Help Setting USAPL Raw Bench Press Record

[f4iguy]

Anybody have experience with USAPL? I'd like to set a record but I need some information.

I'm a natural lifter. At 205 pounds and 15% bodyfat I expect to press 470 pounds very soon. (video below of 435 for 3 on close grip)

I can easily cut some bodyfat and move into a lower weight class. I haven't done cardio in years and I eat whatever I want most of the time. I keep protein high and avoid sweets and alcohol.

Current lifts:
Bench: 470 (will test soon)
Squat: 500
Deadlift: 600

I have no plans of setting records with my squat and deadlift. I know they're good but nowhere near world record status. My bench keeps going up though!

What class would I enter as a 36 year old natural lifter?

Does anybody know what the raw bench press records are in the USAPL for men around 36 weighing between 185 and 195 pounds? I think I could easily maintain strength and get down to the mid 180's.

I can't post video's yet, but I recently uploaded a bench press video on youtube. The title is: 435 Close Grip Bench Press 3 Repetitions

 

[jimbuick]

USAPL is all tested competition. You would be an open class lifter in the 93kg class (183-205) and the record is 230kg (507lbs).

If you can get below 83kg (182.75) and maintain strength, the record is 200kg (441lbs).


These are just for American Records in the USAPL. World records would be under IPF. All of this info is available on Google btw.

 

[f4iguy]

I don't use or intend to use steroids. I would like to go after the 182 pound record. Would I enter a meet and complete all 3 lifts, or is there a way to only do bench?

 

[jimbuick]

I don't use or intend to use steroids. I would like to go after the 182 pound record. Would I enter a meet and complete all 3 lifts, or is there a way to only do bench?

Not sure what your steroid comment has to do with anything. USAPL is drug tested. All classes withing USAPL are tested. You asked about where you would compete in USAPL fed as a natural. That is your answer.

You would have to do all 3 lifts for the record posted. They have bench only competitors, but they have a different record than the full meet competitors.

 

[f4iguy]

You would have to do all 3 lifts for the record posted. They have bench only competitors, but they have a different record than the full meet competitors.

Good to know.

 

[f4iguy]

I checked the USA powerlifting website and found the following information:

Raw Open - Bench press single lift
Name Weight Date Location
-83 John Haack 200 kg 06/18/2016 IPF Classic Worlds
-93 Cieri Dennis 233 kg 08/29/2015 USAPL Bench Press Nationals

It seems the single lift records match the 3 lift records?

Also, Haack's record is listed as IPF, do they have the same drug testing requirements? What's different between IPF and USAPL?

I am most interested in the 83 weight class record. I'm assuming this means I would not enter USAPL and instead join IPF?

 

[jimbuick]

I checked the USA powerlifting website and found the following information:

Raw Open - Bench press single lift
NameWeightDateLocation
-83John Haack 200 kg06/18/2016 IPF Classic Worlds
-93Cieri Dennis 233 kg08/29/2015 USAPL Bench Press Nationals

It seems the single lift records match the 3 lift records?

Also, Haack's record is listed as IPF, do they have the same drug testing requirements? What's different between IPF and USAPL?

I am most interested in the 83 weight class record. I'm assuming this means I would not enter USAPL and instead join IPF?

IPF is USAPL.

 

[VO2Maxima]

I checked the USA powerlifting website and found the following information:

Raw Open - Bench press single lift
Name Weight Date Location
-83 John Haack 200 kg 06/18/2016 IPF Classic Worlds
-93 Cieri Dennis 233 kg 08/29/2015 USAPL Bench Press Nationals

It seems the single lift records match the 3 lift records?

Also, Haack's record is listed as IPF, do they have the same drug testing requirements? What's different between IPF and USAPL?

I am most interested in the 83 weight class record. I'm assuming this means I would not enter USAPL and instead join IPF?

AFAIK, if you break a record when entered single lift, it sets the single lift record. If you break a record when entered full power, it sets both the single lift record and the one that's listed for full power too (since that person had to set the record with the fatigue associated with a full power meet).

You join the USAPL and then would have to be invited to compete in IPF level meets. Also, I'm pretty sure that in the USAPL, to set a national record, you need to do it at a national level meet with national judges, and to set a world record, you need to do it at a world level meet with international judges. (A true world record on the Soong list can be set at any meet, but even if this is set in a USAPL meet, I don't think it counts as a world record unless it's done at a world meet, so there's a possibility that there are people on the Soong list in the USAPL/IPF with numbers higher than the current USAPL or IPF world record...I think, anyway, I don't compete USAPL).

 

[Yomo]

it's great to set a goal and go after it...but don't underestimate a 20+ lb cut with a 2 hour weigh in for a full power meet...check their website, read over their rules fairly carefully and pick a meet where you can go to, compete, and set a baseline on which to build off of....good luck. Gibbs and Haack are currently the epitome of the 83kg class.

 

[f4iguy]

I appreciate all of the information.

I've been following Haack and Gibbs. I don't have a prayer of touching their squat and deadlift numbers. I do think I have a shot at the bench record though.

I'm in the process of hiring a coach who owns a local powerlifting gym. He's a lot stronger than me and only trains high level power lifters so I'm hoping to make some good progress.

If I can hit a pause bench of 480 at 205 pounds around 15-16% bodyfat, how much do you think I'll loose dieting down 20 pounds?

What if I stop focusing on leg strength? I have trained lower body for 15 years so I'm sure I could loose some weight in my quads/glutes without sacrificing as much muscle mass in my upper body.

I'm not sure how best to run my programming if all I want to do is focus on my bench. Can I neglect lower body? Are the squat and deadlift essential to bench numbers?

 

[VO2Maxima]

Those are questions for your coach, since you're hiring someone.

From what I've seen, bench specialists will obviously focus on bench, often to the expense of the other two. But as I'm sure you know, bench is a full body lift and if you don't have a big back your bench will suck, losing mass off your glutes could cause your arch to drop and your ROM to increase, you still need enough legs to generate leg drive, etc. So I wouldn't completely neglect lower body.

How much strength you lose with weight loss varies from person to person.
Assuming you're 205 15%, that means you have 31lbs fat and 174lbs lean mass. No way are you going to drop 20lbs of fat and get down to 6% BF and maintain any reasonable amount of strength naturally, so let's assume you get down to 185 10%, which means you have 166.5lbs lean mass and therefore lost 7.5lbs of muscle. That's quite a bit. Plus your range of motion increases from the weight lost and some of the angles sometimes change slightly. The other option is to cut a little high (say to 188-190) and water cut the rest, but remember with the USAPL, it's a two hour weigh in and you have to put that all back on quickly.

 

[jimbuick]

American Records:

Q: Where can I set American Records?

A: Any Local, National, or IPF Sanctioned Meet with the following guidelines: Local Meets: Must be sanctioned by USAPL and have a sanction number assigned.

American Record Application must be filled out and include: Signatures from all 3 Judges with a National or Higher certification.Meet Sanction DocumentationCopy of driver’s license or birth certificate where applicable. ( to confirm age of lifter)Scale CertificationCopy of Meet Score Sheet.Drug Testing Paperwork where applicable.Meet Directors should have ALL the above documentation in their meet package.Records will be in a pending status until results of any drug tests from the meet are returned.