Gymrat’s Weblog

The Finnish powerlifter Kristoffer Lindqvist (and blogger: Under the Bar), suggested a brilliant idea to bring together strength training bloggers in an RAW and Natural Open Virtual Powerlifting Meet:

“The idea of staging an international raw meet with near simultaneous lifting venues around the world has been brewing in my head for at least a year now. I don’t know about you, but personally I feel this could give us bloggers the opportunity to be a bit hordish in the spirit of camaraderie and learning from each other. Besides, the idea is wickedly cool, isn’t it?”

Yes, it certainly is, Kristoffer! Here’s a picture from his one-man RAW meet:

RoxxiGirl on Muscle Mayhem Bodybuilding Forum interviewed powerlifting legend Ed Coan:

“Ed is getting ready for the Moutaineer Cup next Saturday. I interviewed him last Saturday and took some video of his squat day Monday. He talks about nutrition and his 3 lifts and what has changed this year in his training.”

Hat tip: Straight to the Bar

Powerlifting Watch tells us of a new border being crossed in female powerlifting; 10x bodyweight total:

“Laura Phelps obliterated her own 165 pound weight class record total on Saturday. Phelps totalled 1,650 pounds; a 725 pound squat, 415 pound bench and a 510 pound deadlift to become the first American women to achieve a 10x bodyweight total.”

Laura Phelps herself writes about going for even bigger number later this year:

“In November, I hope to go mid 7’s for squat, mid 4’s for bench, and closer to mid 5’s for deadlift.”

Some 100 lbs more. Wow…

Andy’s Muscle Goddesses has a profile and images from Lauras earlier career as bodybuilder. Click image below for Lauras profile at her sponsors, AtLarge Nutrition, website:

“Laura’s accomplishments in powerlifting literally blow the mind not only for the immensity of the lifts she has posted (725 lbs in the 181 class - one of only 2 women to squat over 700lb’s!) but also due to the fact she is a literal neophyte to powerlifting!”

Powerlifting Watch (which I’ve written about and recommended recently) goes to the bottom with Powerlifting Pickup Lines:

“So here’s the scenario, you’re at a meet and see someone that strikes your fancy. What do you say? That’s the subject of a thread over at Fortied Iron. Warning: Not so subtle innuendo, intended for mature audiences.”

In March 2006 a fully formed comic strip called Guido and Luigi about two slightly metrosexual gym goers saw the light of day. You’ll recognize the characters in the strip. If not, chances are that you are one of them. While the cartoonist Tommy Hauge is on vacation, read the archives. From the bio:

“Guido and Luigi first appeared on the Norwegian strength training and bodybuilding forum treningsforum.no in March, and gradually evolved into a daily strip. Quite a portion of Norways elite bodybuilders, powerlifters and fitness people hang around on that forum, and they were very supportive of the strip and I repay them to this day by making fun of them in my strip.”

Tone Barbaccio writes on Fortified Iron forum about an upcoming seminar for a good cause:

“Proceeds will help support Skiba’s non-profit gym! Skiba’s Gym helps bring inner-city youth into Powerlifting/Bodybuilding and keep them off the street and off drugs.

When: July 29, 2006
Where: Carteret High School New Jersey (Exit 12 off the NJ Turnpike)
What: Nutrition/Bodybuilding Seminar
Who: Sergio Oliva

Tone Barbaccio, who is on the Top 100 All-Time Bench Press List with a 675lb bench, will also be doing a guest bench at the seminar. CourierPostOnline recently profiled him:

“At 6-foot-6, Tone Barbaccio weighed 185 pounds at Maple Shade High School, where he graduated in 1990. Now he is almost 200 pounds heavier.

Unlike those who skip high school reunions because of weight gains, he is proud of now weighing 368 pounds. That’s because Barbaccio works at gaining weight. He is a rising star in the world powerlifting ranks.”

Even though I’m reasonably well informed about the sport of powerlifting, it is not foremost in my heart (bodybuilding is). Thus I have found it hard to keep up with what’s happening, but no longer. powerliftingwatch.com to the resque! You will find the lastest news from and about the different federations, suspensions, rules for support gear, meet results, new records, what topics that are hot on the different discussion forums, interesting questions about training, etcetera.