Crunch Time: The WA Strongman National Qualifiers

THE PREVIOUS 48 hours had seen some pretty wet and miserable winter weather which threatened to spoil the comp. Grey clouds hung overhead all day, but fortunately the rain never came.

The venue was the carpark of Anytime Fitness and Muscleworx Innaloo, curb side to Scarborough Beach Road. The exposure drew a decent crowd of spectators and some gym goers signed up to compete in the lighter divisions.

EVENT 1: Yoke
350 kgs, 15 meters in 27 seconds
The only major downside to the day was that it was held in a carpark which sloped downhill. It wasn't exactly a subtle gradient either. This made the yoke walk a real bitch. While 350 kgs is a difficult walk in ideal conditions, this made it extra challenging. I dropped it more times than I can even remember, and made the 15 meters in 27 seconds. I've beaten this time in training. I was not happy.

EVENT 2: Log
90 kgs
The next event was Log clean-press, and I struck out here too; I push-pressed 90 kgs on my second attempt, after failing to strict-press it the first time (also something I've done twice before in training but couldn't manage on the day!) and my third attempt at 100 kgs was quixotic.

EVENT 3: Deadlift
225 kgs / 250 kgs PR
Here, again, the carpark was an extra challenge. We used my platform at the bottom of the carpark, where it was approaching level. But the bar still rolled, and it felt uneven while performing the lift. I pulled 225 kgs and it felt slow and heavy. Then 250 - a new personal record - and I got a lumbar strain. This made my prospects in the fourth event not so great.


EVENT 4: Farmers
115 kgs p/hand, 25 meters in 13.8 seconds PR
The Farmers walk was over a 25 meter distance where the Yoke had been 15. I strapped both my belts on in such a way that it relieved much of the pain and I actually completed the walk with 115 kgs p/hand in record time! Just under 14 seconds. I was originally going to attempt 130 p/hand but thought that would be potentially more damaging and less successful, so the lighter run was a safer bet which paid off.

 

I will have more pics from people who are better with a camera than me, and possibly a link to a newspaper article to come. There was a journalist in the mix, and the efforts Muscleworx and Anytime Fitness Innaloo went to in hosting and promoting the event made it a great success.