WPC Open Challenge Meet Recap- Shane Ford

[wa-wps]

Adam Driggers is keeping his retirement casual by still out-lifting active lifters on occasion. Shane Ford is training to compete at the SoFit Expo here in Jacksonville Fl. Filipe Gusmao is going through an offseason cycle prior to competing again.

August 28 & 29, our home town, Jacksonville , Florida played host to the SoFit Expo. The Expo brought CrossFit, The Strongest Woman in the World, The WPC Open Challenge, and several running events. Channing and I both competed at the WPC Open Challenge, directed by Wayne Pullem, and located in the beautiful Prime Osbourn Convention Center, in Downtown Jax. Here is my day unfolded.

Training leading up to the meet went very well. My squat and deadlift were all felling good. My bench was felling the same as the meet prior. I was having some shoulder inflammation and elbow tendonitis that flared up hard toward the end of the training cycle and we adjusted as best we could.

 

The set up was very nice. Big warm up area, decent warm up equipment, and plenty of time. Getting warmed up, everything was moving fast, nothing ached, and I was mentally locked in. I was next to last in the flick, with my first attempt at 749.5 lbs. Normally I screw my first squat up, and make it hard for myself. Got down, got back up. Easy peasy.

I am in the fortunate position to be able to have Jon Byrd, and Brian Carroll call my numbers. The less thinking I do in these situation, the better it is for me. That and, they see my training first hand an know where to go, and when to go there. Jon called for 804.6. I had hit 805 in training a few times leading up to this event, and this would have been a 75 lb meet PR.  Got down, got back up. No lift, 2-1. I beat my up call by just a smidge. I could kick myself in the ass all day for this one. Just a bit more patience, and I”d have had it.

The lift moved well enough, that we were confident in going to 827. It felt just like the 805 on my back, on the way down. Not so much on the way up. I missed it about 2/3 the way up and got forward, and the spotters took it.

Benching is my worst lift. Not by a little bit. By a mile. After warming up and putting on a really loose bench shirt, I was mostly pain free in my elbow and shoulder. It was time to get to work. We started with 405, which was a lift that I could hit on my worst day. It was very easy, as intended. We called my second attempt at 452, and went after it. It was nearly as easy as my opener.

By this time, my elbow started flaring up. There was a lot of conversation about getting in a tighter shirt which I initially started working in this training cycle. After deciding to stay in the looser shirt, we went 485, and I missed it at about the two board level. I’m going to have to change a few things in my training and recovery regimen leading up to a meet to avoid the issues that put me in the position I was in at the meet.

 

Deadlifting, is generally on the other side of benching for me, and, most always goes pretty well. Today was no exception. Last meet, by the time deadlifts came around, I was gassed. I had nothing left and only hit my opener. This time we decided to open similarly to the way I did last meet, having done a few things in the offseason and pre meet training to make sure my conditioning was up, we were looking for better results. Opening at 605, as it should be it was easy.

With this lift moving a easy as it did, and my meet PR being 640, we knew a PR was very close. Jon and Brian called for 650. I started with my upper body over the bar, and had to fight it hard back to lock out. 3 whites for a 10 lb PR.

Having secured a PR, and being really close to a meet PR, we decided to go for broke. 672 was the weight on the bar this time. it would be a 22 lb PR from the prior lift. I only remember two things about the lift. 1, I remember SPECIFICALLY the sound and echo it made in the room when Brian gave me the double wake up call slap, and 2, the spotter/loader in front of me telling me to speak to the bar as I stepped on the platform. Well, apparently I spoke to the bar pretty well. Three whites for a PR pull and PR total.

Final lift of the day. 672 plus a little hitch at the top. I couldn't see the lights from the stage, so I had to wait till Driggers announced it over the PA. 27 lb deadlift PR and 21 lb goal PR. Finished with 1876. Huge thanks to @onlythestrong275 and @briancarroll81 for squaring my training away, and slapping the shit out of me when I needed it. And another huge thanks to @jasonkowalewski @filipegusmao for making sure @channingdoyle and I had everything we needed to compete. Last, but certainly not least, my wife and family deserve a huge thanks for putting up with my shit and the long hours at the gym. #squat #benchpress #deadlift #dtwd #health #fit #strong #instagood #bodybuilding #gym #instahealth #photooftheday #workout #wod #weightlifting #train #training #tentwentylife #teamsamson #powerlifting #fitness #fitspo #fitfam #beardgang #1020l #1020life

A post shared by Shane Ford (@smford85) on

 

I had a good day despite going 6/9, AGAIN. I totaled 1872 fro a 17 lb meet PR. If I get my crap together and go 8/9, or maybe 9/9, I could put something together. I was very pleased with the way the day went and the total I hit considering how my bench training went.

 

A huge shout out to Jason Kowelewski, for the A+ handling and kneewraps. Filipe Gusmao, Clint Smith, and Conrad Dove for being around making sure everything Channing and I needed was taken care of. To Brian and Jon for no only overseeing my training, but overseeing my meet as well. There is no way that I’d be hitting the numbers I am with out their guidance. To Adam Driggers, for hosting our training three days a week, and being a killer announcer at the meet. Without him, there would be no Team Samson. To Keith Price, Paul Key, Channing Doyle, Wayne Pullem and the rest of Team Samson who are there day in and day out spotting, loading and wrapping knees.

 

And a final special thank you to my Wife, and Kid, and the rest of the family who came out to support the team. They have to put up with the meets, late training nights, long drives, weight cuts, and all the other crap that goes along with this crazy journey. It is they who give me the drive to be better, every day.

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Team Samson Powerlifting

Team Samson was founded by Adam Driggers who built the Team Samson compound. Some of the biggest names in powerlifting have trained with Team Samson including Dondell Blue, Al Caslow, and Gary Frank. What began as a small group of members has grown into an accomplished team of lifters that continue to chase after new strength gains. Team Samson is made up of pro lifters Brian Carroll, Clint Smith, and Jonathan Byrd along with lifters in various stages of their lifting career including Adam Driggers, Keith Price, Filipe Gusmão, Mike Holman, Paul Key, Shane Ford, Shane Shepperd, and Tony Garland.
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