I tried posting my thread on the Animal Cage weekend and thought it went through. I wondered why it didn't show up after couple of days thinking it sank to the past with no hits. LOL!!! It must not have taken when I posted - I happen to share a PC with several other trainers here, so who knows. But here it is again, hope you enjoy:
Thursday afternoon, checking thru security is a mess (a mess like always because I always want my lifting belt on me and not in luggage) - why is it they always act like a lifting belt is a potential terrorist threat??? My first thought after getting thru airport security - point of no return now, it's time to turn the game on! Meeting Big Al at airport and hanging out at the grill and bar near our gate, talking about getting excited. Watching Big Al's head bob up and down as he listens patiently to another big dude cramped next to him on the airplane, talking his poor ear off the entire flight.
After checking in at hotel with Big Al, we rush to hook up with Dave Hoff for dinner Thursday night before he and the Westside Barbell crew left for their meet in TN the following morning. Hoff is a really cool guy, one of the strongest powerlifters in the world pound for pound, and as a great friend, he takes the time to have dinner with us before his long trip. Meeting Jimmy Pacifico, son of one of the greats, Larry Pacifico - Jimmy is another strong powerlifter to watch out for! Hoff recommended Spaghetti Warehouse and it was a great choice! At least we thought so for MOST of us. LOL! Big Al, Dave Hoff, Jimmy Pacifico, Jimmy's gal, myself and my wife - all enjoying a nice carbing up to kick off the weekend. Even though they already ate before and did the Dagwood Challenge, it was still nice of them to carb up with us and tempt us with desserts. I wonder why Big Al didn't order dessert after eyeballing Jimmy's gal's dessert the entire time?? I just wish our events had been coordinated so that we could all be together the entire weekend. I know for a fact Hoff would have enjoyed the Cage and the fans would have enjoyed him as well.
The fun thing about traveling with great friends is being able to coordinate being close together. When we checked in with Big Al at the hotel, we managed to get adjoining rooms. The other fun thing about being so close together, we get to experience things together that brings us "THAT MUCH" closer as friends, things we don't let down. LOL!!! So the following morning, we hear a knock at the adjoining door and Big Al asking if we were up yet and ready for breakfast. My wife had returned after picking up my training partner and his gal from their hotel, ready to hit breakfast and the expo floor. All of us in the hotel room, I don't remember the entire conversation that led to the following quote that I won't forget from Big Al, "I will never order manicotti there ever again, my ass has chapped lips now." This is where I advise to Big Al to always have wet wipes on hand and suddenly everyone made fun of him for the comment and me for having my trusty Pampers Kandoo wetwipes as I get them out of the bathroom for him to share. This is serious stuff, man! Something most powerlifters have and need to use because of the joys of being big, lifting heavy and having to deal with rough toilet tissue during travel - babywipes (or as we call it, asswipes) are essential! No laughing joke and I feel for my bro!
Friday morning at breakfast was interesting - seeing the Cafe dominated by Animal's everywhere, but here and there, a few spotted hyenas of orangey tanned bodybuilders. LOL! No offense, dudes, I understand what you have to go through to be up on stage. Tried it myself years ago and ruined it in the last few hours with a box of Cheez-its before stepping on stage. I have lots of respect for you guys and the discipline you have for your sport.
Seeing the cage on Friday and looking at the setup - even though the sight is familiar with only slight differences each time, it is still welcoming like wading through a huge crowd of strangers at an airport after a long trip and suddenly recognizing family waving their hands to welcome you home. Getting ready for the deadlift exhibition was almost like prepping for a heavy intense workout in our own gym but with the added intensity of Animals watching with anticipation. Enjoying the crowd amassing to the Cage. Getting hyped up. Warming up and finally getting into working sets. Feeling excitement and adrenalin pumping. Big Al pulling with us and making us feel at home without any fear of defeat or failure. Feeling accomplishment and watching Dave blow a gasket in his nose as he pulled through his sets. Me, I walk away with a chunk of my palm torn off from that Texas bar! Very small price to pay, but all worth it to hear the crowd cheering and all of my bros with me and behind me!!!
