Lou: I recall soon after getting home from the army in 1970 you set a national total record on the same dayas Joe Weinstein at 1675 at198. fed ex, several people with bars in ATTENDANCE who could have had fed ex deliver them, there's NO EXCUSE in this day and age. That's the most ridiculous thing i've ever heard, did they not KNOW you need to use approved equipment? That being said, steroids, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), clenbuterol and other banned substances dont make an athlete more skilled at his sport they amplify skills he already has. He was right.After 10 yearsfrom 1970 to 1980I won my first nationals with my first top-ten bench. Was this in Tampa? Squat: 410kg/903lb anyway, im in agreement with most everyone here, that is, there is no way any record should be taken away because of this. ive seen a little on his training also here it goes mon-squat, bench max weight squat- 8,5,5,3,2,1,1,1max partial squat- 1x1 bench- 8,5,5,3,2,1,1,1 max wed-squat,bench light, max deadlift squat-8,5,5,3,1,1 about 50-60% of max I came up with a wrestling singlet with legs, but somehow George Langas took the idea and sold them under the name Spanjam, which I distributed.Lou: You had a lot of lifters come stay with you such as Mike Bridges who you said was the strongest man under 200 pounds. At Na- tionals Bridges the bt . 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. Reports have surfaced that the IPF will take those records from Bridges due to the fact that Texas Power Bars were used at the event instead of IPF approved equipment. I dont drug test at Raw Unity for a couple reasons, said Eric Talmant, who organizes and competes in Raw Unity, an event considered by some to be the Super Bowl of American raw powerlifting. (365.5 kg). Meshuggah. In my opinion, it's a horrible situation all the way around. My hand was slipping off the bar when it hit. Unless there became a cause to recognize a record. Once inside and rolling, they put the piece of finger that came off in some of the ice and stuck it in my sweatshirt pocket. Wow. then on the other days he would go between 50-80% of his max for extra volume. Today, there are about eight larger federations and tens of smaller ones. Maliek Derstine : Barrier Breaker | Powerlifting Watch Bridges came back to bench press and hit 440 pounds, good for ninth . Deadlift: 320kg/705.48lb. You should tell the cycling community about your insoles. On the morning before the meet we opened 2 brand new shipping tubes from an IPF approved manufacturer and they contained bars that did not have center knurling. Note: During the BFCM sales period all sales are final.Thus, no returns will accepted. No one should have to put up with this BS. powerlifting workout - NECKBERG George Hechter (Birth date: august 14, 1961). Deadlift: 320kg/705.48lb. 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. Mike MacDonald | Marty Gallagher - Starting Strength Another set of interesting data is world records. Why is it so hard? I slid under it and the bar hit me just over my left eye, tearing off half my eyebrow. Absolute stupidity. That includes making certain that the equipment is acceptable. In the meet Paul tore a quad and broke an ankle. How many more times will you shoot yourself in the foot? 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. Mike's best official lift was 608 made in 1977. TPB makers stood to gain by keeping the sponsorship fee up, after all, it's a BUSINESS. LARRY PACIFICO "Mr. Powerlifting" set 54 world records in an 18-year career. My friend Eric Stuber and the two side spotters couldn't even react in time. LOL! 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. To: Chip Hultquist..would like to know more about your hip replacement; facing the same thing..30+ yrs of powerlifting. Jim. 3. dont lie to everyone who questioned the bar and keep insisting it was an old Ivenko bar. LARRY PACIFICO | Westside Barbell i still want to be muscular also. Ted did 705lb., a record! if i were running the damned thing, i'd be double checking EVERYTHING. It's NOT a 45lb bar. Of course, it would be nave to assume that some lifters at tested events werent using PEDs. Some have tested and non-tested divisions; others randomly test a minimum of 10 percent of their lifters; and the rest the majority, in fact dont test at all. No official word has come down from the IPF or USAPL. Mike Bridges, age 50, captured multiple IPF Master's 2 (50+) World Records last weekend at the USAPL Men's Nationals. One should not blame the IPF as they did not have any influence or a stake in this meet. I won on bodyweight after John missed a third deadlift. I never saw such a lifting machine. Mike Bridges was the Ed Coan of powerlifting before there was an Ed Coan. USAPL, was it "modified rules" which were in effect this time? I called him and he got me in and said it might never straighten out again. 