jsmiley Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Someone here on the board told me that the raw lifting total for my weight class (147lb) is 1185lb. When I heard this I thought I might get in the gym and give it a go. A couple of days ago I did just that, and I learned that squatting without knee wraps or even a belt is a lot different than with gear, nonetheless I was able to max out on all three lifts with numbers that I was happy with. on bench I put up 337 deadlift 406 (my biggest lift with gear 465) and squat only 395 (my biggest lift 505 with gear total 1153, now this should be about 30lb from the record, only problem is that I was informed by the owner of the gym that I was not as close to the record as I thought. The gym owner is a big fan of PL and he used to lift in my weight class, he informed me that the record for my class is held by a man named Don Blue and his total was 1430lb set in 1973. I verified the info and according to http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records/raw the record is exactly as the gym owner said. So I was able to get some PR's, and I was able to impress some pretty big dudes at the gym. , I Now I have a dilema, I am pretty good in my weight class, but I have always wanted to get bigger. I would really like to get into PL a little more because right now I just goof off and lift with friends at the gym nothing serious. So my dilema is should I keep trying to gain weight and get bigger and stronger (what I really want), or should I work entirely on technique and enter competitions at the weight I am at now. I don't really feel it as necessary to be at a "world class" level with lifting, I think it would be more important to be to bulk up to 185 and learn my strength. I am 5'10" 147lbs and I like my physique, but I am damn skinny, I think with training I could compete and fair pretty well at 147, but since I want to be bigger I could start my quest at gaining weight (even though it seems impossible for me) and aim for the 1700lb record in the 181 class. I don't think that in either weight class I would really be able to break the world record, I mean after all it is the WORLD RECORD. The question I guess I should ask is that if I can gain the weight how much stronger should I expect to be? Am I better off staying at the weight that I am used to if I want to compete? I have been lifting for about ten years and always at 147lbs, and I have continued to get stronger, I wonder if I gain weight will I be able to get used to my new size and strength. I guess what I fear is that if I decided to compete would I be able to get and stay as strong in the 181 class as I am now in the 147 class. I know everyone is different, but I have no real experience with competition in this sport, so generally how does weight gained and strength gained work together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bullitt Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Awesome lifts!!! Especially for your weight. That's the problem with all of the different federations, they all have different WRs. Not sure about whether you should try to gain weight or not. Seems like you are knocking on the door to some near record numbers for your current bodyweight. Not sure how much gaining weight will help you or hurt you. I don't think it's a linear progression in strength to weight ratio. Somebody with a lot more knowledge on PL would have to weigh in on that. (no pun intended ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cemery Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Those are some really impressive #s there. Great work man !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAN PRAYDIS Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 i use to go to alot of contests for your body weight you are up there near the top nice bench for your weight but gym lifts and a contest lifts are slightly different take a couple pounds off what you did athome when you get to a contest unless you did them with out a bench shirt at home because the pause at a contest kills a max gym lift and a shirt takes some time to get use too im not saying you wont get them if you enter one but play it by ear and compeet as a 147 pounder see how you do then later on go to a 167 lb der . good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewicked Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 WOW! tweak, train, and go insane! You could easily surpass that total and then some if you wanted it bad enough! OUTSTANDING raw lifting buddy.. awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 I think you answered your own question with "I've always wanted to get bigger" (you mention that several times). Is there or has there been any significant difference between your training weight and your competition weight? If you walk around at 160# and drop weight to compete - it might give you an idea of possible strength increase but if you always weigh 147 - you may not really know. You have some super nice lifts - congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsmiley Posted August 25, 2009 Author Share Posted August 25, 2009 I walk around at about 150lb, I have never been over 155lb while lifting in the past eight years. I coach teens in boxing so I get A LOT of cardio, I think this is a major factor in why I can't gain muscle mass easily. If I really wanted to I could probably hold off on sparring