Okie Crew and others...

[Mac Sledge]

Just thought I would finally jump in here. After much prodding from Benchmonster I would like to introduce myself.

I probably subscribe to the bodybuilder look over the powerlifter but I think we can all learn from each other. I will run down my pathetic stats in the near future.

The Benchmonster just happens to be my brother

Mac

 

[k1401]

welcome aboard!

 

[Geno_O]

Welcome! Hang around long enough and the PL'ing bug will
bite you.

 

[benchmonster]

Glad you finally said Hi to the group.

Mac Sledge is not a powerlifter, guys, but he is very strong and athletic. Probably one of the few on the board that can dunk a basketball. Also a Hell of a softball player and quite a guy. He happens to be my real life brother, and can attest to the pathetic puny creature I used to be.

B.

 

[I'D RATHER BE DEADLIFTING]

What's this used to be talk? You are still quite puny and pathetic. Don't be so hard on yourself.


Welcome aboard. Bunch of great guys and positive attitudes on here. You will be a powerlifter in no time. Mwuahahhahahhaha(evil laugh)

 

[Deciever]

welcome!

 

[Screwball]

Always good to welcome another Okie onto the board. Good luck, Mac Sledge!

 

[CytoMel]

Welcome to the forum!!

 

[latinus_spicticus]

Don't take this personally, I am just asking this out of curiousity...

"The Dunking Issue"

Before I begin, please let me say that I am only 5'11", 215lbs, and can squat around 450 (olympic squat style). I have always squatted with a narrow stance, I could never get the hang of a wide "power squat" stance. However, my glutes and lower back are very developed. I can easily dunk a basketball. I can jump off of both legs with no start and do it, I can take a couple of steps and dunk off of my right foot. Oh, and I am white.

The deal is-- I have always been under the assumption that people who are strong squatters (and aren't extremely short or overweight) have good vertical jumps. Based on that assumption, I would have to disagree that there is a lack of people on this (powerlifting) board that can dunk a basketball. Its nothing major, just the first time I've really heard someone say to a group of powerlifters that they cannot jump. ANYWAY, I just assumed that most of the guys here could dunk based on their listed squat maxes (I am probably average to below average). I have also heard that PL/Oly lifters have better 20 yrd dash times than most sprinters. That may or may not be correct, it is just what I have read/heard.

Not making a big deal out of a little thing, the topic just sort of interested me. Oh, and welcome to the board, Mac Sledge.

 

[Deciever]

latinus- i can dunk a mini basketball on an 8'5" net, top that hot shot btw, im white, i have no "ups" at all, and im only 5'5

 

[benchmonster]

In response to latinus spicticus,

As a rule, powerlifters are short. I am. Many on the board are under 6 feet tall, and many are over 200 lbs. I am one who is well under 6 feet, and have not seen the sub 200's in some time. Taller (over 6 feet) powerlifters tend to be heavy, because they have to be in order to maximize leverage for the powerlifts. My training partners are both over 6 feet, and one of them is 300+ and the other one is close and will be over 300 by Christmas.

I doubt many of the guys on here, who are five eight or so, are dunking basketballs. I also doubt many people over 275 lbs on the board are dunking basketballs, so I think it is safe to say not many hear can dunk.

Go to a powerlifting meet some time, and look at how many competitors appear to be able to jump well. I can squat more than I ever have, both olympic as well as powerlifting style. When I was in college, and much lighter than now, I could grab the rim. Now, no way. Too heavy.

Good squatters can jump well unless they are short or overweight. But good squatters tend both to be short and overweight.

That is why I said that.

B.

 

[bigokie]

Welcom aboard....Look forward to meeting you at the Dungeon. Even if you are a BB. HAHAHA

 

[powerlifterjay]

Welcome aboard Mac Sledge! I look forward to hearing some of benchmonsters war stories! If your half as crazy as he is then i can only imagine the shit ya'll have been in!

Welcome.

 

[benchmonster]

Mac is much calmer than I am. He has a few war stories, but they are mostly about being around when I went off the handle. If he comes back on here sometime, he can tell you about the first time his wife went on a drive with us (before she was the Mrs.) We had a little adventure with a convenience store clerk who thought it would be a good idea to flip me off.

I was driving and did not see it, but his girlfriend told me what had happened behind my back. Mac Sledge's response, even before I had a chance to say a word, was, Öh shit, you shouldn't have told him that!!!" Pulling a tire squeeling 360 to go back after the guy was probably not the way to make a good first impression on his soon to be wife.

She married him anyway, and neither one of us went to jail, so I guess everything went well. Mac went to the same college I went to, and got there after I left. He used to tell me stories that he heard about things I had done. It was funny, most were based in fact, but by the time they got to him, they were so overblown it was really hilarious to hear them. Hopefully he will share a few.

B.

 

[Mac Sledge]

Dunking and such...

I think people can either jump or they can't. I have read and seen many workouts where people can increase vertical leap and while I think one can improve there isn't a tried and true system that will add 6+ inches to anyone's vertical.

Of course none of you care about vertical so I will stop there.

To give you a rundown of my stats I am 6'2" 220lbs. I have been up to 250lbs before which was about half more muscle and half more fat and it was attributable to proper supplementation.

My brother has introduced me for the most part to powerlifting. His genetics are more geared to lifting heavier weights but I am not using that as an excuse. Like I stated before I just prefer more of a bodybuilding physique.

My other problem is I don't have a good facilities to workout in. The town in which I live has exactly 1 place to workout and its a "Wellness Center". Also I don't live close enough to "the Dungeon" to get workouts in there either.

However, I am working on securing a new workout place and if I can I hope to start a summer of Westside.

