he was just as good as coan just in a lighter weight class. 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! LARRY PACIFICO "Mr. Powerlifting" set 54 world records in an 18-year career. The TPB was usewd because it DID have center knurlings. ive read about mike bridges and his records. The division between the drug-tested and non-drug-tested competitions makes powerlifting a unique window into what effect todays PEDs have on an all-important athletic skill: strength. Sure, some bars are exactly the same but some payed a license fee to the IPF and some did not--they have a choice. What can be said about a guy that can do exploits like that? Back then I was a big man with a big chest. Deadlift: 320kg/705.48lb. Hahahahah!!! Second, the guys that want to do drugs and get around a test can and will. On the other end of the spectrum, USA Powerlifting (USAPL) vehemently tests lifters, and its slogan is Americas choice for drug-free strength sport.. I was never as happy as I was to see Mac walk in my room to take me home to Dayton, Ohio. It is sad and pathetic that people have to jump on board and bash someone who has busted their butt to pull off one of the best meets. Bench: 260kg/573.2lb Dr. Kunitz would go back and forth from one to the other to the other. :), MAKE SURE THE PLATFORM WAS THE RIGHT SIZE AND THAT WEIGHTS WERE REAL AND THAT MIKE HAD THE LEGAL SHOES TO SQUAT IN!! The rescue squad got there in 10 minutes and away I went. [/quote] How many more times will you shoot yourself in the foot? Records should not have to be sacrificed because of this. This happened to Mike Bridges. I am aware of the wrong bar that was shipped because I warmed up with it in the warm up room. RECENT:Joe "The Lad" Ladnier Mississippi Monster. 1986 1st World Powerlifting Championship And squating without center knurling??? (365.5 kg). Powerlifting had one federation, one national champion, Gaynor said. (course they also did drug tests on mike but odds are those won't be a problem). yes. But, when you're not doing this program, feel free to use varying rep ranges if you feel you can handle it. 1981Mens Senior Nationals This. First of all, congratulations on a stellar performance that puts you IMO in the class with Inaba of Japan and other lifters who throw the gauntlet in the face of Father Time. 711 still weighs 711 on a Texas Power Bar or an Ivanko! What reports? And some new research shows that they help you better activate the muscle, increasing strength.. 1983 Mens Senior Nationals There was a two-hour weigh-in and no round system. So the facts are the facts guys stop being a bunch of cry BABIES! Gaynor said lifters at the IPF event have been more likely to get around drug tests, take PEDs leading up to the competition or have a history of PED use. Powerlifting champion and Hall of Famer Mike Bridges has officially endorsed KT Tape as his choice for pain relief and muscle support. 600lb bench and a deadlift of 815 for a world record total of 2400 pounds. C'mon. He was lifting at National Masters and I was his coach. [/quote] They keep raising the standard. I've also, place 2nd once, and 3rd twice in the 'open' class since age 47 in World Championships. I started training at Bob Matzs gym in Toledo, Ohio, with George Crawford and Milt McKenzie, butwon world titles along with Larry.Larry would drive from Dayton to Toledo for four years using a simple 5-3-1 system. The problem was discovered on Thursday. His total outdid his closest competiton by some 150lb. There was a period when the IPF decided to do drug testing. it's not just Mike's!) I opened with 540 very easy, then the 242 world record of 578. True, Jack. You know what I mean. 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. He trained with Don Cundy the first to make an 800 deadlift, and Jerry Gones who would wear a superhero suit at a meet and a wig. 1980 IPF Mens World Powerlifting Championships mark. Just lift it! Thats huge, because more muscle gives these athletes more power to perform with. 1985 Mens Senior Nationals 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?" Ivanko bars are awfulthey are outrageously whippy and the non-standard knarling makes setting up for the deadlift quite confusing. [quote=Jack Marcus]I do not understand why the IPF is being bashed over this unfortunate incident. There I said it for you. I drove it to within an inch from locking it out. 1980 IPF Men's World Powerlifting Championships. 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. It is not the training intensity per workout that changes as a lifter ages; it is our training frequency (recovery period allowed) that must be adapted. Lou: I want to thank you for doing this interview and for the memories you have left imprinted on powerlifting and after knowing you for the last fifty years, on me. On another note, the IPF will truly commit a crime if they take Mike's records due to this smallest of technicalities. Best Lifts: Mike, congrats on your lifting. Dan is a poor bencher when it comes to fellows his weight, but he more than makes up for it in other two lifts. [/quote] LOL! Of course, it would be nave to assume that some lifters at tested events werent using PEDs. In 1983, the IPF began to test athletes for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Copyright 2023 elitefts. they're listed as pending cause someone turned in teh record forms and until ipf looks into this, they're pending. I am aware of the wrong bar that was shipped because I warmed up with it in the warm up room. [/quote] Mike's. Reply . (course they also did drug tests on mike but odds are those won't be a problem). wouldnt u think for a comp that big, that everything would be above board, regardless of what you think the rules should be? 