I am 6' and 230lbs currently, I stay about 8% year round. I no longer powerlift but I am getting the itch. I stopped competing b/c I got frustrated with the rampant use of powerlifting gear. With a raw bench of 425 and a suited lift of 475, I couldnt' compete with lifters more experienced with lifting gear, so I got discouraged. If I could find some guys to train with in Austin, I would probably compete again. I may get in a raw push/pull contest next year.
I dumped 475 in my last meet in 2004 and jacked up my left shoulder and elbow and it's popping its ugly head again. I was pressing 350-365 a couple of months ago and now I can barely press 225 without being crippled for days. Once I work that out I may enter a competition. I competed from age 14 to 26 on and off.
Oddly enough, I enjoy coaching more than competing these days. It's much more fulfilling for myself to help someone enter a contest than for me to do it. In that case two people win, and it's very exciting to point and say, "that's my athlete!"
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