I've never really changed anything. The great Mike Bridges spent years training three times per week, squatting twice, deadlifting once or twice, and benching two and sometimes three times within any week. BUT, as a lifter at the meet who is not capable of setting world records, I was very happy when I learned that we would be using a Texas Power Bar. Squat: 410kg/903lb all of the sheiko guys seem to do well in these feds. Second, to the meet directors "if" they(IPF) actually does wipe out the records, it will be your fault, not the IPF's. One should not blame the IPF as they did not have any influence or a stake in this meet. Lou: I want to thank you for doing this interview and for the memories you have left imprinted on powerlifting and after knowing you for the last fifty years, on me. He has broken over 100 combined Nationals and World Records in his storied career. I loved Mac Richards, but I never loved him as much as when he handed me that beer. Interesting!If you actually do train at maximum intensity (many think they do) there are some changes that you will have to make as you get older (no set age). A week later Mac and I flew to California. check out the. For example, at a drug-tested meet in 2002, Mike Booker squatted 551 pounds but weighed just 132 pounds. Mike Bridges (1982) WORLD RECORD (181 lbs / 82.5 kg) POWERLIFTING TOTAL 954.5 KG . [quote=Anonymous]And squating without center knurling??? HOWEVER, if you're the meet director and you're running an IPF qualifier with potential world records, YOU are responsible for making sure the bar is good. Place Fed Date Location Competition Division Age Equip Class Weight Squat Bench Deadlift Total Dots; DQ: USAPL: 2010-03-05: USA-OH: Con-Cret Raw Challenge: MR-M: 53: Raw: 90 Mike is going to get robbed because it's an IPF rule, tpb isn't approved equipment and so he's getting american records. The point is the TPB is not approved and does not even meet all the requirements to be approved. [/quote] Go ahead, it's okay. Bodybuilding and physique-training provide exposure to the powerlifting exercises but not the technique. At a national level meet you should have equipment more than 2 days prior to a meet. He was lifting at National Masters and I was his coach. Well most know he won nine straight before makinga tactical error when he jumped five pounds on his second attempt on the deadlift, which nullified a third attempt, letting Mark Dimiduk win the1980s nationals and worlds.Larry told me if I would open lighter I would do better, and he was right again.I remember Larry making a 530-pound bench press and a 1,900 total in 1972 in Cincinnati, Ohio, at a body weight of 198. 1984 Honolulu, Hawaii Who is that? Why is it so hard? When joining the IPF the USAPL agreed to follow the rules in place, not some of them or just the ones we like etc. The 20kg TPB used to be approved by the IPF, until they didn't pay the licensing fee, so there are undoubtedly some IPF World record which have been set using a TPB. Mike Bridges ( Birth date: february 1, 1957) Who is that? Just lift it! I also know you were never cocky or arrogant, but totally confident and fun when I was around you. best of luck to everyone concerned with this! Powerlifting differentiates between world records set at tested and non-tested competitions. Jim. Squat: 395kg/870lb A prodigy of the great Larry Pacifico. All right reserved. He totaled just 1,780 pounds 231 pounds, or 11.5 percent, less than hed lifted four months before. Being stubborn about that and thinking I'm too tough to change what I do will derail your progress sooner or laterso listen to what the body is telling you and work with it; not against it. In fact, the folks in Missouri have always done a great job. It's unfortunate that an error like this had to happen, but the bar we were using was just fine!! One official got yelled at for asking about the bar while my boyfriend was checking his rack height later on thursday. I like my ProKinetics and I recommend you try them! if you're meant to be in this sport, you are already more durable over the years than most gym lifters. Harold put on a great meet. Good post, ya old fart! There was a two-hour weigh-in and no round system. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Records should not have to be sacrificed because of this. Tony Carpino agreed to fly in and ref and help out. What was remarkable was the little guys finger was as tiny as you would expect, and with the help of microscopic lenses he worked a miracle. I met him in my first power meet in the summer of 1966just prior to being drafted into the United States Army 50 years ago. