We know Larry was one of the greatest lifters of all time, but not much is known about many. I was the Meet Director for this event and I would like to put to rest this issue (if possible). I also was a shotput and discus thrower and won Athlete of the Year in New York in 1964. My training put me at 835-580-800-2215. Best Lifts: Bridges weighed just. Squat: 395kg/870lb It took 29 years for someone to break this raw bench record mark, set by a man that looked like a clerk at Home Depot. Mike Bridges, age 50, captured multiple IPF Master's 2 (50+) World Records last weekend at the USAPL Men's Nationals. not screwing up in front of the WORLD. Guess we will never know for sure since neither one of us heard it first hand. Wouldn't it still be a Masters National USAPL record? Mine was over first. Who cares what brand of bar it was loaded on?! Third, to the IPF, if you do take the records away, ask yourself why there are all these feds and why lifters are constantly jumping from fed to fed. Mike's lifts are pending on the IPF website. I would think you would have everything ready to go at least a week out. fed ex, several people with bars in ATTENDANCE who could have had fed ex deliver them, there's NO EXCUSE in this day and age. Every so often an athlete shows an exceptional talent in his sport that baffles the mind. GIVE ME A BREAK. I felt good that morning and was ready to push it. Against my good judgment I took it again. All rights reserved. In powerlifting we have had lifters such as Pacifico who many times totaled more than the heavyweights in the early years of powerlifting. But just how much horsepower and torque do athletes gain? Perfect I went around and took off my coat made a pillow out of it then took off my watch, laid it down, and fell sound to sleep. If this is your first visit, be sure to One of the nicest menin the power lifting game. The one thing that keeps Lee from the world record total is a poor deadlift. I invited several well-known lifters of that time: the great Mike Bridges, Terry Dillard, Dave Waddington, Steve Wilson, and Mark Chaillet. I'm sure if anything does happen like records being reversed, the people who are invloved will only use this as motivation to exceed their previous lifts. Wow. George Hechter (Birth date: august 14, 1961). Be it football, hockey, basketball etc, all the organizations have license fees payed to them for everything from clothes to what glove, stick etc will be used, and in return they are the only vendors allowed to sell or have equipment used. Mike Bridges - 512 lb Raw Bench @ 181 lbs (232.5 @ 82.5 kgs) 2,478 views Aug 19, 2016 35 Dislike Share Save Lexington Plummer 1.52K subscribers From the 1982 USPF Sr Nat'ls, Mike Bridges. WAS THE PAPER IT WAS WRITTEN ON WAS THE RIGHT SIZE! SPECIAL. A prodigy of the great Larry Pacifico. they had TIME TO FIX THIS. We both didn't try to make weight. They had time to get another bar!!! And it's still very hard for me to write after all these years. 1985 Mens Senior Nationals lift on, stay young, and live to enjoy it! I got a shot under my left armpit and I didn't feel anything for three days in that arm (it's called an arm block). Dan has benched 400lb in his class when most men in his class were approaching the 600lb barrier . [/quote] While I was there, in came a man from Texas who got his hand ground up in a meat grinder. how long did u have the bar before you opened it? Putt Houston. now with more Bom Chicka Wahwahhhhhh. If this is how the IPF treats their lifters it's no wonder that the WPC Eurasian Cup has 635 lifters pre- registered to lift! (365.5 kg). Everything else is the liquid inside the glass. Bars don't grow on trees, what would you have done in this situation? Most will remember the latest and greatest like Hoff, Frankel, Conan and Bridges. [quote=An IPF member]I have a Texas Power Bar and it weighs 20kg. (course they also did drug tests on mike but odds are those won't be a problem). I checked the rules on the USAPL site and they just referenced the IPF rules. Ron Collins who would mostly lift at 181 and you were mostly a 198 and there was a lot of talk of a match between you.Larry: Yes, it would be at 198, but never happened.Lou: You won nine worlds starting in 1971, it ended at Wisconsin in 1980. yes. Or will the USAPL overlook something again? Brand spankin new bar, just no center knurling. When squatting is being talked about , you can be sure that Hatfield will be named at the top. For example, at a drug-tested meet in 2002, Mike Booker squatted 551 pounds but weighed just 132 pounds. The TPB was usewd because it DID have center knurlings. My