In the sport of Powerlifting, lifters will talk a lot, call out other lifters and do their best to be the strongest dog on the block, but in this sport it’s the numbers that really count. This also applies in matters of respect. Many of the younger, inexperienced lifters come into the sport with a lack of respect for other lifters. Maybe because of their inexperience or maybe because of their age or because of the drive they have to make a name for themselves.

In August of 2007, I was preparing for a meeting when I was asked to come out and help with the 2nd Annual Byrd Memorial Powerlifting & Bench Press competition that was taking place in Lake City. I told the meet coordinator that I would help, but I needed to do my last day of squats before my own meet. He said it would be fine for me to squat with his competitors while they warmed up for their flights, as long as I helped him out after I was done. I agreed and did exactly that.

The Byrd Memorial meeting was an American Powerlifting Federation (APF) sanctioned meeting, which meant they were using a monolift to squat and multi-layer lifting equipment was allowed. Even though the use of multi-layered and monolifting equipment was allowed, Buddy Duke, a trainer and gym owner in Adel, Georgia, put together a team comprising all single-layer lifters, most of whom they were between 20 and 30 years old and new. to the sport Buddy is the president of the Georgia state of the United States Powerlifting Federation (USPF) and every year he hosts the Southeast Cup in Adel. The USPF is a single layer team federation that does not use a monolift, but instead carries the weight of the squat. My team and I had competed in the Buddy competition for years until we started the multi-layered team. Even though the Byrd Memorial meeting was an APF meeting, he brought his team over so they could get some experience in the competition. All of his lifers ditched their weight and wore their single-layer gear.

In the warm-up room, we had some lifters wearing the overalls and some walking with the weight. As for me, I was lifting raw (not equipment) only working up to middleweight because it was my last day of squatting before my next meet. All the other lifters were teaming up and competing, so I squatted between each of their warmups and when I wasn’t squatting, I was working the monolift to help them out. It became too difficult to know who was doing what, so I would ask each lifter as they went up for a warm-up if they were walking or needed the monolift level up.

One of Buddy’s younger lifters was approaching the bar to do his last warm-up, about 365 lbs., when I said, “Do you need me to pull…” I stopped and looked at him realizing he was one Buddy’s and quickly said, “…no, that’s right, you’re losing the weight.” His response to me, with the biggest chip anyone could have on his shoulder, was “I’m a single layer lifter, I walk with my weight.” I was about to respond, but luckily had enough calm to stop myself, “You little idiot, who do you think you’re talking to? My lighter squat days are heavier than any weight you can imagine putting on your back.” Most of Adel’s lifters had the same splinters on their shoulders. For whatever reason, single-layer lifters, especially younger ones, have a superior attitude when it comes to multi-layer lifters. What they don’t realize is that most of the more experienced multi-layer lifters started out the same way they did with single-layer gear.

I told my friends what had happened and the attitudes Buddy’s lifters had. Rather than have words with his lifters, my friends said there was a better way to get the splinters off these guys’ shoulders. We decided to go to Adel for the Copa del Sureste and let our numbers knock on the door. It was decided that three of us would change back into our single layer gear and prepare for the match. It was the first single-layer meeting we’d done in at least four years. It was actually a nice change of pace from what we had been doing. Sure our numbers wouldn’t be the same, but the point of the meeting was to show these guys a thing or two.

At Buddy’s meeting, his team was there and our guys were ready. We hit numbers these guys had never seen in the gym or in competition. At the end of the meeting, we had achieved what we had set out to do. They were humble to say the least, but to our surprise, we did little more than throw chips and straighten egos. We had done something that we did not expect, WE WERE INSPIRED! The guys who had their most powerful attitudes, just two months earlier, were so impressed with our uprising that they started congratulating us, asking us questions, shaking hands, and in some cases, wanted photos with us. I should add that I was the youngest and least experienced of our three lifters at the age of 39 with nine years competing in the sport.

It’s funny how your numbers can speak for you. That day, the numbers of some experienced older lifters showed a group of younger, inexperienced lifters the meaning of respect.

Also all younger lifters with no experience; don’t be disrespectful to others just because they don’t compete with the same lifting team or federation as you. You don’t know his background in the sport and you might be surprised as Adel’s team did. For all experienced lifters, it’s your job to help develop, inspire and motivate younger and less experienced lifters to do their best.

And for everyone, being good at what you do also means being humble and respectful. That’s the only way to earn respect in this sport.

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