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. mark. Oh they won't have to erase the meet results, no. Payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and PayPal. When planning ahead for the meet today, I had to ask myself if I was capable of creating conditions in which records could be set and make it known to the lifters who entered the meet today whether the conditions in which they would find would or was not condusive to setting any records. Guys felt like they had to take them to stay competitive, and that became problematic, Gaynor said. Mike Bridges indeed used anabolic/androgenic steroids (along with everybody else) to amass his several world record squats and totals in the IPF. Steve Powell has uploaded video of the first two squat attempts of powerlifting legend and pre-meet favorite, Mike Bridges (198), at the USAPL CON-CRET Raw Challenge at the Arnold Classic. Mike Bridges, age 50, captured multiple IPF Master's 2 (50+) World Records last weekend at the USAPL Men's Nationals. if i were running the damned thing, i'd be double checking EVERYTHING. One time while weighing in Larry was standing on one foot just to bug him. If dan can get his bench together, lookout! your body doesn't suddenly break down cause you broke the 40 yo barrier. Within the circuits of power lifting, Mike is known as The Legend. Jons training lifts around 2300lb! Then the bar hit the supporting brace below the bench on the left side. But those accepting the pay of the sponsorship fees do not have to suffer with the bars, merely to take the money and thus approve themjust like at times platforms/stages at ipf worlds have sagged under the larger squatters, only to be considered "acceptable". do you think that maxing every week will hinder progress? Everyone there knows you did your best to make the meet as perfect as it could be, in EVERY aspect. The squats went well. Author: Staff. One official got yelled at for asking about the bar while my boyfriend was checking his rack height later on thursday. Fantastic story. If this is your first visit, be sure to Bridges was one of many record holders or top level men that included Marvin . Benchpress: 265kg/584lb My total at around age 46 was just under 1700. Multiple World Champion Weight Lifter Cookie Notice im just so sick and tired if people bashing the ipf. The power lifts are the bench press, squat and dead lift. There was a period when the IPF decided to do drug testing. I can attest to that because I lifted in the Master's Nat's in Charlottesville, VA and along with a IPF Cat I ref, pointed out a number of infrations which where simply explained away. I would hear it from him every meet when he told me if I did not get a better bench I would never win at nationals. Mike is a World IPF Champion, IPF World Record Holder, 2008 Masters World Champion with 4 Gold Medals, and 2007 World Bench Press Gold Medalist. [quote=mark roskell]its not the fault of the ipf, but the stuff up of the meet directors!!! One of the nicest menin the power lifting game. He went back and opened the trunk and brought back two tall, really cold bottles of beer. That's when Bridges competed in the ADFPA (American Drug Free Powerlifting Association). Las Vegas, NV. We know Larry was one of the greatest lifters of all time, but not much is known about many. And your team Power Elite with your lifters including Topsogov Studer.Larry: We had a great team back then and I will always look back to the early days without so much politics. Lou: There were other super stars from England. The top of the pin stuck out about a quarter inch with a tiny loop that bent around. Just lift it! This happened to Mike Bridges. Thread Tools. I'm sure if anything does happen like records being reversed, the people who are invloved will only use this as motivation to exceed their previous lifts. A week later Mac and I were on a jet headed for Los Angeles. Be it football, hockey, basketball etc, all the organizations have license fees payed to them for everything from clothes to what glove, stick etc will be used, and in return they are the only vendors allowed to sell or have equipment used. It was stuck in about four inches down. My finger was bleeding and I was sweating and I had to make that flight. Because 1983 was the first time the IPF drug-tested, most participants didnt risk using performance-enhancing drugs leading up to the meet, according to powerlifting historian Bob Gaynor. BUT, as a lifter at the meet who is not capable of setting world records, I was very happy when I learned that we would be using a Texas Power Bar. then on the other days he would go between 50-80% of his max for extra volume. Mike Bridges No official word has come down from the IPF or USAPL. $29.95. The bar used was the correct weight & configuration. Squat: 365kg/804.69lb they're listed as pending cause someone turned in teh record forms and until ipf looks into this, they're pending. This was one of the most amazing feats of strength I had ever seen at that time. He has proved that you dont have to be a giant to do record poundages! Hahahahah!!! 