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