Friday night headed to dinner after workout at Metro. Jam packing 6 people into small rental car - 5 big lifters and 1 small chick into a Hyundai Elantra with a suspension that bitches like bad wheel on a shopping cart. More like packing 10 people because of size and listening to the suspension in the car scream at every turn or bump telling my wife to take it slow so as not to owe the rental agency later for blown struts and coils. LOL! During the entire ride(s) wondering whose hands are where in the backseat as we gave each other wet willies. Tumbling out of the car and seeing Dave's faceprint on the window with a little drool from when he tried to mouth out the words and ask who was touching his gal in the back. The dinner at House of Japan and meeting friends from Canada was great - wish Wycked was there, he would have felt at home with fellow Canadians.
Saturday morning at breakfast. This time, it wasn't just domination by Animal, it was a SEA OF RED in the Cafe!!!! WTF?????? Was this planned???? Can't be! I'm sure there are other companies and other athletes in the same hotel, but I can barely pick out the hyenas now! All I see are Animals!!!!!! I had butterflies considering I agreed to do bodyweight bench for reps with Sam and had no idea how that was going to go. We have both been through shoulder surgeries and are veteran powerlifters. Sam's another great friend from our powerlifting community where you never forget him once you meet him, regardless of where he has been in his lifting career. He has always been helpful to me, even from a distance, just another brother where you don't have to live with the guy or see him everyday, but if you were to meet him just a few days out of the year, you feel at home with him and how he treats and helps you. His advice to me in the past before my shoulder surgery with experience of his own before me has helped tremendously. He helped me couple years ago when I benched in th Cage before I blew out my shoulder and had surgery, he handed off to me and has been there at some of the most unusual, but I think "pre-ordained" times in my powerlifting career to give words of guidance and motivation.
The expo floor and Cage was totally packed that Saturday even after our exhibition and everything going on throughout the day, hard to list everything and remember all who came up to get autographs, pictures, and even conversations about lifting, nutrition, and personal goals. WOW!!! I had no idea some of the usual pro's of Animal have to deal with this day in and day out almost everywhere they go in some cases, let alone for just a weekend. No matter how many times I have gone through the Arnold weekend in the Animal Cage, it is still very overwhelming and so exciting, so different each time and I wish I had more spongy cells to be able to soak every fun part up.
Because of the expo floor being packed on Saturday, where did we stay???? You guessed it! In the Animal Cage!!!! Where we felt at home and didn't want to go anywhere else!!! My wife and I had friends from all over the country, Canada, several countries from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, a few provinces in China, and South Korea to come out and agree to meet us, to enjoy the Arnold experience - as I'm sure many pros, bros, and fans had as well. What is so cool is, many of our friends looked forward to and got to enjoy the Animal experience, knowing that's why we were there. They took time out of their events and schedules to make sure to come by the Animal Cage, not because of us, but because they respect the company and all the fans that make up the community. We had so many more asking how to get to the National ABC at the end of Saturday's expo because they came from areas where they weren't aware that their idols were going to be present at the National ABC at Metro Fitness that night. It was awesome helping to hook them up and or at least being a conduit of some sort. The workout at the ABC was more than awesome, it helped keep me on track for my meet in April. Thanks to Scott, Wade, my partner, and everyone who worked in with me. That night after the ABC at the bar with Higa, Tiny, Rob and Ed Coan was truly a wonderful and most fun nightcap!
Waking up to Sunday was one of those days where you dreaded the worst because you know it has to end and you don't want it to. As a powerlifter, I looked forward to watching Hoss squat to cap the weekend off and was sad that the weekend just flew by. But I had no idea that I would be afforded the opportunity to squat with my one of my idols after all was said and done. I could not refuse! One could not ask for more out of an entire weekend of hanging out with pros, friends, bros, and fans!!! I even wonder if anyone has been as lucky as me??? How many athletes have had the opportunity to pull, bench and squat in the Animal Cage, especially with idols and great friends, the entire weekend???? I don't know how this past Cage experience can be topped?!? I can only hope to meet everyone again before and hopefully again at next year's Cage if they'll have me again!!!
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Thread: Powerswitch's Review and Recap
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Originally Posted by smoothballer
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