hand was slipping off the bar when it hit. Powerlifting had one federation, one national champion, Gaynor said. Mike's. Joe "The Lad" Ladnier Mississippi Monster, Free Shipping with a $69 qualifying order. So as we got off the plane Paul was waiting for us to step off the plane. Mike was in powerlifting from the first days of the IPF in the early 1970s. I slept on the flight down and drifted in and out for the next eight hours, but I was able to watch most of the operation not only mine but both of the other two as well. NO ONE HAD THE RIGHT BARS!! Hewon nine consecutive IPF World Powerlifting Championships from 1971-1979 (198-pound to 242-pound weight classes) and set 54 world records during his powerlifting career. He has broken over 100 combined Nationals and World Records in his storied career. Some have tested and non-tested divisions; others randomly test a minimum of 10 percent of their lifters; and the rest the majority, in fact dont test at all. the lousy knurling on ivanko bars is now a serious problem and despite their paying of the fee, ipf should seriously consider kicking those bars out UNLESS they can be corrected to have more sufficient knurling. A week later Mac and I were on a jet headed for Los Angeles. Just lift it! My boyfriend was in the area on Thursday afternoon when several referees told the Technical Sec that something was wrong with the bar and they were told it was OK, it was an old Ivenko Bar. i still want to be muscular also. The bar used was the correct weight & configuration. Everyone knows that politics are stupid when it comes between a person and a hard earned accomplishment but if they let it stand then everyone will say "hey, what could have so-n-so done on a Texas Power bar instead of those whippy Ivankos?" Good post, ya old fart! He said, "I will be in a minute." [quote=Anonymous]And squating without center knurling??? I trained Mac for a year. 2. I won on bodyweight after John missed a third deadlift. I ran to a restaurant and grabbed some napkins and ran to the gate just in time to board. TPB makers stood to gain by keeping the sponsorship fee up, after all, it's a BUSINESS.[/quote]. I'm sure if anything does happen like records being reversed, the people who are invloved will only use this as motivation to exceed their previous lifts. [/quote]The Ivanko bars were not used because they arrived from the manufacturer without center knurlings. Did the meet director think for one moment all the WORLD RECORDS unassailable at the MEN'S NATIONALS? I lifted my hands up and that's when I saw it. Then Ronnie Ray from Texas and a guy they called Mel Hennessey of Minnesota. One time while weighing in Larry was standing on one foot just to bug him. We assumed that the manufacturer sent us the approved/correct bars. Its 2016 and this year marks the end of my first 50 years in powerlifting. And then one day it was over.Larry: Yes I have had 16 surgeries from powerlifting including one freak accident when I almost cut my fingers off when I dropped a bar on myself.Lou: I know you were one of the first to sell power knee wraps and suits.Larry: Yes. It is one thing to beat someone by all those he beat, so we want to remember him too. I have seen a lot in 50 years as powerlifting has introduced me to all of my friends as well as most good and bad memories. Squat: 405kg/892.87lb It was a bold move, because the USPF was popular its competitions were even nationally televised. Go ahead, it's okay. Reply . wouldnt u think for a comp that big, that everything would be above board, regardless of what you think the rules should be? About 45ish I began to realize that I couldn't recover from that frequency any more. [/quote] if you're meant to be in this sport, you are already more durable over the years than most gym lifters. Deadlift: 365kg/804.69lb. Tragedy struck again on our way back to Dayton. I've never really changed anything. on USA SOIL! There was no money meets back then.Lou: What motivated you back then?Larry: A strong desire to be the best and win all the time at anything. Had Wade Hooper eclipsed his squat record, for example, which was also QUITE possible, then what would this meet director say! Privacy Policy. Will Democrats Rally Behind President Biden In 2024? We can still make new gains and new PR's well into our master careers but we have to listen to what our bodies are telling us more. Steve Powell has uploaded video of the first two squat attempts of powerlifting legend and pre-meet favorite, Mike Bridges (198), at the USAPL CON-CRET Raw Challenge at the Arnold Classic. . This time I lowered it a bit faster. Now