I was like many of you before I made the plunge. I lifted 5 days a week, thought I was pretty strong…after all I was stronger than all my friends. I knew everything…then I came across some powerlifting videos on the web…I came back down to earth then. I was intimidated and in awe. I had never seen that much weight moved…ever.

The Beginning

Like every boy or man who starts lifting weights, I benched…a lot. I squatted…hardly ever. I deadlifted….some, with very poor form. That was the way it was, and no lifter that I was around did anything any differently.

I have been lifting since I was 14 years old. In high school I lifted to get stronger for baseball and basketball because I was 165 pounds soaking wet…oh, and I was 6 feet 3 inches tall…a bean pole. During college I lifted 4-5 days a week. The typical bodybuilding split. I did the leg press on leg day and stayed out of the squat rack. I made excuses like, “I’m too tall to squat” or “I don’t want to hurt my back.” You know, the same excuses everyone makes when in all actuality they are scared to death of things that are difficult and don’t come easy. By the end of my college career I had gained some weight, up to about 200 pounds, and could bench about 300 pounds. I was awesome…at least I thought so.

A Taste

After college I happened to come across some powerlifters on the web. I had always been interested in strongman, but I still liked doing lifts in the gym. Because of my interest in strongman, I finally started squatting and deadlifting more, working on technique as much as I could. Most of what I did was mimic videos of lifters I thought I should look up too. Most were bodybuilders who could move some weight. I knew nothing…

After bodybuilding and lifting “seriously” for a solid 8 months, and making some great gains (I had gotten up to around 240lbs) I decided it was time for my first “cut.” At this time I was moving decent weight for a bodybuilder, more than most in my gym. I just figured, “hey I’ve been “bulking” for a while; I guess I should cut down.” I started my cut down, and was very successful. I cut nearly 30 pounds in 3 months…and all of my strength along with it. I was depressed. I hated going in the gym and not being able to move respectable weight anymore. It was terrible.

I had met a couple of powerlifters, and I began talking to them about what I was going through. Then it just clicked. I should be a powerlifter. After I began reading more and more it became a no-brainer. I needed a fix…

I attended my first Powerlifting meet. Wow. I witnessed a 1036 pound squat, a 700 pound bench, 3 800+ pound bench attempts, and some very impressive deadlifts. I had gotten my taste, and man it tasted good. I was hooked.

The Start

My first program was a Westside 9 week program. I couldn’t wait to start. Max Effort, Dynamic Effort, and exercises I had never heard of. This was going to be great. I began training and eating my ass off. I lived for this sport. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. I made massive gains in strength very quickly. I loved it.

Then I hit a wall. I went no where for a while. I was frustrated. That’s when I learned the most important lesson in powerlifting…the mentality necessary to excel. You see, I still carried that bodybuilder, go in and do my thing mentality. I wasn’t getting prepared for a session. I just looked at it as “lifting weights” not training. It took me a little while, but I figured out the problem…the mentality.

I took a deload week and regrouped. Everything was getting better again. Then I got injured. It was an old injury that I knew how to deal with, but it did throw a kink in the chain. I had to rehab for over a month, and then I had to ease back into training (I dieted down to aid in recovery as well, but did not lose too much weight or strength). What I learned was worth my weight in gold. There will be ups and downs, how you handle them is what makes you a powerlifter. Anyone can lift weights. It takes a special person to train specifically for this sport week in and week out.

Hitting My Stride

I now stand 6’3” and 250lbs. I train modified Westside. I have such a long way to go…I am still a nobody, and will be for some time. I will become a somebody one day…I’m not in a hurry though; you can’t be in this sport. Nothing is going to come fast. It takes time, training and food…a lot of food! Set a goal, and then take it out. The set another goal…that’s how this game works. One goal at a time.

When I am in the gym, I am home. When I am not there, all I can think about is my next session. It’s a hunger and a drive that you cannot explain. It burns deep. The only thing that can satisfy the hunger is another training session. Once that session is over, it begins all over again. It consumes you. It’s all you think about. It’s all you want to talk about. No one will understand…how could they? I don’t blame them for not understanding the drive, they simply can’t. Until the hunger gets them, it’s beyond them. They can’t understand; they can only see from a distance what consumes you.

Getting into powerlifting is not difficult. Having the mental fortitude and endurance to stay in it is. The difficult I can tackle in a week…the impossible takes a little while longer. That’s the mentality you must have when embarking on this journey into powerlifting. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Some might have thought a 1000+ pound bench was impossible…they have been proven wrong…a few times. The same goes with a 1000+ pound deadlift.

If you find yourself thinking, “I want a 400 pound bench,” “I want a 500 pound deadlift” or “I want to squat 600lbs,” come to the dark side. Once here, you’ll realize that those numbers are miniscule in the grand scheme. You’ll realize just how long your journey will be. All you need is drive and determination. The brotherhood of iron can get you the rest of the way.
-DOZER