Big Drez
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Hello everyone,
I have a few questions regarding gear for equipped lifting, but in order to get some better answers I guess I’ll have to provide more information about myself. I have been lifting on and off for about 7 years. Seriously for the past 2. I’ve been in the Army for a little over a year and a half now and up until right before I joined I was training for the Mid-Michigan classic bodybuilding show. Due to financial reasons I enlisted with the quick ship option and left for basic about a month before the competition. I lost about 20lbs of muscle between basic and AIT and actually came out in horrible shape (aside from cardiovascular). So I started on my bodybuilding quest again about a year ago, but when I deployed a guy showed me about power lifting and I felt like I actually found what I was supposed to be doing all along. For the past 5 months I have been giving it everything I’ve got and I am really impressed with my results thus far. With minimal equipment ( ****ty power rack, mismatched plates, no chains, no specialty bars, improvised GHR’s and reverse hypers etc.) I’ve managed to get my DL to 565, Squat to 540 and Bench to 435 all raw and all natural. I’m 5’10’’ at 237lbs at about 17% BF right now. I know I still have a lot of work, research and time perfecting my technique before I compete. I leave Iraq in September of this year and would like to have a 1650 raw total. I have a very extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology, I used to be certified through I.S.S.A. as a fitness trainer and I have a wide knowledge of supplements. However, I still continue to research power lifting every chance I get and it seems like I learn 500 new things everyday. Anyways, I’d like to learn more about gear for equipped lifting. I want to compete raw a few times when I come back to the states, but I want to at least start learning about gear now so I can apply it when I’m ready and train with it. That being said, what is some of the best gear for a beginner? I know stance on the squat and deadlift determine a lot about gear so I squat very wide and deadlift conventional. I know the guys at Elite are partial to Metal gear but I also know those cats have been lifting in it for ages. Also, when starting to use gear I would assume it is best to start with single ply, is that accurate? I’m not eager to add 300lbs to my total right away. I’d just like to get some guidance on gear for a beginner and train with it and get used to it.
I’ve also heard that it is good to attend a competition or two before you compete to get a taste for the atmosphere. I’ll be home for mid-tour leave in 4 days and I am going to the APF Michigan State Championships on March 13th to check it out. I’ll also have the opportunity to meet Matt Kroc there as well and hopefully get some guidance from him.
Thanks for the help.
I have a few questions regarding gear for equipped lifting, but in order to get some better answers I guess I’ll have to provide more information about myself. I have been lifting on and off for about 7 years. Seriously for the past 2. I’ve been in the Army for a little over a year and a half now and up until right before I joined I was training for the Mid-Michigan classic bodybuilding show. Due to financial reasons I enlisted with the quick ship option and left for basic about a month before the competition. I lost about 20lbs of muscle between basic and AIT and actually came out in horrible shape (aside from cardiovascular). So I started on my bodybuilding quest again about a year ago, but when I deployed a guy showed me about power lifting and I felt like I actually found what I was supposed to be doing all along. For the past 5 months I have been giving it everything I’ve got and I am really impressed with my results thus far. With minimal equipment ( ****ty power rack, mismatched plates, no chains, no specialty bars, improvised GHR’s and reverse hypers etc.) I’ve managed to get my DL to 565, Squat to 540 and Bench to 435 all raw and all natural. I’m 5’10’’ at 237lbs at about 17% BF right now. I know I still have a lot of work, research and time perfecting my technique before I compete. I leave Iraq in September of this year and would like to have a 1650 raw total. I have a very extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology, I used to be certified through I.S.S.A. as a fitness trainer and I have a wide knowledge of supplements. However, I still continue to research power lifting every chance I get and it seems like I learn 500 new things everyday. Anyways, I’d like to learn more about gear for equipped lifting. I want to compete raw a few times when I come back to the states, but I want to at least start learning about gear now so I can apply it when I’m ready and train with it. That being said, what is some of the best gear for a beginner? I know stance on the squat and deadlift determine a lot about gear so I squat very wide and deadlift conventional. I know the guys at Elite are partial to Metal gear but I also know those cats have been lifting in it for ages. Also, when starting to use gear I would assume it is best to start with single ply, is that accurate? I’m not eager to add 300lbs to my total right away. I’d just like to get some guidance on gear for a beginner and train with it and get used to it.
I’ve also heard that it is good to attend a competition or two before you compete to get a taste for the atmosphere. I’ll be home for mid-tour leave in 4 days and I am going to the APF Michigan State Championships on March 13th to check it out. I’ll also have the opportunity to meet Matt Kroc there as well and hopefully get some guidance from him.
Thanks for the help.