Major decision time!

The new coaching staff for the Masters World Benchpress team has published the nominations for the 2008 team. I am not even listed as an alternate. I can not claim any surprise since I sucessfully completed no equipped lifts this year. This makes a few decisions easier for me. I was contemplating going to New Zealand as a spectator. However with the US and World economy tanking as I write this, I think it prudent to look to the future.

I am going to take 8 weeks off from the benchpress to allow my shoulder impingement to repair itself. This means no bench until after Thanksgiviing. I will train with Sid Zullinger and Leigh Haines as usual, spotting and loading, but I will be working roatator, back, triceps and biceps while they bench.

I started a new regimen of supplements upon returning from Charlotte. Like most of my supplementation, they are about personal health and fitness as opposed to powerlifting. My next post will be about my supplementation program.

Let's Talk Impingement:

In 2004, one of my goals was a world record in the 100% Raw Federation. I bumped up the intensity of my unequipped bench work outs and Nov. of 2004 in North Carolina at the 100% Raw World championships I accomplished this goal on my second attempt with a unequipped 405 lb benchpress in the 50-54 age division of the 308 lb weight class. I experienced some shoulder pain while warming up.

Two months later on January 15, 2005 just three days after my 55th birthday, Pat and I traveled to Gettysburg PA where I set an APA World benchpress record with an equipped (bench shirt) lift of 507 lbs in the 55-59 age division of the 308 lb weight class. I noticed that my right arm trailed my left at the lockout.

Three months later at the 2005 IPF Masters Benchpress Worlds in the Chech Republic I opened at 210 kilos (462.9 lbs) and thought that someone had lit my right shoulder on fire. Because of the rule that states you cannot lower the weight from your opener in the following lifts, I knew I was cooked. I had to go out on the platform and try two more times to make a lift that was to heavy. After the meet my right shoulder was screaming at me.

Two weeks later in Nashville Tennesse I lifted in the APA World Powerlifting Championships. I set world records in everything but the bench press. I managed a 425 bench. My right shoulder just could not handle any more weight.

It was time to see a doctor. It just so happens that my bench press partner at the time was a doctor. He snuck me into the MRI at the hospital where he works. I took the pictures to Dr. Snyder at the Blue Ridge Orthopedic Clinic in Warrenton VA. This is where I first heard the word "Impingement"

"Rotator cuff impingement syndrome and associated rotator cuff tears are commonly encountered shoulder problems. Symptoms include pain, weakness and loss of motion. Causes of impingement include acromioclavicular joint arthritis, calcified coracoacromial ligament, structural abnormalities of the acromion and weakness of the rotator cuff muscles. Conservative treatment (rest, ice packs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy) is usually sufficient. Some patients benefit from steroid injection, and a few require surgery."

for the full article go here: http://www.aafp.org/afp/980215ap/fongemie.html

I applied for and recieved a TUE (theraputic use exemption) to get the steroid injection. I went to St Louis for the 2005 USAPL Bench Press Nationals and set both the National meet and American records with a 212.5 kilo (468.4 lbs) lift in the 55-59 age division of the 275+ weight class. The national meet record still stands today. My shoulder was back in good shape.

Earlier this year I bumped up my unequipped benchpress workouts to train for the 1st USAPL Raw Nationals. Because it was the first raw national meet all three of my lifts squat, bench, deadlift and my total were new national meet records for 55-59 age division and 275 lb weight class. One month later I lifted in Charlotte. (see my last post)

Here's the thing! My right shoulder is impinging again.

Bench Nationals 2008 Charlotte North Carolina

Here was my plan going in:
Open low, take raw and the M4 medals, then put something stupid on the bar and go for it. Actually this is not that bad a strategy, but my intended second lift would be to beat my raw number from St Louis because it would set the raw record higher. Then I would put on my bench shirt and try to beat the M3 equipped lifters for a place on the USAPL Masters World team.

Broken down here was my plan and how it worked out:
Open with a raw 325 and take the gold in both the Raw and the M4. I did not know that the final roster listed in the program would have Michael Belk in the Raw division. This would mean Silver for me for raw. Before the session I advised him to take a lesson from the 181 results. I don’t know that it was on my advice but he lowered his opener at the last minute. Had he stayed with the 579 as his opener (he missed it on his second and third attempts) it looks like I would have gone home with two golds. I hit the raw 325 with no problems.
For my second attempt I raised the weight to 375 and again lifted raw. This is 2.5 kilos over my last lift in St Louis. Unfortunately it was also 2.5 kilos too heavy.
At this point I put on my Shirt (46). Kevin Hutchison (M3) had made his second attempt at 210 k/463 lbs so I went 212.5 k/468 lbs.

I set up took the lift off held it for the start command. I took it to my chest and held it for the press command. I pressed it up (it slowed at the top but I locked it out), received the rack command and then stared at the light tree, three reds.
As I left the platform Robb Grisham told me he called me for having my hands outside the rings. I told Dave Doan what Robb said. (Dave put my shirt on and was calling my numbers for me.) Next thing I know, Devan Doan tells me that her dad has lodged a protest, on the grounds that I should never have been given the start command if my finger was not on the rings. Dave asked Robb what he gave me a red light for and Robb answered with the ring call. Johnny Graham said he called me for having my head off the bench. The third judge would not respond except to say he gave me a red light. Dave went to the jury and they said that regardless off what the judges called I had my head off the bench and they denied the lift.

Se La Vie, had the lift been good I would have secured a spot on the World team. I will now have to wait to see if I get an invite as an alternate. Sure would like to go to New Zealand!

Final results:
The 325 raw lift secured me the Gold in the M4 and the Silver in the 275 raw, both earned by opening light.