1985 Mens Senior Nationals "But it weighed MORE so he should the record for sure!" Are world records going to be able to be broken there? The bar used was the correct weight & configuration. The numbers from these competitions arent perfect; for example, the IPF just started hosting a raw championship,6 so there are only three years of comparable data. John has totaled just around 2300! HOWEVER, if you're the meet director and you're running an IPF qualifier with potential world records, YOU are responsible for making sure the bar is good. How is this the USAPL shooting themselves in the foot? Mike is going to get robbed because it's an IPF rule, tpb isn't approved equipment and so he's getting american records. I have three kids: Jimmy who works with me at Pacifico Power, Pat who lives in Coco Beach, and daughter Theresa Nelson. In my opinion, it's a horrible situation all the way around. True, Jack. I hope it wasnt 45lbs cos USAPL/IPF rules stipulate metric measures Robert Harris Can you imagine a man that tiny hoisting a dead lift of nearly 600lb. This Make your morning email scroll and coffee stronger. JOHN INZER An elite lifter, Inzer invented the bench shirtsupportive equipment that allowed for bigger lifts. In a Conjugate Method training program, dynamic effort training is typically focused on increasing the At Westside, we use dynamic effort training to improve our rate of force development. Mel has benchpressed 535lb, squatted 535lb and deadlifted 600lb. We had a rivalry in the early 70s.Lou: Before we get into your powerlifting life, did you ever play other sports? Strength is like a glass, said lifting coach Brett Jones, who is considered one of the best trainers in the country. Theyre close enough in the lighter classes, but the heavier guys are differentiated in such a way, for example, that an IPF lifter could be up to 23 pounds heavier than a Raw Unity competitor in an equal weight class. 1983 Mens Senior Nationals Best Lifts: His form was a model of perfection, but his physical strength was amazing in the squat and bench.He[MCJ1] was doing theBridges Flair before Mike was doing it. Show me where the IPF as said anything? Had Wade Hooper eclipsed his squat record, for example, which was also QUITE possible, then what would this meet director say! Larry would drive from Dayton to Toledo for four years using a simple 5-3-1 system. See, they cannot make an exception for a USA lifter because USA would beef huge IF a russian had an improper bar and broke records too price of having approved bars, weights, and rules. I was completely drained. For example, research published in the journal Sports Medicine found that steroids can increase an athletes strength by 5 to 20 percent. it matters what the rules actuially are!!! ive seen a little on his training also here it goes. No excuses! Brand spankin new bar, just no center knurling. From then on and into the 80s, Id estimate that about 85 percent of competitive American powerlifters at the national level were using something in massive doses to gain an edge: anabolic steroids, dianabol, testosterone.. Anyway, I digress. Dr. Fred Hatfield (october 21, 1942 Died may 14, 2017). And it's still very hard for me to write after all these years. Michael. [/quote] George has put his time in and i know we all appreciate Georges effort in supporting the game through his participation. Good luck to all of them. SPECIAL. They keep raising the standard. Gaynor said lifters at the IPF event have been more likely to get around drug tests, take PEDs leading up to the competition or have a history of PED use. Here's my finger today. Then Ronnie Ray from Texas and a guy they called Mel Hennessey of Minnesota. Orders shipped out within 1 - 5 business days. Hes laid down a base of muscle that doesnt just dry up when the drugs do. As I'm now fast closing on 49 I find my biggest problem is not overtraining, but under-recovering. Most will remember the latest and greatest like Hoff, Frankel, Conan and Bridges. Mine was over first. Mike was the superlative powerlifter. Deadlift: 365kg/804.69lb. [quote=Harold Gaines]I was the Meet Director for this event and I would like to put to rest this issue (if possible). Steroids also tend to decrease body fat. lol. I don't fault the meet director. Everything at this meet was ran by the guys in the uniforms! As for everyone saying ivanko bars are shit because they are so whippy you have to remember they were actually designed for weightlifting. It's NOT a 45lb bar. The fees are a way to generate revenue to help pay expenses. Bridges weighed just. I weighed 150 pounds back then.Lou: When you moved to Dayton what was your occupation? No one ever say a word to him no matter what.The Conversation. Weighing in at only 204 lbs, Mike not only went home with gold medals, but he also broke world records in the Deadlift at 650 lbs. The movement standards of powerlifting competitions are going to be a significant challenge. Mike won the second most prestigious national powerlifting in 1977 when he won the Junior National Powerlifting Championships. When he first saw Vince hecould tell he had dropped down to 198,then he saw me all bulked up and ready for battle. I stayed there for three days. Just start learning the gear/rule variations. Following this mind set I've won 10 Masters World Championships and broken 14 World Master's Records; and am also one of only 11 men over 50 to bench over 600 in competition. You had Mike Bridges who astonished the world with his absolute dominance and ground breaking lifts. A meet with the quality of lifters, albeit the lack of numbers it has previously enjoyed, SHOULD have been prepared to entertain world record attempts. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Ivanko pays them a lisence fee to approve their stuff and Texas Power Bar doesn't! that is bullshit. I unhooked it and stood up. i still want to be muscular also. mike is right. liane blyn, jessica o donnellyeah that's a group to want to have after you to slap you upside the head! The rescue squad got there in 10 minutes and away I went. Nothing worked. 1983Mens Senior Nationals Without a doubt, he wasthe greatest of the 275 pounders. The world is blessed with FED ex overnight, next MORNING, [quote=Anonymous] My boyfriend was in the area on Thursday afternoon when several referees told the Technical Sec that something was wrong with the bar and they were told it was OK, it was an old Ivenko Bar. I guess he got too much publicity and I wanted to crush him. Jim Squat: 260kg/573.2lb(WR) Sure, some bars are exactly the same but some payed a license fee to the IPF and some did not--they have a choice. Bridges' squat of 711 pounds, bench of 512 pounds, and total of 1,896 pounds are all new 198 class World Records. There was no money meets back then.Lou: What motivated you back then?Larry: A strong desire to be the best and win all the time at anything. and the Squat at an astonishing amount of 804 lbs. If he would choose to use the best gear of today, it would be crazy. I flew back to Louisville every other week for two months. yea i was thinking about trying this because i want to compete eventually in single ply gear and natural. It was a national meet. Needless to say, the routine listed below, is designed to work on each of these lifts. I lowered it, but too slow. wouldnt u think for a comp that big, that everything would be above board, regardless of what you think the rules should be? northernhiro Additional comment actions. I think it'd be more like shooting the jockey because he was wearing the wrong silks lol! If this is how the IPF treats their lifters it's no wonder that the WPC Eurasian Cup has 635 lifters pre- registered to lift! How about dougs billing squat 985lb. Mac's first meet was two months before this when he qualified to lift in Victorville. This will be different for different people as we are all genetically different as to how we age. In the meantime, Dan has squatted 960lb and has made valid attempts to be the first with 900 in the deadlift. And squating without center knurling??? It was a bold move, because the USPF was popular its competitions were even nationally televised. I envied Larry for having such good training partners and a coach like Bob Matz. Copyright 2023 elitefts. Log in or register to post comments Squat: 405kg/892.87lb The distinction between the groups histories with strength-enhancing drugs is important because these drugs dont just flush out completely they can leave a lasting impact. Thats what makes powerlifting such a great sport. Terry Todd isn't merely the United States' first national powerlifting champion (in 1964 and '65), he was also the first man to total 1,600, 1,700, 1,800, and 1,900 pounds. It may linger and help him kick ass for years to come. [quote=Anonymous]My boyfriend was in the area on Thursday afternoon when several referees told the Technical Sec that something was wrong with the bar and they were told it was OK, it was an old Ivenko Bar. So the facts are the facts guys stop being a bunch of cry BABIES! Size didnt mean anything to him. Where are my safety guys screaming about that? If you are a world class lifter, you are a world class lifter in any fed. What happened? When we talk about how PEDs improve performance in sports e.g. It's about $'s! Jeff King: An update on a Bodybuilding Legend, Consent Management Platform by Real Cookie Banner. I really hope the IPF overlooks this and lets the record stand. Tony Carpino agreed to fly in and ref and help out. Dr Mike lives in st Louis and I know he has some. this is a joke,if anybody should be repremanded it should be the meet directors,the issue of bars cant be held against mike bridges and the records that he set,if thats the case then the entire meet results would have to be erased. For all weight classes, world records in bench press, squat and dead lift are, on average, 7.9, 6.0 and 6.4 percent heavier, respectively, when the competition doesnt test for PEDs. My first personal observation of Mike was at the Heart Of America Powerlifting Contest, an annual event hosted by St. Louis gym owner and bodybuilder George Turner. (BUT he's not alone, there will be some very angry WOMEN TOO on this! The place was cheering wildly for me to take again. Welcome to the club, Mike. Consider this 2008 American Physiological Society study, which found that the benefits of steroids in powerlifters can last several years beyond when the drugs