Road to the Record | 12 Weeks Out



Hello everyone,
It's Sam Schaefer and I'm exactly 12 weeks away from competing at the 2016 Oklahoma AAU State Powerlifting Championships in Tulsa, OK on May 14th. Well, that's not exactly true. I'm not plainly setting out to compete at the meet...anyone can do that. I want to break the current women's raw powerlifting record at the 148.4lb weight class.

For those of you don't know, powerlifting is a sport where lifters compete in 1, 2, or 3 categories...squat, bench, and dead lift. Lifters are also divided by weight class, gender, and raw vs. equipped. Equipped lifters use knee wraps, bench shirts, and squat suits to assist them in their lifts. Raw lifters are allowed to use only knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and weightlifting belts.

Not all powerlifting organizations are the same. I chose AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) because all adults participating in any of their sporting events must be tested for illegal and performance-enhancing drugs. I feel like this gives me the best chance to an even playing field and less frustration during my journey knowing that everyone will be tested.

Here are my current stats:

• Squat 225lb
• Bench Press 140lb (pause bench)
• Dead Lift 280lb
• Total 645lb

I'm coming for you Erin Nally!

How I plan on reaching my goal:

1. Training hard and being focused on my technique.
2. Consistently hitting my macro (carbs, fats, proteins, calories) goals and water intake.
3. Staying on top of my mobility...this is a must!
4. Sleeping 7-8 hours consistently for maximum recovery.

I want to document my journey over the next 3 months in order to give some insight as to how I eat, sleep, and train and also stay honest and committed to my goal. I hope you all will hold me accountable and be my team as I work my butt off for the next 12 weeks.

Working with all of our athletes at TCBB has inspired me to train for something other than general fitness and strength. Thank you all for inspiring me.