The Maryland Powerlifting Report 2/21/08

Congratulations Matt!
Matt Gary has been selected to serve as a coach for the USA Men's team to 6th Annual NAPF/IPF Regional Championships which will be held in Aruba, June 18-21.

From Robert Keller ( NAPF General Secretary,IPF North American Region) :

Coaching Staff Update:

Matt Gary will be coaching the USA Mens Team and Jim Brown will be coaching the USA Womens Team for the 2008 NAPF/IPF North American Powerlifting Championships that will take place in Oranjestad, Aruba on June 18-21, 2008.

If you're interested in attending this championship, please send me a message and I will see that it is forwarded to the assigned coach.

James Townsend will not be able to attend. He has received a very nice job assignment at the University of Virgina, which he has accepted. I/we wish him great success.

Results:
USPF America Cup; February 16-17, Los Angeles, CA (Fit Expo)- click here
*video of squats, from Powerlifting Watch- click here.

Scot Mendelson Bench Press Classic; February 16-17, Los Angeles, CA- click here (xls doc)

From Powerlifting Watch:
The IPF has placed the Russian Powerlifting Federation (RPF) on suspension due to the failure and suspension of Yoriy Fedorenko. Fedorenko was fined and suspended effective September 24, 2007 for two years as a result of Out of Contest postive result. He did not participate in the '07 World Powerlifting Championships.

The RPF had an earlier suspension lifted (see Press Release) and were on probation when Fedorenko tested positvie. Terms of the probation called for another year of suspension to be imposed if there were to be even one failure during the probationary period. The current suspension runs from October 21, 2007 through August 30, 2008 (10 months). Results from the '07 World Championships will be recognized. The RPF , provided there are no future failures, will be eligiable to participate in the '08 World Championships.

According to Powerlifting Watch, "extenuating circumstances dictated a shortened 10 month suspension."

According to the recent IPF press release (released at Powerlifting Watch);

With that sentence hanging over the heads of the Russian Federation, some encouraging developments were observed in the IPF. A domestic Out-of-Competition testing programme was reported, with mostly negative results and positives acted on by suspension. In Russia’s return to World Championships, in Austria last October, no less than 16 Russian lifters were tested, with all results negative. The RPF has provided Whereabouts details for many of its international lifters and has co-operated with IPF Out-of-Competition testing in Russia.

The IPF Executive has considered all aspects of the recent situation with the RPF and has determined that the positive test result, at a time of suspended sentence for the RPF, must be met with a further federation suspension. However the IPF has taken into account the other steps forward by the RPF in 2007 and has tailored the federation penalty to reflect the circumstances of this case.

To read more, click here.

ADAU News:
Update- roster for the Greater Johnstown Open; February 23, Johnstown, PA

From Al Siegel (President, ADAU):

Squat, Bench Press and Deadlift Single Lift Nationals have been changed as follows:

New date is: July 28, 2008
Location is: Lehighton Recreation Center
243 S. Eighth St.
Lehighton PA 18235

Meet Director is: Rob Eckhart
1271 E. Lizard Creek Road
Lehighton PA
18235 610-377-5852
eckart1@ptd.net

New applications will be mailed to all ADAU members within the next few weeks.

IPF News:
Press Release- Suspension of the Russian Powerlifting Federation

Update- 2007 National Doping Test Reports

USAPL News:
Update- 2008 Master's Nationals; click here for website.

From Critical Bench: Interview With Powerlifter Steve "The Bringer" Birdsong
As told to CriticalBench.com by Curt Dennis Jr. "The Brute" of Planetrage.com - February 2008

STEVE "THE BRINGER" BIRDSONG...truly an iron freak! Steve has been pushing me hard throughout this year even though he trains raw and I train in gear, our goals are the same. When you see this monster lift, it instantly motivates you to lift as well. He's ranked #3 in the 308s raw total and is looking to make his trek to #1. Not to mention, he's a semi-pro football player as well and a soon to be father. He's one of my writers on planetrage.com and damn proud to call him brother. Steve brings the same intensity from the football field to the gym and onto the platform. It shows, and has earned the nickname "THE BRINGER"...but I'll let Steve speak for himself...

Critical Bench: Hey, thanks for doing this interview. Steve, please introduce yourself.

My name is Steven Birdsong, I'm a 24 year old powerlifter in the open raw 308 division, and I wanna say it's an honor to be doing this interview.

Critical Bench: How long have you been into powerlifting?

I started when I was 17 and it's been 7 great years so far.

Critical Bench: Tell us about your childhood and how you got into powerlifting?

Well I was always the kid that got picked on in high school, and I never really felt like I fit in that well. I decided that I needed to take the initiative to change the way things were going, and I picked up my first weight bench for $50 at a yard sale. From that point on, my training became almost an addiction and it all escalated from there.

Critical Bench: Who did you look up to when you were coming up as a powerlifter?

Bill Kazmaier has always been the one guy that amazed me constantly, whether it was on the lifting platform, or in strongman. I still find myself using his accomplishments for motivation.

Critical Bench: How long have you been a semi-pro football player?

I've played two full seasons with the Missouri Outlaws football organization. I play both defensive tackle on d line, and left and right guard on the o line.

Critical Bench: What would you say to a novice lifter or to a lifter whose just starting out in powerlifting?

Mainly just this quote by Michelangelo.... "The greater danger for most of us is not that we aim to high and we miss it, but that we aim to low and never reach it." That always made a lot of sense to me and ever since I read it, it's always stuck with me.

To read more, click here.