13 Dec Holiday Havoc meet report

First off a big thanks to Lisa and Todd (who had a helluva meet) who were a big help to me through the whole weekend.  My training partners and LCS teammates that came out to help and support.  Brian Carroll for his support, training, and putting together an awesome team.  And Scott Paltos for his programming and support.  Even though on the platform you’re by yourself, there’s a huge crew of folks behind the scenes who have been instrumental in helping to get you there.  Thanks to you all of you!

A little background

It had been a year since my last competition.  When last I competed, I was a light 242 and just going for PRs.  A year later, 2 weight classes lower and I would step back on the platform.  Plans to compete earlier in the year had fallen through, so while the intent had been there, it didn’t happen.  My training cycle had been great, the weight loss had been steady enough to maintain my strength.  I felt I had a legitimate run at qualifying for the Arnold.  The plan was in place.  Time to bring it together.

Now we play the waiting game. An hour to weigh ins. #198 #nolongeraman #team1020life #teampump #teamPRS #1020life #lowcountrystrength

A post shared by Will Kuenzel (@lcstrength) on Dec 11, 2015 at 11:05am PST

The cut

Brian Carroll literally wrote the book on cutting weight.  I pretty much followed it to the letter.  2 weeks out from the meet and I was sitting around 220lbs.  A week out and I was 218lbs.   I had cut carbs earlier in the week.  My water loading had gone well.  With 7 hours until it was time to weigh in, I only had 5lbs left to cut.  I put on the sauna suit, turned the shower in the bathroom on hot and started the process.  Rotating through and getting the kinks worked out since it was my first time ever actually having to sweat to make weight, it took me a bit to get it right.  With an hour and half until weigh ins, I was spot on.

The rebound

Putting the weight back on is never easy for me.  I’ve messed it up a few times.  I’ve upset my stomach, not drank enough water, just been lazy.  This time, I did everything right.  Foods I know I tolerate well, combined with pedialyte/Gatorade/water mixture that sits well with me.  I had zero stomach discomfort and put back on 25lbs.  The timing was a little different since the meet was broken up into 2 sessions and thus so was my weigh in.  I weighed in at 3pm, so it changed my usual approach.  And that might actually give me an idea of what to do in the future since it did work out so well.

The meet

I was lifting in the afternoon session.  The rules meeting was at noon.  Lifting for the 1^st flight started at 3:30-4ish.  I didn’t take my 1^st squat attempt until almost 6pm.  It was a long day.  Everything felt easy.  Warm ups went exactly as planned.  I timed it well.  I took my last warm up as the flight before me was finishing up.  My opener was a little harder than it should have been just because I didn’t sit back enough, but it came up for 3 whites and I was in the meet.  Then things took a turn down hill and I never really recovered.  My 2^nd attempt would tie my 242 PR.  Everything felt good on the way down.  When I got the up call it started moving but I got forward.  I fought it for a bit before it eventually just pushed me too far out of the groove and I couldn’t recover.  I would retake 710 for a my 3^rd.  Didn’t really change anything because there was no need.  I missed it because of my technique, not to the suit or anything else.  Got the up call from out of the hole and came all the way up with it to right to the top… and lost it forward.  Really lost it forward.  The spotter and loaders did amazing job.  I didn’t get hurt and neither did anybody else.  Thank you guys!

With my numbers way behind in qualifying for the Arnold, it was on to bench.  I was pissed.  Make no mistake on that.  I needed to seriously make up some ground but it wasn’t anything that was out of reach.  I gave myself 30 minutes to be pissed and mope around.  After that, it was time to pull my head out of sand and get back at it.  Warm ups on the bench felt great.  Everything popped and moved like it should.  Shirt felt good and tight.  With the weight loss, I had been belting the shirt a bit more than usual to get it just a pinch tighter.  In hindsight, being a few pounds heavier than in training, I shouldn’t have.  I should have left the belt off and went with it as is.  2^nd attempt I did just that and still it shot off the chest and I didn’t get my elbows flared quick enough to finish it.  Drove it straight back into the rack again and lost it.  Took a gamble to try and still qualify for the Arnold on my 3^rd.  I was going to give 615 a ride.  Pulled the shirt down just a bit but without belting it.  Still loose enough for me to ride the same spot but with a bit more weight to hopefully have more control.  Took it down to the right point and despite it coming off the chest well, lost it about 2board height as it drifted back over my face again.  And for the 3^rd time in a row, my training partners and spotters saved my life.  I love you guys!

With that, my meet was over.  But, it’s not my last meet.  I’ve changed a lot of things in this last training cycle.  I’ve changed bodyweight.  I’ve changed gear.  I’ve changed set ups.  To ride the line so close to hitting PRs, I know I’m making the right changes.  So what’s next?  I’m going to bring my weight up about 5-6lbs in the next 3-4 months.  In the next couple of months I’m going to refine my technique in the gear a bit while my strength is so high and it’s fresh in my mind.  From there I’m going to transition into a long offseason with the intention of hitting a raw meet early summer before getting back into the gear to find another meet to qualify for the Arnold.  That’s the plan.  I have to have a plan.  Within hours of waking up the day after the meet I was texting Paltos.  I had some thoughts but it was reassuring when I heard he was thinking something similar.

I’m healthy and not hurt.  It’s time to refocus and fix a few things.  I’m going to spend some time with my family.  Part of the 10/20/Life philosophy is the Life part.  Even though it talks about strength for a lifetime, it also means you can spend time on your life outside of training because you have a plan and program.  Training isn’t always fun.  Sometimes it out right sucks.  But when we focus so much on it, we have to take a step back and remember those that we may forget when training takes a priority.

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Low Country Strength

Will Kuenzel is the owner of Lowcountry Strength (www.LowcountryStrength.com) in Charleston, SC. Will started his athletic endeavors as a pole vault; finishing up his collegiate career with a best vault of 16’9” at a whopping 160lbs. He the track and field world to pursue bodybuilding, his first show in 2005, he won 1st place in Men’s Novice as a middle weight. One year later he took 2nd as a Men’s Junior heavy weight. Since 2007 he has been a competitive powerlifter and totaling elite as a 220lber. His best lifts in multiply equipment are a 710lbs squat, a 605lbs bench press, a 615lbs deadlift and a 1930 total. In 2008 Will started Lowcountry Strength out of his garage. Since then it has moved into a 16,000 sq/ft facility and shares space with a mixed martial arts studio. With all disciplines of powerlifting, strongman, MMA, jiu jitsu and other sports in the Charleston area getting trained under one roof, Will heads up the strength and conditioning for a wide variety of athletes and clients.

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