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. What happened? What gives? 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. The distinction between the groups histories with strength-enhancing drugs is important because these drugs dont just flush out completely they can leave a lasting impact. The events just bring in two different powerlifting cultures. IPF did not return requests for comment. Strength is like a glass, said lifting coach Brett Jones, who is considered one of the best trainers in the country. ive seen a little on his training also here it goes mon-squat, bench max weight squat- 8,5,5,3,2,1,1,1max partial squat- 1x1 bench- 8,5,5,3,2,1,1,1 max wed-squat,bench light, max deadlift squat-8,5,5,3,1,1 about 50-60% of max Records should not have to be sacrificed because of this. He has broken over 100 combined Nationals and World Records in his storied career. Raw Unity lifters outdo IPF competitors by about 3 to 4 percent and USAPL competitors by 17 to 18 percent. While they were undoubtedly unbeatable, they were untested for the most part. Some powerlifting meets drug test, and some dont. If he would choose to use the best gear of today, it would be crazy. Mike Bridges Training ? No one expects any more of you. Many years ago, Mike Bridges was one of the reasons I started powerlifting. By this time I was pouring sweat and time was running out. Mike gave it hus all and was a supporter of the sumo-style deadlift and is one of the first to use it effectively. It's a shame his feats aren't hailed about today. My finger was bleeding and I was sweating and I had to make that flight. Things like how they trained in the beginning. Just as we assume that every athlete in other drug-tested leagues isnt clean, we shouldnt here, either. oh yeah and IPF who gets the SPONSOR FUNDING EVERY YEAR for keeping them APPROVED. not screwing up in front of the WORLD. When people talk about competitive weightlifting, theyre usually talking about Olympic lifts, which are the snatch and the clean and jerk. I was completely drained. How many more times will you shoot yourself in the foot? We landed in St. Louis five hours later. No one ever say a word to him no matter what. 2023 ABC News Internet Ventures. Oh they won't have to erase the meet results, no. 5. So when we landed I told Mac that I needed to find a place to sleep. Mike was the superlative powerlifter. Meshuggah. Putt Houston. now with more Bom Chicka Wahwahhhhhh. Best Lifts: Good post, ya old fart! I've never really changed anything. NO ONE HAD THE RIGHT BARS!! [quote=Harold Gaines]I was the Meet Director for this event and I would like to put to rest this issue (if possible). Bob Matz would judge meets and was down right scary to look at. On the morning before the meet we opened 2 brand new shipping tubes from an IPF approved manufacturer and they contained bars that did not have center knurling. I said, "Are you all right Mac?" "Bars dont grow on trees, what would you have done in this situation??" I used to be able to recover from training each area twice a week. that is bullshit. George is to be feared, and why not , it isnt everyone who can squat 985 and total 2369lb. 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. I realize that rules are rules but, don't shoot the horse because the jockey was overweight. All right reserved. 1983 Mens Senior Nationals He sewed the two pieces together temporarily while they made arrangements for me to meet a helicopter at the University of Dayton arena to fly me and my wife Carol to Louisville, Kentucky. What really happened that day that allowed Mark Dimiduk to win the 1980 SR nationals and that would select the 1980 world team members.Larry: On a second attempt deadlift I wanted a 5 kg jump. Tony Carpino agreed to fly in and ref and help out. He was a tremendous bencher. It was the first issue where my name wasn't there for the first time in 10 years. I don't fault the meet director. But when Bridges took the stage later that year at the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) championships in Gotenborg, Sweden, and fired off the three lifts, his typical strength wasnt there. Trying to figure this out with the same type hip replacement as Rickey Crain. I felt good that morning and was ready to push it. Absolute stupidity. [/quote] And your team Power Elite with your lifters including Topsogov Studer.Larry: We had a great team back then and I will always look back to the early days without so much politics. Use was rampant, but that didnt mean every lifter wanted to pump himself full