and the drills with the guys and that might make it easier. The lifts are raw even the bench, I am not used to a bench shirt, I have tried using an Inzer single ply with 365lb on the bar, I was able to blast the weight up, but it hurt like hell trying to bring the weight to my chest, I think I was about 2-3 inches from touching my chest when I attempted that lift. I do not hold the lockout like I have seen in competitions, so I would probably be closer to 315 strict competition lifting on bench. I never really thought my lifts were impressive until somebody on the board said so, I lift with guys weighing in the 175-195 range and I just try to keep up with them, I guess sometimes I forget about my size. Now I am considering waiting on trying to pack on muscle and lifting competitively in the 148 class. "tweak, train, and go insane!" Sounds like a good plan to me, I guess my next question is what supplements would me get stronger and stay at 150lb? Right now I take a multi-Vitamin, fish oil, protein, and creatine. also what are the rules for competitive lifting, thanks for the help, I am pretty new to the idea of PL for sport, I mainly lift to stay strong, hit hard, and turn my body to stone so that I can take hits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottW Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Nice lifts. I'm with climber on this one. You would definitely be stronger at 160 and it's not too bad of a cut to make weight at 148 if you plan it right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAN PRAYDIS Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 start in the adfpa look them up on google and see all the rules then you have to get a Membership card you use to get them at the meet if you didnt have one http://www.adfpf.org/ good luck training Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bullitt Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 I followed Dan's link to the AMERICAN DRUG-FREE POWERLIFTING FEDERATION and looked at your weight class. If you could recreate those lifts in a meet, you would own the American open, unequipped record in the bench and total. Only 52lbs away in squat and 63lb away in DL. American records (open, un-equipped, 67.5KG): Squat: 446.5lbs Bench: 303.2 lbs DL: 468.5lbs Total: 1,102.3lbs Extremely impressive stuff bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maidenfan Posted August 31, 2009 Share Posted August 31, 2009 Someone here on the board told me that the raw lifting total for my weight class (147lb) is 1185lb. When I heard this I thought I might get in the gym and give it a go. A couple of days ago I did just that, and I learned that squatting without knee wraps or even a belt is a lot different than with gear, nonetheless I was able to max out on all three lifts with numbers that I was happy with.on bench I put up 337 deadlift 406 (my biggest lift with gear 465) and squat only 395 (my biggest lift 505 with gear total 1153, now this should be about 30lb from the record, only problem is that I was informed by the owner of the gym that I was not as close to the record as I thought. The gym owner is a big fan of PL and he used to lift in my weight class, he informed me that the record for my class is held by a man named Don Blue and his total was 1430lb set in 1973. I verified the info and according to http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/records/raw the record is exactly as the gym owner said. So I was able to get some PR's, and I was able to impress some pretty big dudes at the gym. , I Now I have a dilema, I am pretty good in my weight class, but I have always wanted to get bigger. I would really like to get into PL a little more because right now I just goof off and lift with friends at the gym nothing serious. So my dilema is should I keep trying to gain weight and get bigger and stronger (what I really want), or should I work entirely on technique and enter competitions at the weight I am at now. I don't really feel it as necessary to be at a "world class" level with lifting, I think it would be more important to be to bulk up to 185 and learn my strength. I am 5'10" 147lbs and I like my physique, but I am damn skinny, I think with training I could compete and fair pretty well at 147, but since I want to be bigger I could start my quest at gaining weight (even though it seems impossible for me) and aim for the 1700lb record in the 181 class. I don't think that in either weight class I would really be able to break the world record, I mean after all it is the WORLD RECORD. The question I guess I should ask is that if I can gain the weight how much stronger should I expect to be? Am I better off staying at the weight that I am used to if I want to compete? I have been lifting for about ten years and always at 147lbs, and I have continued to get stronger, I wonder if I gain weight will I be able to get used to my new size and strength. I guess what I fear is that if I decided to compete would I be able to get and stay as strong in the 181 class as I am now in the 147 class. I know everyone is different, but I have no real experience with competition in this sport, so generally how does weight gained and strength gained work together? Good stuff brother - its funny how many really, really strong people surf this board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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