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. Records should not have to be sacrificed because of this. We landed in St. Louis five hours later. I drove it back over my head, I guess to keep it from tearing my pec worse, and to keep the bar from sinking in my chest. I came in at 226 and Mike at 183. Men (65+) 2022 open 28th Worldwide. Hewon nine consecutive IPF World Powerlifting Championships from 1971-1979 (198-pound to 242-pound weight classes) and set 54 world records during his powerlifting career. Mike Bridges' DVD series. 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. All Rights Reserved. But, when you're not doing this program, feel free to use varying rep ranges if you feel you can handle it. Youve probably never heard of him, but hes one of the strongest men whos ever lived, and he was a powerlifting god in the early 1980s. Its 2016 and this year marks the end of my first 50 years in powerlifting. How many more times will you shoot yourself in the foot? 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. The Hall of Fame began with just male lifters and officials, but started including female lifters since 1987. . My total at around age 46 was just under 1700. He has broken over 100 combined Nationals and World Records in his storied career. My training as a 65er back in the day was pretty intense and with pretty good results. With respect to direct lat work, you will neither find it in the detailed 1982 article by Ron Fernando, disclosing, I was there, front row at the USF SunDome in Tampa covering the contest for The Tampa Tribune when Jeff, Dave was 7 years my elder and my teen years weightlifting idol. The bar we used was 45lbs plus the collars. Let's hope they get confirmed soon. What Powerlifting Tells Us About The Effects Of PEDs Video of Mike Bridges' Raw Challenge Squats. It wasn't as meteculous years ago when the USAPL was first cutting their teeth after becoming the IPF affiliate. You've probably never heard of him, but he's one of the strongest men who's ever lived, and he was a powerlifting god in the early 1980s. The meet director did the best he could given the circumstances and the pass given with the equipment presented for inspection. Many powerlifters even on high level don't train more than 3-5 times a week. The International Powerlifting Federation Hall of Fame began in 1978 to recognize powerlifters who had competed in the IPF and officials who had shaped the IPF. [quote=Roger Ryan]I agree Buddy. 2023 Westside Barbell. At a national level meet you should have equipment more than 2 days prior to a meet. I really hope the IPF overlooks this and lets the record stand. This happened to Mike Bridges. 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. Tell the lifters the truth and say sorry, we have a problem and cant do world records. 5. Squat: 405kg/892.87lb We did not know this in advance. Deadlift: 285kg/628.32lb(WR). He went back and opened the trunk and brought back two tall, really cold bottles of beer. Here's my finger today. Thread Tools. When you squat 800 pounds, every joint in your body needs to be optimally aligned. Bench: 280kg/617.29lb He went on to win seven national and three world titles. We assumed that the manufacturer sent us the approved/correct bars. USAPL Powerlifter Champion Mike Bridges Wins 5th Pan-Am - Benzinga why someone running a meet like this waits to the last second anyway is a damned good question. THEN AND NOW | Westside Barbell A week later Mac and I flew to California. I find that while the weight I lift is less, the intensity is still high and with decent results but I stay sore longer. The place was cheering wildly for me to take again. A 220 pounds, Joe squatted 837lb. History of Powerlifting, Weightlifting and Strength Training - Number 6 It was a national meet. IPF Hall of Fame Inductees | International Powerlifting Federation Wiki Lou: You had a lot of lifters come stay with you such as Mike Bridges who you said was the strongest man under 200 pounds. The world is blessed with FED ex overnight, next MORNING, [quote=Anonymous] 1983 Mens Senior Nationals I walked around and found a check-in counter down a hallway. Now that is damning testimony if I have ever heard it. George has put his time in and i know we all appreciate Georges effort in supporting the game through his participation. In my opinion, it's a horrible situation all the way around. Bridges weighed just 173 pounds, but at the 1983 U.S. Powerlifting Federations (USPF) national championships, he bench pressed, squatted and dead lifted1 a combined 2,011 pounds. What reports? American Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation, 2008 American Physiological Society study, How The Federal Reserve Is The Shadow Branch Of The Government, Why Original Predictions About The War In Ukraine Were So Off. When we competed against each other I won 575 to 505. We can still make new