15 Mar Byrd: Breaking 2500 (Part 1)

It has been a long hard road to being successful again on the platform. Injuries, gyms falling apart, moving to Florida, and a hundred other obstacles along the way. I did my first ever powerlifting meet in 1997 (Yeah I have been at this for awhile). In 2007 I tore my ACL,MCL, and both Meniscus in my right knee (Arena Football). In 2012 I did my first ever multiply meet, the APF Seniors. I won the 308 class with a 2381 total. Dave Hoff won 275, Chad Walker the SHW. I thought I had really done something! 2013 in prep for the XPC Semi Finals I blew off my left pec tendon and also had a muscle rupture. This was believed to be the end of my time as a high level lifter.

Fast forward to the 2014 XPC Semi Finals. This was my first meet since the surgery and was actually 8 months to the day I was lifting. I honestly didnt have really high expectations, but I wanted to qualify for the Arnold. It had been a life long dream to lift there, ever since I saw the old WPO videos.

I had a decent meet for 8 months after surgery, and was feeling good about my progress. Unfortunately I did not lift well at the Arnold that year. I got sick and just bombed on the bench, not much else I can say about that other than I didnt perform.

I was very upset about my performance that year, and wanted to get right back into it. May 2014 I competed at the first RPS Redemption meet, ran by Burt and Mindy Underwood. I would put up my best total at the time of 2450.

Following this Brian and I made the decision that I should try to lose some weight and get a little healthier. My first meet at 275 came at the 2015 XPC Finals at the Arnold. I ended up winning the 275 class, but I had a pretty brutal day. I did not lift well on any lift, and had to pull my opener a second time after partial tear of my bicep on the opener.

So with all the bad breaks, screw ups, and just bad lifting…..How did I get over the hump?

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Jonathan Byrd

Jonathan Byrd is a competitive powerlifter, with over 16 years of training experience. Byrd has been ranked nationally for the past 6 years under multiple categories. His total has ranked as high as second nationally in the 275 class. He currently has a best total of 2500lbs. Best individual lifts include a 1040lb squat, a 750lb bench press, and 735lb deadlift. His 1040lb squat ranks him 26th all-time squats at the 308 class. Jonathan currently trains out of Team Samson Gym in Jacksonville, FL. Before powerlifting Jonathan was a college athlete at Methodist University as both an all-conference football player and track athlete. Following graduation he played four years of arena football in various leagues.

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