Well it was rough and tough in some ways but over all not too bad.. back from Miami Sunday.. Saw lots of great lifting and some still happened on Sunday for sure.. Masters nats is great.. All the guys are generally really great guys ...after all ..if you are over 40 and powerlift.... that is just a fact Jack..he he he

I had some problems which didn't surprise me(had real training/life issue problems that limited my gear training etc.)... But I had some great stuff happen as well.. here is how it went for me:
Up at 7:30 day of contest(Saturday)... get showered grab a cup of coffee and check my weight...99kilos.. cool.. I can eat a little and be careful about my liquids.. official weigh in at Noon...
rest relax.. cogitate

Noon weigh in etc... Official weight 98.6kilos...well under 100.. now I go and eat some nice protein and carbs... lifting starts at 2PM...Promptly..
Go to the warm-up room at 1:00..warm up light for squats..This is the lift I am least confident in.. My training for this contest was not good..I only had 2 sessions to train in my gear.. For you anti gear guys..I got some news..gear is NOT an automatic bonus.. to get good in gear you have to really work hard with it.. BUT I came here with other goals and for other reasons as well.. I needed my opener.. so I opened light at 440lbs. (200K).. It was easy.. kinda slow going down.. but not as bad as I have done in the past.. I went to 485lbs(220K) for my second. Was being conservative.. wanted to do 497 in my plan.. but.. decided against.. My second attempt was bad.. I was just not well focused.. went down silly slow and came up OK.. but had a goofy wiggle near the top.. I got 3 reds.. was not pretty.. Well I was not shocked.. repeated the weight..for my third..This time I was focused..I went down solid and up with no problems.. Three whites.. This is where solid work in the gym with the gear shows up.. confidence and consistency..I had neither on the second attempt.. tough cookies

Bench next..Warmed up light.. found someone to get my shirt on me..It didn't "feel right".. I decided to open lighter than planned.. at 165K..or 364lbs. It went to my chest funny I came up quickly but near the top I kind if went back and then forward ..The judges on the side thought I went down and up.. regardless it was ugly.. no lift..

I went up to my original opening weight of 170K (375lbs)..Thinking that a little more weight would help me focus and maintain better form.. My second attempt was nasty.. I had to really struggle to touch (out of my groove).. I could not get the bar more than a couple inches off my chest.. woah... No lift..

One of the guys from masters worlds came over to me.. and got my head straight.. he didn't let me tell him what i did wrong.. He kept me focused on.. what to do right.. he got in my face and told me to what to do on my third attempt.. get on the bench.. grab the bar.. focus on the motion.. chest full of air.. traps in.. pull the bar to the right spot on the chest.. wait for the commands ...explode off the chest.. hold for the rack command.. (DUH)... by golly it was what I needed..I got that Lift just like I was supposed to for my opener.. easy... peasy...But two wasted attempts..(This is why contest lifts are REAL).. I thanked my "coach" it was what I needed..

On to deadlifts..This was the lift I wanted to come and do..It has been solid lately.. I have not missed deads workouts despite other issues ..and gear is no issue..
My opener 540lbs (245K) was more than I had ever done in a contest.. my best contest PR previously was 534lbs..although I have done better in the gym... I smoked it.. 3 whites.. My coach told me to pull faster off the floor...

Second attempt 562.17lbs (255K).. This would exceed the MN State record for my age and weight class...I went to the platform.. and smoked it as well.. three whites.. My coach told me to pull faster again.. I promised I would on the next one.. (neither was slow)

Final attempt..573.2lbs (260K).. To break my own PR and MNstate record... and it went up solid and fast.. three whites.... THAT made the day for me...regardless of anything else.. I was stoked... My total was 1432 lbs (650K).. My second best total ever, despite a bad day with my bench and squat.. I have hopes for that 1500 plus total yet.. and possibly a 600lbs dead.. nice..

I didn't have anyone to help me at this contest, but I still got help from Dave Clark, Gina Stapleton, Alex Galant, Tom Hines and Johnny Graham even pulled my straps and yelled at me a few times here and there.. What could be better than that??

I placed second in my age/weight group... even had I exceeded my best bench and squat.. I would not have passed the first place finisher..he is out of my reach at this point in time, just give me some time.. he he he I enjoyed the other competitors and had some good conversations over dinner and a few drinks the last night... Old lifters rock.... Drug free lifting is cool...

Brad Madvig