Clark's Gym 1st Postal Meet – 2022

[Abe Smith]

We had a real nice turnout on Saturday morning – me, Janet Thompson, Tony Lupo, Tony Hose, Nick Frieders, and Travis Luther. Janet came in and finished before most of us weighed in. I forgot the most recent record book so we had an idea of what could have been record, but no one knew for sure. I do not know if Bill marked the lifts with records set that day or not.

The hold out and raise crushed many peoples dreams. Bill still has the longest down command of all time. He must use the “one Mississippi rule”. I think I came out on top with 80lbs. Very valiant showing on the part of all lifters. My old record of 31 lbs set 22 years ago got crushed by Nick – about damn time.

The swing was more fun, still a little humbling. I believe that Travis got 105 in the one arm swing and Nick was very close with a 100 lb swing. I think Tony Hose finished right around there as well. Tony Hose damn near broke out a light in the ceiling with his final mighty swing effort. Nick mastered the walk forward as the db swings up method of doing the swing. Travis has plans for learning to split under the lift – once he does I hope he shows me, my feet are too heavy to do any decent fast splits. I got up to 120 lbs. I tried 130 but I lost all control as the weight started to come head height. Appears Wagman will hold the record.

Everyone had a nice showing with the two barbell deadlift. I believe Janet got 150 lbs up which is quite the lift. Both Tony’s and Travis took token lifts as 2 out of the 3 needed to head out the door around 10 AM. I tried to stay with Nick and got to 430 lbs on the day. Nick finished, I think, with either 440 or 450. Regardless for a guy that weighed in at about 150 lbs and is about 5ft 10in that is some impressive lifting.

Tony Lupo and I stayed to complete the March leg of the other postal to appease the gym overlord. I did a kneeling curl of 105 lbs, 325 lbs front squat, a 165 lb no feet move “static” power snatch, did 235×4 on static power cleans, then finished up with 115 static clean for 19 reps in one minute. My shoulders are just too tight anymore to do a proper squat snatch. Tony did 75 lbs for 23 reps on the day. We both said we had enough for the day and left huffing and puffing for a solid 5 minutes afterwards.

On the way out John Carter came in to chat. He said he was real interested in coming to Eric’s for the National Heavy Lift meet. He told me his recent hip training lifts were reps with 2,000 lbs!!! So if you want to see the best neck lifter and one of the best ever hip lifters together the Heavy Lift Nats may be the place to do it!

I had camera/video issues throughout the day. What I did manage to get is on our Facebook page. Hope everyone gets their lifts in the door.

[KCSTRONGMAN]

Sounds like a fun day, Abe. KCSTRONGMAN did our lifts that same day. Me, Lance, big Leroy, Stacy and the kids all participated. The kids were the most impressive. Phoebe has some slick technique. much slicker than her old man…

I'm the lyrical Jesse James

[RJ]

I enjoy reading your enthusiasm. Makes me want to be there at Clark’s gym.

I did mine yesterday and was surprised with the results. Did not break my 2 bb dl record but I feel that I could have if I had the rest of the year to train, in other words, if it was a 4th quarter lift instead of a 1st quarter lift. Did a huge 5 lb jump in my rh swing and missed it but did better by 1 pound in the Holdout raised.

[Thom Van Vleck]

Abe, funny story on Bill’s time to give down or press commands. Wayne Smith was a lifter with the old Jackson Weightlifting Club and they were at a meet that had to be the early 60s so this was 60 years ago! Smith was doing the bench and Clark was giving the press command which was very, very…..very long. When Smith completed the lift he stood up and turned to Clark and said “What were you using to time that press command? An hour glass?” True story!

Thom Van Vleck
Jackson Weightlifting Club
Highland Games athlete and sometimes All-Rounder

[KCSTRONGMAN]

I remember my first strength meet was the show me games. was supposed to do push/pull, but sprained my ankle, so did bench only. The guy who I was training with at the time was a former national level USAPL lifter, and he was surprised by the inordinate amount of time it took for me to get the press command. I guess this was a lesson for me in attending any of Clarks meets. On the flip side of the coin, I had been asked for a few years to officiate a high school powerlifting meet. They always put me on squats. Lots of kids bombed out for depth (and many of those were Kearney kids). The head coach told me he loved having me there, as kids would get to experience what national judging would be. a couple months later at a track meet a kid told me I made lots of kids mad at that meet. What did they want, a gift?!?!? I have always tried to be fair, but ere on the side of the lifter. Walk the fine line between being Johnny red light and Johnny green light. Aint going to please everybody, just do the best that we can…

I'm the lyrical Jesse James

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