Our Comeback Kid

As most of you know, Lee tore his pectoralis muscle over the summer.  He got very lucky - it was a shallow tear, so he did not require surgery.  He did have to take off six weeks and spend three days a week in physical therapy during that time.  Despite being upset about not being allowed to lift, Lee followed the advice of the orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist and took the rest time required - and the very day he hit the six week mark, he went back to the gym.  The guys were very supportive and did not rush him through his recovery but by early October, I could tell that something was going on and asked him what was up.  He said that he felt good enough that he was going to test his pec to see if he could be ready for competition in November (originally, he had decided to enter that competition in deadlift only).  I was very nervous, but he was very careful and by mid-October, he thought that he could be ready, but that his benching numbers would be down where he originally started last year (370 lb range).  What he hoped was that his squat and deadlift numbers would be good enough to get him a respectable total in full power.  On Sunday, he squatted 550 lbs; he deadlifted 550 lbs; and he benched 400 lbs (after first hitting 370 lbs and 380 lbs).  His total of 1500 in Full Power earns him the APA World Record as a 198 Submaster and *should be* good enough for a national ranking in the 198 weight class (all ages) of 28th in the country (and I say should be because the meet results have not yet been submitted to Powerlifting Watch), which means his is now nationally ranked in bench press (35), squat (31) and full power (28).  We are so unbelievably proud of him!  Watching him lift is such an amazing experience, he is just so good at what he does.  I am also immensely grateful to the guys that he works out with, day in and day out, for providing such a great support system, both mentally and physically.

Wrapping the knees. 

Intense concentration. 

Getting ready to squat. 

My heart was in my throat for every bench press attempt, but he rocked them all. 

Dead lift.

400 lbs Bench Press

  

550 lbs Squat (can't wait to see him do this in the monolift - 600 lbs can't be far off)  

550 lbs Dead Lift (this is practically warm up weight for him; he went for 600 lbs on his second and third attempt but just couldn't make it happen)