The 25th Virginia State Powerlifting Championships @ Zions Cross Roads Va.

September 11, 2010



This meet was dedicated to the memory of Will Morris. We started out with the Pledge of allegiance, in rememberence of 9/11/2001.



Had about 65 lifters. John Shifflett ran two platforms and had plenty of help. The meet started a little late but ended way earlier than any state meet I have particioated in before. Even after the extra hour for drug testing my wife was really pleased that it was only 3:00pm.



Because there were no previous records at RAW 60 to 64 ( M3b) SHW, all of my lifts would be American record attempts. This would require national refs in the chairs when I lifted. John has always seen to it that he had the correct referees for setting national records. My goal was to go 9 for 9 and set the records high.



I opened in the squat with 408. This is what I finished with is St. Louis 2 years ago. I went to 424 for my second attempt. This is what I finished with in Charlottesville last year. I finished up with 451 a 27 pound PR. All three lifts were good






I opened in the bench with 362. This is an easy weight for me, but because I had been training with a shirt the last 8 months for bench nationals my raw bench has slipped a little. After making the lift I went up to 369 and then 380. The 385 is 5 pounds off my previous PR but I missed 385 in the gym the past two weeks. All three lifts were good.


6 for 6 all white lights goin into the deadlift.

I opened with 501. I then went to 518 where I finshed in Charlottesville last year. I finished with an easy 530.



9 for 9, 27 white lights with a 1360 total. A great day, next time I shoot to break 1400.

2010 Bench Press Nationals - Charlottesville, Virginia.

The Charlottesville Double Tree hotel is only a 90 minute easy and scenic drive from my home in Manassas. Pat and I and my neighbor Sid Zullinger who is one of my lifting partners left Manassas about 6:30pm Friday nigtht. We stopped at Popeyes with the two for one coupon and picked up 22 pieces of chicken. YUM! We arrived at the Hotel and where greeted by John Shifflett right at the front door. There were old friends scattered about like decorations on Christmas. It was just like we left home but came home at the same time just in time for a Holiday.

This meet had a whole different feel and flavor for me than past nationals. As I said it was like being home with family. I had friends every where and workout partners lifting in every session.

Leigh haines and Paulett Calhoun lifted in the first session. Leigh had successful lifts on her first and third attemps taking a silver in the open and a gold in the masters. Paulette was successful on her first and second attemps and took the gold in the masters.

Demetrius Maoury, a long time friend and bench press lifting partner was in the second session. He brought a brand new shirt, right out of the plastic bag, to the meet. I think that this is always a mistake and have expressed this opinion in the past. D has a better wilks score than I do, so tends to do what he thinks is best for him. On his first lift he touched right about at his belly button but pushed it back up to lockout and three red lights. I recommended that he raise the weigth and pull the shirt up into his arm pits. We both know that to do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is not sane. He went out for his second lift and touched legal but couldn't lock it out. We tightened it up a little for his third but he was out of gas. I know Demetrius was disappointed but with the Super Katana their is a very narrow range between touching and locking out. I also suffered later from this parameter.

Sunday morning was Sid"s turn on the platform. Once we established that he was 27 not 57 and that he was lifting raw we were ready to go. I updated Miguel Ruien with the changes because his lifter was the competition. It was a battle from the beginning but Sid took the lead and kept it. By the end of the flight we were all out of attempt cards from the changes but Sid proudly walked away as the 242 Raw Open National Champion.

Ron Beuch, Sid Zullinger, John Shifflett

It was my turn. After a strong warm up I went out with my World Record opener. I brought the bar down and just as I touched my wrists rolled forward. I let the spotters take it without trying to press it up. My second attemp was my best shot. It touched good, went up strong but my right arm would not lock out. Friends watching on streaming thought the lift was good because it was that close. But I knew it was not locked out. My third attempt was pretty much like the second only slower and the right arm not locking out was more obvious. Bomb Squad!











It was interesting the things people said to me before my third lift trying to get me motivated. This kind of stuff does not work with me. I am 100% all the time during a competition. If I miss a lift it is because I was not prepared or have not trained hard enough for the meet, not because I gave less than 100%. However, I did really appreciate all the help and encouragement. My friend Kevin Hutchison asked Pat if it would help if he slapped my face hard, Pat correctly informed him that this would not be a good idea.


Kevin Hutchison holding a sign that says "I have always beat Ron at a bench contest" this has been true for seven years. My only redemption is that he has never beat me in a full power meet.

Even though I did not accomplish my goal, this meet was one of the most enjoyable I have been to. It is to the credit of the Va powerlifting community and John Shifflett that this is so. I don't think I will have another shot at that record though, because Super Heavy Weight is just so physically uncomfortable that I have already lost 7 pounds. I may just get down to 275's by the State meet.



Demetrius Maoury, Leigh Haines, Sid Zullinger, Ron Beuch

2010 IPF Bench Press Worlds - Orlando Florida April 3, 2010

205 Kilos / 451 pounds @ M3 125 Kilos / 275pounds

Gold Medal!!

The Dane and the Frenchman both moved up to my weight class after seeing the weights posted for nominations. Hmm.. they got a little surprise. My nomination weight was my raw opener at nationals.

Here is a little movie I made.

Will Morris - Rest In Peace
January 29, 1944 - January 28, 2010















Bill Helmich, Rob Grisham, Mike Bridges, Will Morris, Harry Heyman

Will asked me to take this picture in Milwaukee at the 2007 Masters Nationals

Four IPF Master World Champions welcoming the Kid (Mike) to his first Masters Meet.