For the uninitiated, the WPO is the biggest meet in multi-ply powerlifting, full stop.
Back in 2000, the WPO was born to bring multi-ply the grandest stage it had ever seen; with cash prizes, TV coverage, high production value, and a densely packed roster of the year’s greatest lifters. In 2007, sadly, the WPO banner was raised for the final time and the name laid dormant for years after.
This was of course until 2018, when the WPO arose “FROM THE ASHES” and returned to provide multi-ply a high caliber, invite only money meet. Since then, it has reigned as the definitive stage for the best in the sport.
I wasn’t around for the original WPO (I was born in 2002), but I remember when I started getting into powerlifting seeing the old recordings of its first run. It looked incredible, and felt like what I envisioned “pro” powerlifting to be in my head. It certainly left an impact and built up a goal I felt like I would never reach, both because I was very inexperienced at the time and because it was a relic of a bygone era.
Then, it returned.
I was enamored with its rebirth, the roster was all of the best of the day and even had some older lifters I had read about still hanging in there. It was all so incredibly cool to me.
GETTING INVITED
I was at the beach with my girlfriend the weekend after a meet over the summer. It was blistering hot, and we went to get some iced coffee and breakfast at a spot we liked near where we were staying. I got out of my car and felt a notification buzz, and it was a DM from the official WPO Instagram account.
Truthfully, I do not know exactly what I did that put me under Wayne’s eye. I have to guess that a few people rejected invites in the top 30 Glossbrenners for the year, and he just kept going down the list. I was #34 in 2023 if I am not mistaken, and given the APF situation that year the WPO pulled from all feds again while the APO established its foothold. The stars truly aligned for me.
That was it, I was in.
MY PERFORMANCE
Prep went great, and I think I set myself up as strong as I could. I drove about six hours north to take my final free squats at Anchor Athletics with Anthony Oliveira and the NHight Crew. This was great, not only because I got to meet everyone and had nothing but a good time- but I got to dial in my wrap/straps with Andrew Lyna, who was going to handle me at the meet.
When meet day finally came, I actually wasn’t all that nervous; which is odd. I am usually a wreck before I get my first squat in, but this time I was just plain excited. Not only to compete, but just to see a meet series I had followed so closely for so long.
Squats went alright. I got my opener, missed my second because I lost my upper back in the hole, and came back and crushed it on my third. I finished out here with 788lbs. Not a PR, but certainly not far off. Had I got that squat on my second, I definitely think a PR was there on the day- but I wanted to stay conservative and stack pounds on my total.
Bench was a trainwreck. I flared too early on my opener and dumped it to my face. When I did that, the spotters took it and I caught my whole pinkie in between the upright and the bar. Took two good chunks out of it, and it bled and swelled like all hell. I was able to grind out my opener on my second, but missed my planned second on my third attempt. Ended up with 639lbs here, very underwhelming but happy I got one in.
Deadlifts went pretty good. Opener and second were very easy, and I was able to pull a 9lb PR on my third with 639lbs. I was grateful I could hold on to the bar after my pinkie mess up on bench, and I feel like I even had a bit more in the tank here.
This netted me a 2066lb total at 193lbs, which managed to place me at 9th for the day. I couldn’t believe it, I cracked the top 10. This wasn’t a PR total, but once again it was damn close!
MY EXPERIENCE
It is a bit of an odd feeling to actually see such a long-term goal through. You think about and idealize something for so long, by the time you get there you don’t know what you should actually be expecting. Since its return, a LOT has been said by many about the WPO; by those competing, those just there, and even those watching from afar. Not all of it has been good.
I am happy to report I really have no complaints about the meet. I thought it was exceptional, ran very smoothly, and had great equipment. All the monos and benches were brand new premium EliteFTS models, there were plenty of plates in the warm up room, and I didn’t feel rushed nor did I feel like I was just waiting around all day. The pacing was just right in my opinion. The one and only complaint I have was that the bars in the warm up room weren’t the same as on the platform. But it’s not like the warm up room bars were bad, just different. The platform was all Sportkraft bars and the warm up room had some Texas/Iron Wolfe/Rogue bars- all appropriate for their respective lifts.
Before the WPO, I never really cared about how I placed in a meet. Even at bigger meets I did, I just wanted to put some pounds on a lift or my total. However, this meet really changed my perspective. I get it now. The WPO really does feel like its own “league” and I’m motivated to try and place higher than 9th just as much as I am to PR my total. I can’t quantify what made me think about this, but it became another metric I can build upon. Placing really means something there.
Overall, I couldn’t be more thankful that I got the opportunity to compete at the WPO this year and I really hope my performance earns me an invite for next year. It was a great honor and I had a great time.