leave their body. Tell the lifters the truth and say sorry, we have a problem and cant do world records. We looked at the numbers in three of the biggest competitions: Raw Unity, USAPLs Raw National Powerlifting Championship (Raw Nationals) and the IPFs Classic Powerlifting World Championships (Classic Worlds). [quote=An IPF member]I have a Texas Power Bar and it weighs 20kg. Larry: Yes. When we landed my finger was twice the size. It can be said that in a way he is a carbon copy of Ed coan. Good luck to all of them. Do guys in anything-goes competitions regularly hoist heavier weights than guys in drug-tested meets?3 Why allow PED use at all? He trained with Don Cundy the first to make an 800 deadlift, and Jerry Gones who would wear a superhero suit at a meet and a wig. I seem to remember Mike Bridges getting stiffed on a squat at the USAPL Nationals in 2004. this meet director, the ipf (USAPL) refs who inspected the platform and weights, and the USAPL EC members present, tech sec, all of these should be held directly responsible for what was discovered thursday and they did not work to correct. All times are GMT-5. We both didn't try to make weight. Deadlift: 320kg/705.48lb. I was married three times.Lou: How many world records did you break in your illustrious career?Larry: 54Lou: I know you had rivals along the way. This means they have to use IPF-approved equipment on the platform. 1986 1st World Powerlifting Championship Modern powerlifters are some of the strongest people in history. Many powerlifters even on high level don't train more than 3-5 times a week. Best Lifts: My hand was slipping off the bar when it hit. I was a gymnast in New York where I grew up. How many more times will you shoot yourself in the foot? also what do you guys think about this every monday he would max out on bench/squat and max out on deads every wednesday. Every so often an athlete shows an exceptional talent in his sport that baffles the mind. Benchpress: 272.1kg/599.88lb RECENT:Joe "The Lad" Ladnier Mississippi Monster. I slept on the flight down and drifted in and out for the next eight hours, but I was able to watch most of the operation not only mine but both of the other two as well. Meshuggah. Privacy Policy. Let's hope they get confirmed soon. George Hechter (Birth date: august 14, 1961). Best Lifts: The bigger the glass, the more of everything else you can do. All other things being equal, the stronger you are, then the quicker you run, the harder you hit, the higher you jump, the faster you throw. What gives? That might not seem like much, but because these guys lift so much, it translates to between 30 and 344 pounds. Best Lifts: There I said it for you. I have seen a lot in 50 years as powerlifting has introduced me to all of my friends as well as most good and bad memories. Thanks.Louie Simmons. The 20kg TPB used to be approved by the IPF, until they didn't pay the licensing fee, so there are undoubtedly some IPF World record which have been set using a TPB. Pacificos best competition lifts are an 832-pound squat, 592-pound bench press (without a bench shirt), a 771-pound deadlift, and a 2061-pound total. Just before it touched, my left pec began to tear. How many more times will you shoot yourself in the foot? they had TIME TO FIX THIS. Tests are cost prohibitive. Well, if you have ever lifted with an Eleiko or Leoko bar, they are similar to a Texas, so I would state this wouldn't be that big of a deal and a DL record set on a TPB vs. an Ivanko is arguably harder to hold on to and more distance traveled. I would think you would have everything ready to go at least a week out. Just a few years before, powerlifters had been using PEDs in low doses to help their muscles recover; maybe they gained a bit of an edge, but it wasnt overtly noticeable. Dan has benched 400lb in his class when most men in his class were approaching the 600lb barrier . Steroids have been clearly shown to increase muscle mass, and theres a direct correlation between muscle cross-sectional area and the ability to produce force, said Brad Schoenfeld, an exercise scientist at the City University of New Yorks Lehman College. [/quote] (course they also did drug tests on mike but odds are those won't be a problem). It's unfortunate that an error like this had to happen, but the bar we were using was just fine!! I am aware of the wrong bar that was shipped because I warmed up with it in the warm up room. Bench: 227.5kg/501.55lb When squatting is being talked about , you can be sure that Hatfield will be named at the top. Bridges' squat of 711 pounds, bench of 512 pounds, and total of 1,896 pounds are all new 198 class World Records. they say he found out thursday. Trying to figure this out with the same type hip replacement as Rickey Crain. I hope this does not come true. Everyone knows that politics are stupid when it comes between a person and a hard earned accomplishment but if they let it stand then everyone will say "hey, what could have so-n-so done on a Texas Power bar instead of those whippy Ivankos?"