Mac

PS. I do remember the guy who flipped my brother off. Dude wouldn't come from behind the counter when he called him out and actually the Frito Lay guy ran us off.

 

[Screwball]

I'm not a thief, mind you! But in a similar situation I may have hi-jacked a case of beer on my way out. A small payback for the inconvenience the clerk caused me, you know.

 

[benchmonster]

Good idea Screwball,

The reason that we left without pulling the clerk through a knothole though, was because the Frito guy was going to call the cops. Wa-hooing beer may have not been the best idea under the circumstances.

Funny thing was, I was at the movies that weekend and saw that clerk again. I was not driving, and had Mrs. Benchmonster stop the car. I walked up to the clerk planning on not saying shit, just smashing his face in, and the damn theatre had a cop working security who I saw about 10 feet before I got to the bastard. Saved by the bell twice.

Oh well, maybe I was lucky. He might have been a ninja or something and really have whooped my ass. Ya never know.

B.

 

[Cubanito17]

WELCOME ABOARD benchmonster is this another one that can twist me into a pretzel too. I can't wait til 6 years from now I'll have to make sure to keep posting pics as me and my brother get bigger. He's 15.

 

[latinus_spicticus]

You make some good points, benchmonster.

I feel like a dumbass because, as you point out, most powerlifters who are over 5'8" are usually 242+lbs. Obviously this is because the leverage needed to compete makes it necessary for guys who are taller to get really heavy.

I am not hardcore enough (yet) to put on 50 more pounds of bodyweight in order to compete, but I do consider myself a powerlifter as I train using the westside principles. I was under the impression that most guys here were similar to me. Maybe there are more hardcore dudes on the board than I thought.

 

[benchmonster]

Most that post on this board compete. If that is your definition of hardcore, then this is a very hardcore group. I personally am five foot seven, and have to watch what I eat pretty closely to stay in the 220's. Next year I will probably move up to 242. Not to much jumping going on here.

Great to have your input, and keep at it, if you desire to compete, get up there and do it. Once you have done one, then I cannot imagine not wanting to come back and do a bunch more.

B.

 

[latinus_spicticus]

Thanks for the support, benchmonster. Actually, I have competed in powerlifting and I did enjoy it very much. My first meet was a NASA meet when I was 11 years old. I benched 105, deadlifted 135 and squatted 155. I placed second in my class, which had two lifters in it! Hehehe. I've lifted weights since I was 9 years old, but I wrestled and played football through the end of high school and never really got into powerlifting again until I discovered westside. I want to enter a meet later this year just to get back into the game and for fun. I live in Kansas, so I will probably have to travel to missouri, oklahoma or texas to be able to find a decent meet.

 

[Deciever]

those were good lifts for an 11 year old... very good.. what are they at now?

 

[benchmonster]

Don't know what kind of shape you are in right now, but the best powerlifting meet West of Florida is going to be held in Eufala Cove, Eufala, Oklahoma on July 6th. It is a bench meet, anything up through double ply allowed, should be at least one 600 lbs bencher, many 500 + including two from the Okie crew, and after the meet there is a bikini contest that will blow your mind.

Last year a college cheerleader won it, and my god, she could have won on any stage anywhere. It is a great time. My favorite event of the year. There will be well over 2,000 people there and over 100 lifters.

And those are outstanding numbers for a kid. By the way, where in Kansas? If you live in southern Kansas, and the drive is not too long, you are welcome to train with us in the Dungeon. The okie crew tries to get together about once per month at least for a bench session in my dungeon. Bring your courage, and nothing else, I provide the food and drinks.

If you are interested pm me.

B.

 

[latinus_spicticus]

Deciever, I floor pressed today. Got a triple with 405. The last time I flat benched, I did 4 sets of 5 with 325. I sumo deadlifted 495 for 3 the last time I deadlifted. I have no idea what my squat is, I haven't done any heavy squatting since my disc got f'd up a few months ago. The heaviest I have ever done was 520 for a set of 3, that was in august.

Benchmonster, I go to KU. I have been living in Andover (southern ks) since finals were over but I am going back for the fourth of july so there is no way I could make the meet. Even if I could, screwball would probably try to kill me. Thanks anyway.

 

[Screwball]

Now why would I want to kill you, latinus spicticus? I can overlook the fact that you are a Jayhawk. You are welcome to train with the Okie Crew anytime you want. Let's set something up.

 

[benchmonster]

Screwball and I both went to OU, and we get along just fine with bigokie who goes to OSU, so if we can put up with a Cowboy, I am sure we can keep from killing a Jayhawk.

If you are ever wanting to come down, either for a meet or to train, we have a big bench session on Sundays, just let me know. I have someone over to train, almost every sunday. The Okie crew as often as possible and on the sundays we can't all get together, I usually have some locals over. You are welcome here anytime.

B.

 

[latinus_spicticus]

You guys are so damn cool. Powerlifters are hard to find around here, friendly ones are even more rare. My brother lives in Texas anyway, so next time I drive down to visit him I'll let you know and try to set up a time so I can get schooled by some real lifters. I've never lifted with elite guys before, I am sure it will be nothing but an awesome experience to meet and train with you all. Thanks again for your invitation and the help you've given me on the board, it is sincerely appreciated.

Peace.

 

[benchmonster]

None of us have totalled "Elite", yet. but we are elite regarding the elitefitness sight. We would be more than happy to have you down any time. Just let me or Screwball, or bigokie know when you are coming down.

BTW, I met both bigokie and Screwball through this site, and I now consider them some of my very best freinds in the world. Powerlifters are in general some of the best people on the planet. They will literally give you the shirt off their backs if yours blows out. Try finding that kind of comeraderie and good spirit in another sport.

B.