gains and new PR's well into our master careers but we have to listen to what our bodies are telling us more. He lifted like what he was, a world champiom. This is the biggest USAPL meet of the year. Lee not only squatted 1003, but he has bench presses 617.4 to give him the highest subtotal in history of power lifting. not screwing up in front of the WORLD. I guess better an old fart than an old tu*d! After getting out of the Army I started to compete in and around Ohio. By this time I was pouring sweat and time was running out. When we landed my finger was twice the size. Within three hours I was on the operating table. So in a desperate effort, I rolled to my left and the fucking pin pulled all the way out. Bridges trained all three of the power lifts in the same workout, three days a week. It was the first issue where my name wasn't there for the first time in 10 years. The point is the TPB is not approved and does not even meet all the requirements to be approved. Assistance work may have consisted of a few sets of curls and little more yet in the opinion of many, me included, Mike can be crowned as one of the top few lifters of all time. Thats what makes powerlifting such a great sport. Actually, I've worked at keeping everything the same since it worked before and seems to be working OK now as well. All right reserved. Mike gave it hus all and was a supporter of the sumo-style deadlift and is one of the first to use it effectively. Holy shit ! Mac's first meet was two months before this when he qualified to lift in Victorville. On another note, the IPF will truly commit a crime if they take Mike's records due to this smallest of technicalities. You can train as hard as ever; but there will be a time that you have to allow more recovery time. It may linger and help him kick ass for years to come. 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. your body doesn't suddenly break down cause you broke the 40 yo barrier. I re-vamped my training to train every area only once a week. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I checked my watch and had three hours to sleep and make the flight. Just before it touched, my left pec began to tear. 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". It is not the training intensity per workout that changes as a lifter ages; it is our training frequency (recovery period allowed) that must be adapted. It is sad and pathetic that people have to jump on board and bash someone who has busted their butt to pull off one of the best meets. Sign up for our newsletter and get new articles sent straight to your inbox weekly. in the NFL, Major League Baseball and the Olympics what were really talking about is how the drugs make an athletes muscles more efficient in terms of strength and recovery. For example, 7 sets x 3 reps at a lower percentage (50-60%) of . 1983 Mens Senior Nationals The rule said small jump of 2.5 kg would nullify a third and that is how I lost the bid for my 10th world championship.Lou: Tell us about your most memorable world championship.Larry: That would be my first in 1971 against John Kanter. Ivanko bars are awfulthey are outrageously whippy and the non-standard knarling makes setting up for the deadlift quite confusing. 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! Las Vegas, NV. One would have to see the 325lb. and our Benchpress: 265kg/584lb Or will the USAPL overlook something again? He totaled just 1,780 pounds 231 pounds, or 11.5 percent, less than hed lifted four months before. Nothing worked. Ron Collins who would mostly lift at 181 and you were mostly a 198 and there was a lot of talk of a match between you.Larry: Yes, it would be at 198, but never happened.Lou: You won nine worlds starting in 1971, it ended at Wisconsin in 1980. Rank. Thanks.Louie Simmons. Just lift it! 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. You had Mike Bridges who astonished the world with his absolute dominance and ground breaking lifts. yes. Bridges weighed just. They called Mel the king of the bench press. some even fresh from factory seem unduly "slick"! (BUT he's not alone, there will be some very angry WOMEN TOO on this! Come on, guys.Mike LIFTED the f***ing weight! It's unfortunate that an error like this had to happen, but the bar we were using was just fine!! George is to be feared, and why not , it isnt everyone who can squat 985 and total 2369lb. Are world records going to be able to be broken there? Some powerlifters compete in divisions in which they can wear squat suits and bench shirts, which can put them in better form and help increase lift numbers. Although he seldom works them, he has pressed 300lb from behind the neck and military pressed 325lb. Best Lifts: Oh they won't have to erase the meet results, no. WAS THE PAPER IT WAS WRITTEN ON WAS THE RIGHT SIZE! The top of the pin stuck out about a quarter inch with a tiny loop that bent