of chemicals. Best Lifts: I didn't know exactly what they were but I knew there would be some kind of difference between the bars. I trained Mac for a year. A 220 pounds, Joe squatted 837lb. this meet director, the ipf (USAPL) refs who inspected the platform and weights, and the USAPL EC members present, tech sec, all of these should be held directly responsible for what was discovered thursday and they did not work to correct. What is big, strong, and is shaped like a bodybuilder? Unless there became a cause to recognize a record. Modern powerlifters are some of the strongest people in history. . If you looked at Freds height (58) and consider what Fred has accomplished, its simply outrageous!!!! Sam is a world record holder in the 275lb class with a lift of 639lb in the bench press. ive seen a little on his training also here it goes. I ran to a restaurant and grabbed some napkins and ran to the gate just in time to board. A week later Mac and I flew to California. Everyone has asked me, "Why do a meet only a month before trying to win your 10th world title?" When we competed against each other I won 575 to 505. My training poundage started climbing again and I felt more and more like busting it in the gym again. Why is it so hard? The top of the pin stuck out about a quarter inch with a tiny loop that bent around. The point is the TPB is not approved and does not even meet all the requirements to be approved. I loved Mac Richards, but I never loved him as much as when he handed me that beer. also what do you guys think about this every monday he would max out on bench/squat and max out on deads every wednesday. Mike is going to get robbed because it's an IPF rule, tpb isn't approved equipment and so he's getting american records. In fact, the folks in Missouri have always done a great job. No official word has come down from the IPF or USAPL. He said, "I will be in a minute." Best Lifts: When we discovered the mistake we did the best we could and used the bar that was available. [quote=Jeff Fiss]Harold put on a great meet. Did the meet director think for one moment all the WORLD RECORDS unassailable at the MEN'S NATIONALS? The squat racks used at that meet were illegal as they could possibly get accoding to mandates of the IPF. The competitor in the 123-pound squat data was a dwarf and indeed hoisted 639 pounds. But those accepting the pay of the sponsorship fees do not have to suffer with the bars, merely to take the money and thus approve themjust like at times platforms/stages at ipf worlds have sagged under the larger squatters, only to be considered "acceptable". Following this mind set I've won 10 Masters World Championships and broken 14 World Master's Records; and am also one of only 11 men over 50 to bench over 600 in competition. If I was one of the competitors who set a world record I would definately be looking into a deferent fed. Thats what makes powerlifting such a great sport. I heard from a reliable source that a lot of effort was made to remedy the situation but it was what it was. It's NOT a 45lb bar. I hope it wasnt 45lbs cos USAPL/IPF rules stipulate metric measures Wow! If you are a world class lifter, you are a world class lifter in any fed. Cookie Notice Lou: There were other super stars from England. He was inducted into the York Barbell Hall of Fame on June 28, 1998. I met him in my first power meet in the summer of 1966just prior to being drafted into the United States Army 50 years ago. Sign up for our newsletter and get new articles sent straight to your inbox weekly. I came in at 226 and Mike at 183. More on that in a bit.5. Its a shame his feats arent hailed about today. I didn't know exactly what they were but I knew there would be some kind of difference between the bars. George Hechter (Birth date: august 14, 1961). . One should not blame the IPF as they did not have any influence or a stake in this meet. Or will the USAPL overlook something again? $29.95 each. Mel has benchpressed 535lb, squatted 535lb and deadlifted 600lb. Note: During the BFCM sales period all sales are final.Thus, no returns will accepted. 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". It's unfortunate that an error like this had to happen, but the bar we were using was just fine!! I would hear it from him every meet when he told me if I did not get a better bench I would never win at nationals. We did not know this in advance. 