that is damning testimony if I have ever heard it. There was a two-hour weigh-in and no round system. Today, there are about eight larger federations and tens of smaller ones. Tony Carpino agreed to fly in and ref and help out. American Drug-Free Powerlifting Federation, 2008 American Physiological Society study, How The Federal Reserve Is The Shadow Branch Of The Government, Why Original Predictions About The War In Ukraine Were So Off. Larry: Yes. It went all the way down except for about half an inch. On another note, the IPF will truly commit a crime if they take Mike's records due to this smallest of technicalities. The bar used was the correct weight & configuration. What Powerlifting Tells Us About The Effects Of PEDs. [quote=Travis Werner]I really hope the IPF overlooks this and lets the record stand. Records should not have to be sacrificed because of this. We landed in St. Louis five hours later. This is powerlifting not Olympic weightlifting no need for some Broz type of nonsense. When planning ahead for the meet today, I had to ask myself if I was capable of creating conditions in which records could be set and make it known to the lifters who entered the meet today whether the conditions in which they would find would or was not condusive to setting any records. Collectively, the disparities in competition averages and world records between tested and non-tested powerlifters are about what most studies say they should be. Something like this should never have been overlookedEVER ! That all said, heres how the average lifters totals (squat, bench press, dead lift) at the competitions compare. The meet director did the best he could given the circumstances and the pass given with the equipment presented for inspection. Sam is a world record holder in the 275lb class with a lift of 639lb in the bench press. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Deadlift: 320kg/705.48lb. Steroids have been clearly shown to increase muscle mass, and theres a direct correlation between muscle cross-sectional area and the ability to produce force, said Brad Schoenfeld, an exercise scientist at the City University of New Yorks Lehman College. I seem to remember Mike Bridges getting stiffed on a squat at the USAPL Nationals in 2004. they can replace usapl, remember? He has broken over 100 combined Nationals and World Records in his storied career. they're listed as pending cause someone turned in teh record forms and until ipf looks into this, they're pending. Welcome to the club, Mike. [quote=Brian Mc][quote=Travis Werner]I really hope the IPF overlooks this and lets the record stand. I've never really changed anything. My training as a 65er back in the day was pretty intense and with pretty good results. Everyone knows that politics are stupid when it comes between a person and a hard earned accomplishment but if they let it stand then everyone will say "hey, what could have so-n-so done on a Texas Power bar instead of those whippy Ivankos?" In football, the drugs can help a fullback break through what would have been a tackle; in baseball, they can help a pitcher take a 95 mph fastball to 98 mph (and also help him recover between starts). It was a great trip home. Ed did one bodybuilding show as a teenager but he did not like the idea of losing weight, he wanted to become as big as possible. I went 760, 810, 832. The International Powerlifting Federation Hall of Fame began in 1978 to recognize powerlifters who had competed in the IPF and officials who had shaped the IPF. Mike entered his first power lifting competition in 1976 and broke a world record in his very first competition. But while he was doing amazing feats of strength, Larry also was always making a judge, Jerom Weiss, mad. We had a five-hour layover. Wow! Former IPF world record holder in the bench press from the USA Mike MacDonald, 69, died Tuesday, January 9th 2018 in Eveleth, Minnesota after a long illness. Show Printable Version; 04-21-2012, 04:33 PM #1. So when we landed I told Mac that I needed to find a place to sleep. It's about $'s! Use was rampant, but that didnt mean every lifter wanted to pump himself full of chemicals. Bench: 280kg/617.29lb Back then I was a big man with a big chest. How are you doing Roger?! A winner of five world championships and several world record. They were called Spanjam. I checked my watch and I had only 10 minutes to make my flight. Whats more, nearly every powerlifter who competed at the U.S. competition and went on to the IPF event saw a significant drop.2. They run around $140 a piece, and I dont want to pass the cost onto the lifters, because I honestly think that the majority of elite guys in the sport just dont care that much anymore. It is said the that the road of good intentions a paved with, On October 4, 1980 I lifted at a meet in Dayton, Ohio that I promoted. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. We took off and I told him what happened. If dan can get his bench together, lookout! When you talk about bench pressing, I have to enter Teds name for he is the only other person to do what I have done , bench press in excess of 700lb. IF they used the same Texas Power Bars for that WOMEN's MEET, THE WORLD RECORDS THERE TOO ARE NOW NOT VALID. You've probably never heard of him, but he's one of the strongest men who's ever lived, and he was a powerlifting god in the early 1980s. I just went to a baseball game and payed $18 for a lousy $10 hat. Putt Houston. now with more Bom Chicka Wahwahhhhhh, http://usapowerliftingforum.com/cgi-bin/config.pl?read=12709. The rule said small jump of 2.5 kg would nullify a third and that is how I lost the bid for my 10th world championship.Lou: Tell us about your most memorable world championship.Larry: That would be my first in 1971 against John Kanter. I think it'd be more like shooting the jockey because he was wearing the wrong silks lol! I realize that rules are rules but, don't shoot the horse because the jockey was overweight. Then, around the mid-70s, people realized that taking huge doses increased their lifts, said Bob Gaynor, a powerlifting historian and competitive lifter from the era. I envied Larry for having such good training partners and a coach like Bob Matz. Mike was the superlative powerlifter. I was completely drained. ive seen a little on his training also here it goes. Fred is the total squatter, his squats range from 918lb thorugh 100b. 3 Star CrossFit. I wore my ProKinetics Insoles to my first competition at the 2009 Pan American Games and I beat my previous world record in squat by 87 pounds. Lee not only squatted 1003, but he has bench presses 617.4 to give him the highest subtotal in history of power lifting. [quote=Jack Marcus]I do not understand why the IPF is being bashed over this unfortunate incident. By this time I was pouring sweat and time was running out. Within the circuits of power lifting, Mike is known as The Legend. At 198 he went 450-315-440 to win. I hope it wasnt 45lbs cos USAPL/IPF rules stipulate metric measures When we discovered the mistake we did the best we could and used the bar that was available. [quote=Anonymous]My boyfriend was in the area on Thursday afternoon when several referees told the Technical Sec that something was wrong with the bar and they were told it was OK, it was an old Ivenko Bar. Peoria, IL. How about a total of 2105 lb at 181lb body weight. Looking back, I have seen all the best lifters of the past 50 years. When they had reattached my finger weeks earlier, they put a long pin through the top of the finger. Bob Matz would judge meets and was down right scary to look at. I must have said 5 pounds which was a 2.5kg jump[MCJ2]. Rogers post about changing the frequency of training seems to fit. HOWEVER for a meet director at an IPF qualifier - and the supposed FLAGSHIP event, the men's nationals, to NOT have proper IPF bars and weights for world record breaks is UNTHINKABLE. As a lifter who has done both USAPL and IPF meets, I suspect you will be denied your records as they both are inflexible and it's the rule book. Powerlifting champion and Hall of Famer Mike Bridges has officially endorsed KT Tape as his choice for pain relief and muscle support. I am aware of the wrong bar that was shipped because I warmed up with it in the warm up room. The power lifts are the bench press, squat and dead lift. I suddenly woke up startled and couldn't remember where I was. Larry Pacifico is widely regarded as one of the greatest powerlifters of all time. I am aware of the wrong bar that was shipped because I warmed up with it in the warm up room. In powerlifting, competitors vie to lift the heaviest weight possible for one rep. What did this meet director think? Fantastic story. Mac Richards drove down and took Carol home. Sure, some bars are exactly the same but some payed a license fee to the IPF and some did not--they have a choice. It's unfortunate that an error like this had to happen, but the bar we were using was just fine!! That's total that maybe one other lifter has approached. I wonder how it would feel to have a 700+ pound bar slide down your back. This will be different for different people as we are all genetically different as to how we age. And Don Reinhoudt the SHW