around. Those of you out there who knew Mac Richards know exactly what I mean when I say he was a great guy, great lifter, and a best friend to us all. I've also, place 2nd once, and 3rd twice in the 'open' class since age 47 in World Championships. To many, the author included, a case can be made for Bridges being among the best three lifters in the history of the sport. northernhiro Additional comment actions. if indeed he's been robbed before, then he's pretty tough for sticking in there and coming back. A 10-Week Progressive Powerlifting Program For Huge Strength Gains! I envied Larry for having such good training partners and a coach like Bob Matz. I hope it wasnt 45lbs cos USAPL/IPF rules stipulate metric measures Ivanko pays them a lisence fee to approve their stuff and Texas Power Bar doesn't! The fact that Teds total may have been low does not depreciate the astronomical effort he has left us with. they had TIME TO FIX THIS. Mike Bridges (Powerlifter) Inger Blikra (Powerlifter) Subrata Dutta . im just so sick and tired if people bashing the ipf. What really happened that day that allowed Mark Dimiduk to win the 1980 SR nationals and that would select the 1980 world team members.Larry: On a second attempt deadlift I wanted a 5 kg jump. Bob Matz would judge meets and was down right scary to look at. Just what do I mean? 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. Give me a TEXAS POWER OR OKIE. 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). My friend Arnold Coleman broke Mike's and Gene Bell's total record at the 2005 Arnold Classic. 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. [/quote] [/quote] Tests are cost prohibitive. I just went to a baseball game and payed $18 for a lousy $10 hat. i just dont like the fact that theres not much assistance. [/quote] Love it. 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. C'mon. Well, finally the final chapter to this event: As I mentioned, Mac Richards came back down to pick me up in Louisville. 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. Putt Houston. now with more Bom Chicka Wahwahhhhhh, http://usapowerliftingforum.com/cgi-bin/config.pl?read=12709. So as we got off the plane Paul was waiting for us to step off the plane. First of all, congratulations on a stellar performance that puts you IMO in the class with Inaba of Japan and other lifters who throw the gauntlet in the face of Father Time. Powerlifting differentiates between world records set at tested and non-tested competitions. I lifted my hands up and that's when I saw it. John Gamble! Second, to the meet directors "if" they(IPF) actually does wipe out the records, it will be your fault, not the IPF's. So when we landed I told Mac that I needed to find a place to sleep. [/quote]The Ivanko bars were not used because they arrived from the manufacturer without center knurlings. 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. Well, the bar didn't cooperate. Squat: 260kg/573.2lb(WR) Mike's. 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). Mike is going to get robbed because it's an IPF rule, tpb isn't approved equipment and so he's getting american records. Thu Oct 13, 2016. It went all the way down except for about half an inch. The problem was discovered on Thursday. Dr. Fred Hatfield (october 21, 1942 Died may 14, 2017). I drove it to within an inch from locking it out. Deadlift: 272.5kg/600lb. Arnold Schwarzenegger (3). Most guys at the USAPL meet, on the other hand, tend to not do steroids, he said. that'd just be the cherry on the top of this disaster! Kyrsten Sinema's Odds Of Reelection Don't Look Great. Mine was over first. Louie Simmons That makes Booker about 62 percent stronger than Schwarzenegger was in his prime. How To Get The Most Out of Your Westside Bands, I met him in my first power meet in the summer of 1966. Benchpress: 705.5 pounds (320kg) Squat: 227.5kg/501lb Guys felt like they had to take them to stay competitive, and that became problematic, Gaynor said. on USA SOIL! Reply . Joe "The Lad" Ladnier Mississippi Monster, Free Shipping with a $69 qualifying order. I used to be able to recover from training each area twice a week. His name was Mike Bridges. The bar used was the correct weight & configuration. MIKE BRIDGES As a 50-year-old, set records in the squat and bench press. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Fantastic story. Mike Bridges Multiple World Champion Weight Lifter Peoria, IL 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. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. I think it'd be more like shooting the jockey because he was wearing the wrong silks lol! the lousy knurling on ivanko bars is now a serious problem and despite their paying of the fee, ipf should seriously consider kicking those bars out UNLESS they can be corrected to have more sufficient knurling. if you're meant to be in this sport, you are already more durable over the years than most gym lifters. I couldn't sleep on the flight. Author: Staff. Mike Bridges (1982) WORLD RECORD (181 lbs / 82.5 kg) POWERLIFTING TOTAL I suddenly woke up startled and couldn't remember where I was. This is powerlifting not Olympic weightlifting no need for some Broz type of nonsense. Bench: 160kg/352.74lb(WR) It is said the that the road of good intentions a paved with, Putt Houston. now with more Bom Chicka Wahwahhhhhh. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Our flight out of LA was fine. I said, "Are you all right Mac?" 80's Power Lifting Stars - NECKBERG I have three kids: Jimmy who works with me at Pacifico Power, Pat who lives in Coco Beach, and daughter Theresa Nelson. Mike Bridges - 755 lb Deadlift @ 181 lbs (342.5 @ 82.5 kgs) Lexington Plummer 1.59K subscribers 3.8K views 6 years ago Mike Bridges deadlifts 755 lbs on his third attempt to consolidate a. Heres how those numbers compare for each lift.7. Some powerlifting meets drug test, and some dont. An athlete lives at the whim of a sports rules, and when those rules change, so can their career. Both of us totaled 1,815. Michael Bridges. .4kg is way over the allowed variance of weight. Ken Lain DVD's. Tape 1 - Add 50 to 75 lbs To Your Bench Press. My training put me at 835-580-800-2215. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. And squating without center knurling??? Mike Bridges Sets Multiple IPF World Records | Powerlifting Watch When powerlifting, you train with three exercises in mind: Bench press, squats, and deadlifts. And Don Reinhoudt the SHW world champ. In response to a question about how his training has changed as he has gotten older, powerlifting legend Mike Bridges. 123-pound squat data was a dwarf and indeed hoisted 639 pounds. Oh yeah, no squat suit until about 1976, and no disrespect, but the squat suits were not much. wouldnt u think for a comp that big, that everything would be above board, regardless of what you think the rules should be? Now, while I was there Mike Lambert of Powerlifting USA took the first picture of my hand and ran it in the January 1981 Issue the same issue that ran the results of the 80 worlds. The events draw the best lifters in the sport of raw powerlifting, which means the men dont use assistance gear.4 As previously mentioned, Raw Unity doesnt drug test. Ivanko bars are awfulthey are outrageously whippy and the non-standard knarling makes setting up for the deadlift quite confusing. For more information, please see our I envied Larry for having such good training partners and a coach like Bob Matz. Then, around the mid-70s, people realized that taking huge doses increased their lifts, said Bob Gaynor, a powerlifting historian and competitive lifter from the era. In response to a question about how his training has changed as he has gotten older, powerlifting legend Mike Bridges answers that at 50 he still trains the same. Fred is the total squatter, his squats range from 918lb thorugh 100b. How are you doing Roger?! So, after the 1983 IPF event, he and others formed the American Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation. why someone running a meet like this waits to the last second anyway is a damned good question. Mike Bridges - 512 lb Raw Bench @ 181 lbs (232.5 @ 82.5 kgs) 2,478 views Aug 19, 2016 35 Dislike Share Save Lexington Plummer 1.52K subscribers From the 1982 USPF Sr Nat'ls, Mike Bridges. He bench pressed well over 400, squatter more than 700 and deadlifted close to that. 1. This year, at 52, Mike just won 4 gold medals in the Pan American Games. Dan has benched 400lb in his class when most men in his class were approaching the 600lb barrier . You might say not bad well let me tell you this, maybe 12 super-heavies have done 630 plus, but Sam, at 275, has out-benched at least half of the twelve. It's a shame his feats aren't hailed about today. Then he came and got me. Jim Ivanko bars are awfulthey are outrageously whippy and the non-standard knarling makes setting up for the deadlift quite confusing. Just as we assume that every athlete in other drug-tested leagues isnt clean, we shouldnt here, either. I don't fault the meet director. XTREME SQUATTING-book, XTREME DEADLIFTING-book, & ADVANCED POWERLIFTING TECHIQUES-DVD. I wonder how it would feel to have a 700+ pound bar slide down your back. On October 4, 1980 I lifted at a meet in Dayton, Ohio that I promoted. Quite simple and clear. We did not know this in advance. View Profile View Forum Posts . The bar used was the correct weight & configuration. 3 Star CrossFit. Well most know he won nine straight before making. He did break the record. Perfect I went around and took off my coat made a pillow out of it then took off my watch, laid it down, and fell sound to sleep. Mel has benchpressed 535lb, squatted 535lb and deadlifted 600lb. 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.