Quick update

Just a quick post to update the blog.

Back doing a modified Stronglifts 5x5 but not being consistent enough yet.  Getting there on getting multiple workouts a week in, and happy with how the weights feel so far.

Working on getting more sleep and eating a bit better.  Platelet donations through yesterday definitely show the effects of a fatty diet, but BP and cholesterol numbers are checked each time and they are good.  BP yesterday was lowest I've had in a long time.

Once I do the data entry, I should have the Bronze Presidential Fitness Challenge Award!  Yea Me!  Actually only 40,000 points, so I have a long long way to go compared to many.

Third post from "The Powerlifting Pastor" on meeting the Standard

I pick things up, I put things down.

In powerlifting there are 3 lifts…squat, bench, and deadlift.  After years of lifting weight, I decided to enter a powerlifting competition for the first time December 2010.  I had been doing those three lifts for 20 some years, and of them I loved the squat the most!  So much so, that my celebration of my 40th birthday was to squat 400 lb, 40 times.  I spread the lifts throughout the day, and it took 7 sets, but I did it.

But this was 14 years later, and a real competition, with others watching.  For my first attempt, I went with 330 lb.  Not a heavy weight for me, but serious enough.  Three red lights.  I didn't go deep enough.  It felt deep, but it wasn't according to "real" powerlifting standards. 

I kept the same weight.  Three red lights again.  Close, but as the saying goes, no cigar.

Third attempt, I kept the same weight.  I hit depth, and got so excited I racked the weight right away.  Three red lights for not following commands. 

This was a full power meet, which means that you have to complete all three events.  At that point I could have been sent home, but they let me continue the meet, so I would get some experience.

When I first started lifting, I had a couple of people help me.  Because of comments from one of them who was just shy of getting his pro card in Bodybuilding, I know that my squats were proper depth in 1988 in Schweinfurt, Germany  The squat, a lift I loved to do, I had changed my form, and was not doing correctly anymore.  I had to work on what I had done wrong, and get back to the right standard.

I was ordained as a Pastor in the American Lutheran Church in 1983.  This denomination merged with two others in 1988 to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  There were lots of discussions in the forming of this new denomination about the authority of the Bible, and how we should speak about that, as well as other important teachings and practices of the church.

Over the years various things changed.  The "standards" of decision making slowly changed to be bureaucracy, culture, and a theological understanding of God and man, different from our roots, all of which centered on "my own conscience". 

Lutheran roots can be found in one of the great confessions of Martin Luther, " Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason, I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen."  The standard is not "my conscience", but "my conscience bound by the Word of God."

 The ELCA made a decision in 2009 that was contrary to the teachings of the Bible, and the whole history of Judaism and Christianity.  I struggled with these decisions.  But I continued to work within that Church. 

But ultimately, on this "lift" was three red lights. 

So, last year, I left the ELCA, and became a pastor in the North American Lutheran Church (http://www.theNALC.org).  It was not an easy decision.  Many things were right in the ELCA.  But being a disciple of Jesus is not a one-event or two-event reality.  It is the whole meet.

"Pastor Wally's Second Powerlifting Article"

Here's article number 2 from Pastor Wally Seibel on the fellowship of the iron and the faith:

"One of the greatest parts of powerlifting is the people I have met.

I Remember Dudley Cook at the March 2012 Chicago meet. He has a traumatic brain injury from Iraq (he was a tank commander).  Because of this, he needs directions written out to go shopping and even to do laundry. He has very little short or long-term memory. 

He completed his second squat clean, and good, but did not wait for the command to rack the weight.  This meant that he failed the lift.  He right away asked the judges why he got "red lighted".  The other lifters thought he was arguing with the judges. The comments among them were something along the lines of "he blew it.  He should just shut up and sit down."

None of them (or the judges) knew about his injury.  When they found out his problem, you could see the change in the lifters -- they had respect for him.   And one of the judges reminded him of the rules before each lift.  (Thank you Roger Gedney for that courtesy and consideration!!)

