floor. I just laughed and walked off the platform knowing I just won with a miss.

618 Deadlift Video

What's Next?

After a few more deadlift attempts, I realized that I had won by about 60 pounds. I left this meet feeling like I really accomplished something. I won Nationals and was happy, but I felt more accomplished about sticking to my guns and doing what I said I would do and finishing what I started. My next goal is out of my hands now. I want to go to Sweden and represent USA for the first IPF RAW WORLDS. I won my class, but had the lowest wilkes score of all winners. The top 8 wilkes scores for the 10 class winners are guaranteed a spot at worlds. The other members are chosen based on what the team needs. I hope I’m picked. I think I can go to the IPF Arnold meet in March and I hope to continue to lose weight and move into the 230’s and stay there comfortably. Once I can get to this weight and stabilize, my numbers will move again. I may do another USAPL meet in November or December to help stay focused on my weight. Thanks to elitefts™ for the support. It goes a long way and is appreciated. It is great to be sponsored and it is great to have the financial burden lessened with a sponsorship, but I mostly appreciate the ability to pick the brains of the members here of elitefts™ and have them as a resource to achieve my goals. Thank You!