world champ. I couldn't sleep on the flight. Mike Bridges - 755 lb Deadlift @ 181 lbs (342.5 @ 82.5 kgs) Lexington Plummer 1.59K subscribers 3.8K views 6 years ago Mike Bridges deadlifts 755 lbs on his third attempt to consolidate a. screw it. only thing worse than being old is being an old fart. Yes, a 198 weighed 198 not 225 at meet time with todays 24-hour weigh-ins.I recall weighing less after a meet back in those days. Mike won the second most prestigious national powerlifting in 1977 when he won the Junior National Powerlifting Championships. @Michael_Easter, Steroids (6 posts) Mike Bridges (1982) WORLD RECORD (181 lbs / 82.5 kg) POWERLIFTING TOTAL 954.5 KG . My friend Eric Stuber and the two side spotters couldn't even react in time. 3. your body doesn't suddenly break down cause you broke the 40 yo barrier. That being said, steroids, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), clenbuterol and other banned substances dont make an athlete more skilled at his sport they amplify skills he already has. Why?? Within three hours I was on the operating table. to the meet director - sorry this sounded so strong. I said, "Are you all right Mac?" Michael. Jesse Rodgers, I agree. Mike Bridges ( Birth date: february 1, 1957) Who is that? Bridges' squat of 711 pounds, bench of 512 pounds, and total of 1,896 pounds are all new 198 class World Records. And I won the worlds. He said, "Okay, just be sure you're at the gate in time." This means they have to use IPF-approved equipment on the platform. some even fresh from factory seem unduly "slick"! [/quote] Author: Staff. To this day 37 years later, I don't know why I tried to bail out from that bar. As promised, I left with Mac to coach him at the World Masters in Victorville. why someone running a meet like this waits to the last second anyway is a damned good question. The squats went well. Bench: 160kg/352.74lb(WR) And they probably DID! Place Fed Date Location Competition Division Age Equip Class Weight Squat Bench Deadlift Total Dots; DQ: USAPL: 2010-03-05: USA-OH: Con-Cret Raw Challenge: MR-M: 53: Raw: 90 Really, then what would you have done if the meet director, technical sec were standing together when they opened the box from Ivanko to find the wrong bar had been sent? they say he found out thursday. In my opinion, it's a horrible situation all the way around. I guess he got too much publicity and I wanted to crush him. The Hall of Fame began with just male lifters and officials, but started including female lifters since 1987. . Source: As told by Larry Pacifico from Pacifico Power Systems (July 2017) On October 4, 1980 I lifted at a meet in Dayton, Ohio that I promoted. Yeah he was right. It's unfortunate that an error like this had to happen, but the bar we were using was just fine!! At meets a certain aura surrounded you.Larry: My first rival was Joe Weinstein. if i were running the damned thing, i'd be double checking EVERYTHING. If they were lifetime PR's for you as well, then even greater congratulations are indeed in order! We had a rivalry in the early 70s.Lou: Before we get into your powerlifting life, did you ever play other sports? Dr. Kunitz would go back and forth from one to the other to the other. The meet always attracted the very best lifters in the country and 1978's version was no exception. It is the one meet I would EXPECT to see someone do a good record break! Multi Time World Champion. Ted did 705lb., a record! But there is one man that comes to mind that was contested by the fact he could be beaten on a bad day if someone else had a great day. Good luck to all of them. 1984Mens USPF Senior Nationals: Many powerlifters even on high level don't train more than 3-5 times a week. [/quote] Bridges missed three squats of 562 pounds. Best Lifts: As I'm now fast closing on 49 I find my biggest problem is not overtraining, but under-recovering. The guys in the lighter . [/quote] (course they also did drug tests on mike but odds are those won't be a problem). Strength is like a glass, said lifting coach Brett Jones, who is considered one of the best trainers in the country. This happened to Mike Bridges. Our flight out of LA was fine. $29.95 each. So in a desperate effort, I rolled to my left and the fucking pin pulled all the way out. To many, the author included, a case can be made for Bridges being among the best three lifters in the history of the sport. Mike's best official lift was 608 made in 1977. It's NOT a 45lb bar. "Reports have surfaced that the IPF will take those records from Bridges,,,,,," In the meantime, Dan has squatted 960lb and has made valid attempts to be