He needed to be reminded of the rules command before each lift. but still competed! Don't know all of the details of the repercussions of the brain injury -- except what was written down for him in a notebook that he carried everywhere with him. The notebook told people a little of what was wrong with him, as well as all those directions he needed, and a picture of his grown daughter, so he would recognize her when he saw her.

He was somewhere between 50 and 54...weight 81.4K. He finished with a 120K squat...85K bench...and 165K deadlift (380K total).  I haven't seen Dudley since, and I haven't been able to find him, even on a quick search on the web page available only to those in or retired from the Army.

Another person who comes to mind is Iosef.  Iosef is originally from Russia, and speaks with a thick accent.  At 78 years old, and weighing less than 70 Kilo (154 lb), he only benches.  He doesn't squat or deadlift.  But still, he continues to lift.

Then there is Paul Wrenn.  I did not know the name, but later found out that he is a legend in the world of powerlifting.  He is still competing at 66 years old -- but more importantly, he continues to work as a missionary in the Philippines.  He also goes to prisons, churches, schools and many other places, using a strong man and powerlifting show to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I met him and his family at the ADFPF Nationals this last year.  Two of his grandsons were competing as well, making this truly a family adventure.  One of his grandsons will be starting Bible college this year.

Before the meet, there were 8 or nine of us in a room.  I listened to the stories of powerlifting and family.  After a few minutes the conversation changed to our faith journey.  It was then that I found out what Paul had been doing for years -- and discovered that in the room were 3 other pastors. 

There are many different types of people who lift weights…but it is a joy to know that in many of the groups, there is a deep fellowship, not only of the iron, but as we share a love of God."

 

Thanks, and I hope to meet the "Powerlifting Pastor" someday, and I know I will!

First Guest Post-"Why we do this" and a push-up I'm not sure I could do!

Welcome aboard to my first guest poster, Pastor Stephen "Wally" Seibel.  We met via Facebook, have chatted a few times about powerlifting, and life in general.  Then when I was looking through the list of Platinum President's Fitness Challenge award winners, I see his name!  Congratulations, and keep at it to that second award, Powerlifting Pastor!

He has written three articles for me to post.  Tonight I'm posting the first one and if you aren't a little scared when you search for the push-up handles he mentions, you're tougher than I am!

        "I pick things up, I put them down.  This is how I describe to my father the joy and passion that I have in powerlifting.  You might recognize that line from an ad for a gym -- which sees it as something that most people don't want to do.  But it is a joy that I have been doing for 26 years.  Well, not powerlifting as such, I have only been doing that for 3 years, but lifting weights.

I am also a Lutheran pastor.  This means that I have taught confirmation (religious instruction) to seventh and eighth graders for many years.  In the 30 years I have been a pastor, I have noted how these teens have gotten fatter and fatter.  And I am concerned for their future.  I am worried that they will not have a full and joyful life due to physical limitations.

Now I don't believe that weightlifting is for everyone.  It is an activity I love -- but it isn't for everyone.

I also sometimes do some bodyweight exercises.  One is pushups. Not just regular pushups, but a specialty pushups done with a balance challenged, done on  a handle with a 2 1/2" stove bolt on it (I made my own, but a web site that sells them is http://transformetrics.com/products/warrior-power-ts ). When I have done these in front of confirmation students, most of them have wanted to try it.  Interestingly, because of the balance question, 13 year old girls are much better at these then 13 year old boys. 

Over a few weeks, a few of them have had their dads make these for themselves, and start to do them on their own.

My conversations about doing something physical with these teens have focused on one thing -- find something you enjoy doing physically, and do it.  And if that exercise doesn't energize you -- find something else, and do it.  It could be running, walking, swimming, isometrics, weights, or a whole host of other things. 

Why is it important?  Because "I believe God created me, and all creatures.  He has given me body and soul, eyes, ears and all part of my body, mind and senses…He does this out of fatherly love and mercy…For this I must certainly thank and praise Him, serve and obey Him," (Luther's Small Catechism, explanation of First Article of the Apostle's Creed).  I have been given this body (mind and soul) to take care of, and use to serve God."