Wrecking Crew leaves power lifting meet with four first place trophies

Monday, April 7, 2008
Five Kansas power lifters recently competed in a bench press powerlifting competition in Iowa. Left to right - Kansas Wrecking Crew members Dylan Marlow, Brad Rich, Brett Iwen, Jimmy Nichols, and Garrett Iwen. Marlow, Rich, Brett and Garrett Iwen finished first at the event.

Herald-Tribune

Five Kansas men, including three from Bourbon County, competed in a powerlifting contest last weekend in Iowa.

The five, known as the Kansas Wrecking Crew, took home four first place trophies and a second place prize.

The Northwest Iowa Bench Press Classic in Emmetsburg, Iowa, about 550 miles from Fort Scott, was conducted March 29.

Kansans competing in the contest were Dylan Marlow, Jimmy Nichols, both of Bronson; Brad Rich, of Bourbon County; Brett Iwen, of Bennington; and Garrett Breese, of Minneapolis.

All but Nichols finished first in their flights, which were divided according to how much the competitor weighed and the competitor's age.

Nichols placed second in the heavyweight class, which is for competitors 290 pounds and above. There were six people in his weight class.

Nichols lifted 520 pounds, but he has pressed 580 pounds before.

Finishing second isn't bad, considering he lost to Leonard Willison, of Cedar Falls, Iowa. Willison, who weighs 347 pounds, is a nine-time national powerlifting champion, a seven time regional champion and holds three USA powerlifting records.

Willison pressed 550 pounds, which was the top lift at the event.

Rich placed first in the novice weight class, which is for lifters 20 to 24 years old. Rich set a record for his age and weight class, lifting 350 pounds.

Powerlifting is growing in popularity, especially bench pressing competitions.

Powerlifters use intensity and mental focus to hoist the heavy weight, usually for just a single repetition. The lifts usually take less than a minute, but strength, energy, mental focus and sheer determination are needed to succeed.

They will use adrenaline-charged tactics like having someone slap them across the face just before a lift, loud music piped through headphones, and the cheering crowd.

"You have to be 100-percent focused or you're not going to be able to lift it," Nichols said. "When you get that much weight out over you, you're mind can't wander for a second."

Some of the competitors at the Iowa event, excluding the Kansas Wrecking Crew, sniffed ammonia capsules. The ammonia caps provide a quick wake-up sensation along with a feeling of expanded lungs. It helps the lifter hoist greater weight.

Rich is a newcomer to powerlifting. Nichols, who works with Rich at the Southeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center in Fort Scott, introduced him to powerlifting about 1 1/2 months ago, but he has lifted weights prior to that.

Nichols said Rich has the "ideal build" to go far in powerlifting. Rich has a shorter arm span than Nichols, which gives him an advantage, because he has less pressing distance.

The men must practice before the competitions. Nichols lifts three to four times a week.

The bench press is one of the most recognizable lifts in powerlifting and weight lifting in general. It's when a person lies down on a bench and presses a barbell over the chest.

Many times, the lift is abused by novice lifters who stack too much weight on the bar and can't lift it with proper form. That leads to improper form like bouncing the weight off the chest.

But at powerlifting competitions, there are guidelines that are enforced or the lift doesn't count.

Nichols said a spotter can help the lifter get the bar in position from the rack. From that point, it's all up the lifter. The weight can't shift too far to one side. The bar must touch the chest. It must come to a complete stop at the chest. Then the competitor has to press the bar up to a lock-out position. There's one repetition, and it's all done.

Placing tremendous stress on the joints and ligaments causes injuries. In fact, Nichols fractured bones in his wrist prior to the competition. That injury may have caused him to lift less weight at the event.

When Rich first started powerlifting, he didn't exhale during the strenuous part of the exercise. He held his breath,which resulted in broken blood vessels in his face and eyes.

The Bourbon County Sheriff's Office and Kennedy Floor Covering, Inc., sponsored the Kansas Wrecking Crew at the event. The sheriff's office is also sponsoring a powerlifting competition June 29 at the Uniontown High School weight room.

Nichols said he hopes to lift more than 600 pounds at that event. Rich said he wants to hoist somewhere between 400 to 450 pounds.