the first with 900 in the deadlift. Just what do I mean? When joining the IPF the USAPL agreed to follow the rules in place, not some of them or just the ones we like etc. Well, if you have ever lifted with an Eleiko or Leoko bar, they are similar to a Texas, so I would state this wouldn't be that big of a deal and a DL record set on a TPB vs. an Ivanko is arguably harder to hold on to and more distance traveled. Best Lifts: Where are my safety guys screaming about that? He started lifting at 58 and was that one-in-a-thousand who had that Special Super Strength. Assistance work may have consisted of a few sets of curls and little more yet in the opinion of many, me included, Mike can be crowned as one of the top few lifters of all time. Oh yeah, no squat suit until about 1976, and no disrespect, but the squat suits were not much. i'm over 40 and over the past years since i hit 40, i've actually stepped UP my sets and find i'm getting better results, doing my best even as i get older isn't a problem.. the one thing is to keep the challenges coming and step up to them, not think "oh i'm a master, maybe i shouldn't train so hard". We assumed that the manufacturer sent us the approved/correct bars. Michael Easter is an associate editor at Mens Health magazine. Just start learning the gear/rule variations. Why should IPF bend rules for 1 fed in its group rather than for another.(and since they only do that for rus or ukrwellthere's your answer). not screwing up in front of the WORLD. Mike Bridges fed ex, several people with bars in ATTENDANCE who could have had fed ex deliver them, there's NO EXCUSE in this day and age. This was the best meet I've been to everything was done possible to make this the best meet for lifters and judges also for whoever came to the Meet! Week 7: 4 x 4 (55% of 1-RM) Week 8: Deload (50% of 1-RM) Week 9: 4 x 3 (75% of 1-RM) Week 10: 3 x 2 (90% OF 1-RM) This is a basic program to allow you to progress quickly. What has Dan done for the game? 1984 Honolulu, Hawaii The bar we used was 45lbs plus the collars. I hope this does not come true. Deadlift: 372.5kg/821lb. How To Get The Most Out of Your Westside Bands, I met him in my first power meet in the summer of 1966. With respect to direct lat work, you will neither find it in the detailed 1982 article by Ron Fernando, disclosing, I was there, front row at the USF SunDome in Tampa covering the contest for The Tampa Tribune when Jeff, Dave was 7 years my elder and my teen years weightlifting idol. The rule states only official approved bars can be used for the setting of world records. This happened to Mike Bridges. BUT, as a lifter at the meet who is not capable of setting world records, I was very happy when I learned that we would be using a Texas Power Bar. And tell me something about your personal life.Larry: I was vice president of Holiday and New Life Spas, there were 20 of us all total. It took him three more hours to fix the other hands. When you see him lifting over 500lb in the benchpress in such a smooth Continue Exhibition lifts include an 885-pound squat, 610-pound bench press, and 815-pound deadlift, for a total of 2061 pounds. Actually, I've worked at keeping everything the same since it worked before and seems to be working OK now as well. What reports? The bar we used was 45lbs plus the collars. Best Lifts: Benchpress: 172.5kg/380lb HOWEVER, if you're the meet director and you're running an IPF qualifier with potential world records, YOU are responsible for making sure the bar is good. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Since the bar and collars must weight 25kg(55.115lbs) and the TPB and collars would weigh 56.023(25.4kg). Nothing worked. MIKE BRIDGES As a 50-year-old, set records in the squat and bench press. Tell the lifters the truth and say sorry, we have a problem and cant do world records. Didn't he check up the rule-book? He got his little finger caught in a sliding door. I don't think I would even care if the IPF recognized it personally. Rank. Jeff King: An update on a Bodybuilding Legend, Consent Management Platform by Real Cookie Banner. They took me to Grandview Hospital where a doctor friend of the family met us. A man who can get into slick clothes and not sacrifice his size or strength. My total at around age 46 was just under 1700. also what do you guys think about this every monday he would max out on bench/squat and max out on deads every wednesday. Because 1983 was the first time the IPF drug-tested, most participants didnt risk using performance-enhancing drugs leading up to the meet, according to powerlifting historian Bob Gaynor.