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. When we landed my finger was twice the size. I hope this does not come true. Ivanko bars are awfulthey are outrageously whippy and the non-standard knarling makes setting up for the deadlift quite confusing. No excuses! Video of Mike Bridges' Raw Challenge Squats. It went all the way down except for about half an inch. IF they used the same Texas Power Bars for that WOMEN's MEET, THE WORLD RECORDS THERE TOO ARE NOW NOT VALID. I checked my watch and I had only 10 minutes to make my flight. If I remember, this is not the first time a National Meet in St Louis had the wrong bar. It was a great trip home. So as we got off the plane Paul was waiting for us to step off the plane. I doubt it, that's wishful thinking and USAPL is at fault. As for everyone saying ivanko bars are shit because they are so whippy you have to remember they were actually designed for weightlifting. DUMB, the man had spanking new Ivanko weights and ER rack on the platform, to think that the bar was his underminding the rules is plain stupid. My friend Eric Stuber and the two side spotters couldn't even react in time. Deadlift: 272.5kg/600lb. Mike Bridges, age 50, captured multiple IPF Master's 2 (50+) World Records last weekend at the USAPL Men's Nationals. Benchpress: 705.5 pounds (320kg) 1985 Mens Senior Nationals Best Lifts: I started training at Bob Matzs gym in Toledo, Ohio, with George Crawford and Milt McKenzie, but. [/quote] all of the sheiko guys seem to do well in these feds. From then on and into the 80s, Id estimate that about 85 percent of competitive American powerlifters at the national level were using something in massive doses to gain an edge: anabolic steroids, dianabol, testosterone.. Carl said "I realize that rules are rules but, don't shoot the horse because the jockey was overweight." Mike Bridges (Birth date: february 1, 1957). Larry: We had a great team back then and I will always look back to the early days without so much politics. 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. The power lifts are the bench press, squat and dead lift. His form was a model of perfection, but his physical strength was amazing in the squat and bench.He[MCJ1] was doing theBridges Flair before Mike was doing it. I won on bodyweight after John missed a third deadlift. Squat: 365kg/804.69lb Holy shit ! Come on, guys.Mike LIFTED the f***ing weight! why someone running a meet like this waits to the last second anyway is a damned good question. Brand spankin new bar, just no center knurling. That includes making certain that the equipment is acceptable. One official got yelled at for asking about the bar while my boyfriend was checking his rack height later on thursday. [/quote] I slid under it and the bar hit me just over my left eye, tearing off half my eyebrow. Jim. The fees are a way to generate revenue to help pay expenses. I will be over at Jon Groves meet helping him this weekend, hope to see ya there. I wonder how it would feel to have a 700+ pound bar slide down your back. Didn't he check up the rule-book? Joe "The Lad" Ladnier Mississippi Monster, Free Shipping with a $69 qualifying order. Thread Tools. The 20kg TPB used to be approved by the IPF, until they didn't pay the licensing fee, so there are undoubtedly some IPF World record which have been set using a TPB. Mike Bridges My team was also lifting, including Eric Stuber, Mac Richards, John Topsoglou, and several others. Mike Bridges Multiple World Champion Weight Lifter Peoria, IL Mike is a World IPF Champion, IPF World Record Holder, 2008 Masters World Champion with 4 Gold Medals, and 2007 World Bench Press Gold Medalist. Las Vegas, NV. that'd just be the cherry on the top of this disaster! Payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and PayPal. But it will inevitabably follow the same process. Mike's best official lift was 608 made in 1977. John Gamble! Records should not have to be sacrificed because of this. So, even if drugs arent in an athletes system, he might be lifting heavier because he used PEDs a few years ago. All Rights Reserved. But when you can squat 1000 anytime you fell like it, who cares about a poor deadlift. Dr Mike lives in st Louis and I know he has some. Ed was born in 1963 to a large loving family in the Chicago,Illinois suburb of Evergreen Park. This Make your morning email scroll and coffee stronger. I hope this does not come true. if indeed he's been robbed before, then he's pretty tough for sticking in there and coming back. The one thing that keeps Lee from the world record total is a poor deadlift. Squat: 227.5kg/501lb You had Mike Bridges who astonished the world with his absolute dominance and ground breaking lifts. WAS THE PAPER IT WAS WRITTEN ON WAS THE RIGHT SIZE! 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. Log in or register to post comments The rule states only official approved bars can be used for the setting of world records. The 20kg TPB used to be approved by the IPF, until they didn't pay the licensing fee, so there are undoubtedly some IPF World record which have been set using a TPB. Yeah he was right. A winner of five world championships and several world record. The meet always attracted the very best lifters in the country and 1978's version was no exception. Then Ronnie Ray from Texas and a guy they called Mel Hennessey of Minnesota. See, they cannot make an exception for a USA lifter because USA would beef huge IF a russian had an improper bar and broke records too price of having approved bars, weights, and rules. 3. dont lie to everyone who questioned the bar and keep insisting it was an old Ivenko bar. Most guys at the USAPL meet, on the other hand, tend to not do steroids, he said. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. And I won the worlds. Dan has benched 400lb in his class when most men in his class were approaching the 600lb barrier . I think it'd be more like shooting the jockey because he was wearing the wrong silks lol! Fred has held the squat record in several classes and he has squatted 1008lb at the Budweiser meet in 1986. Robert Harris That all said, heres how the average lifters totals (squat, bench press, dead lift) at the competitions compare. I invited several well-known lifters of that time: the great Mike Bridges, Terry Dillard, Dave Waddington, Steve Wilson, and Mark Chaillet. Mike is a World IPF Champion, IPF World Record Holder, 2008 Masters World Champion with 4 Gold Medals, and 2007 World Bench Press Gold Medalist. Bridges' squat of 711 pounds, bench of 512 pounds, and total of 1,896 pounds are all new 198 class World Records. 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?" Gerlof Holkema 4.4K subscribers Subscribe 4.1K views 2 years ago Mike Bridges (1982) WORLD RECORD (181 lbs /. So I wiped the blood off with my coat and pushed the pin back down my finger. Its also important to note that competitions use different weight-class systems. 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. Sams donation to powerlifting is stupendous! Ken Lain DVD's. Tape 1 - Add 50 to 75 lbs To Your Bench Press. Both of us totaled 1,815. 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. Ivanko bars are awfulthey are outrageously whippy and the non-standard knarling makes setting up for the deadlift quite confusing. I walked around and found a check-in counter down a hallway. Exhibition lifts include an 885-pound squat, 610-pound bench press, and 815-pound deadlift, for a total of 2061 pounds. they say he found out thursday. Now that I know the whole story from Harold I feel bad about the situation and my earlier comments. People need to have a reality check, as if Harold thought ..hey, let me sabotage this meet and give them a non-approved bar. Consider this 2008 American Physiological Society study, which found that the benefits of steroids in powerlifters can last several years beyond when the drugs leave their body. 1980-11-07, USA-VA, Arlington. I saw the Gestapo in action first hand at the Master's Nationals and again today at a local meet. Just a few years before, powerlifters had been using PEDs in low doses to help their muscles recover; maybe they gained a bit of an edge, but it wasnt overtly noticeable. At 49 it was 2006 lbs. Worlds Strongest Man Bill Kazmaier has referred to him as a god in powerlifting, and world-champion powerlifter Don Reinhouldt has said, Larry will always be a legend of all time to us.. The bar used met ALL IPF specs with the exception that it was not on the paid list of approved bars. reality check will be if the IPF can look beyond that and do what is right for the lifters who set the records. The call to drug-test powerlifters had been gaining momentum in the sport since the mid-1970s. He started lifting at 58 and was that one-in-a-thousand who had that Special Super Strength. He also would tell others if they wanted to get a bigger bench gain weight. Lou: Was there somebody you loved to beat?Larry: Yes. Brand spankin new bar, just no center knurling. Raw Nationals is drug-tested, and the Classic Worlds tests but perhaps not as strictly as the USAPL event. Benchpress: 172.5kg/380lb Squat: 395kg/870lb And Don Reinhoudt the SHW world champ. I was a gymnast in New York where I grew up. Blood started flowing and I started to stand up, but I passed out and rolled back on the platform. SPECIAL. well yeah they were legal when they kept the sponsorship fee up. It's about $'s! Why?? How about a total of 2105 lb at 181lb body weight. Jesse Rodgers, I agree. If this is your first visit, be sure to Multiple World Champion Weight Lifter 1984Mens USPF Senior Nationals: Well most know he won nine straight before making. Mike was the superlative powerlifter. He was right. way to go!!! The bar we used was 45lbs plus the collars. XTREME SQUATTING-book, XTREME DEADLIFTING-book, & ADVANCED POWERLIFTING TECHIQUES-DVD. Jeff King: An update on a Bodybuilding Legend, Consent Management Platform by Real Cookie Banner. Show Printable Version; 04-21-2012, 04:33 PM #1. Ivanko pays them a lisence fee to approve their stuff and Texas Power Bar doesn't! Mike won the second most prestigious national powerlifting in 1977 when he won the Junior National Powerlifting Championships. It wasn't as meteculous years ago when the USAPL was first cutting their teeth after becoming the IPF affiliate. Well, Bridges and I were using it as a workout. Larry Pacifico is widely regarded as one of the greatest powerlifters of all time. [quote=An IPF member]I have a Texas Power Bar and it weighs 20kg. We assumed that the manufacturer sent us the approved/correct bars. Do guys in anything-goes competitions regularly hoist heavier weights than guys in drug-tested meets?3 Why allow PED use at all? Just before it touched, my left pec began to tear. It is one thing to beat someone by all those he beat, so we want to remember him too. to the meet director - sorry this sounded so strong. Weighing in at only 204 lbs, Mike not only went home with gold medals, but he also broke world records in the Deadlift at 650 lbs.