Table of Contents
It’s done. After months of preparation, weeks of documentation, and a journey that has taken you along with me through every training session, nutrition decision, and mental challenge, I have officially completed my first Armlifting USA World Championship competition in Las Vegas. As I sit here reflecting on the experience, I’m struck by how different the reality of competition day was from what I had imagined, and how the lessons learned extend far beyond the specific results achieved on the platform.
This final post in the series isn’t just about sharing competition results—though I’ll give you every detail of how the day unfolded. It’s about the broader insights that only come from putting months of preparation to the ultimate test, the humbling reality of competing against the world’s best, and the perspective that emerges when you measure success not just by placement, but by personal growth and the courage to show up when it matters most.
The journey to this point has been documented in real-time, sharing the authentic experience of preparing for a world-level competition while managing the demands of real life. Now, with the competition behind me, I can offer the complete picture—the triumphs, the frustrations, the unexpected challenges, and the profound lessons that make this entire experience worthwhile regardless of the specific outcomes achieved.
Competition Day: The Reality of World-Level Performance
October 10th, 2025, began at 6:00 AM in Las Vegas with a mixture of excitement, nerves, and the calm confidence that comes from knowing you’ve done the work. The months of preparation had led to this moment, and while I couldn’t predict exactly how the day would unfold, I knew I was as ready as I could be given my current capabilities and the time I had invested in preparation.
The Weigh-In Success: Validation of the Process
The previous evening’s weigh-in had gone exactly according to plan, providing the perfect start to the competition experience. After waking up Thursday morning at 149.9 pounds and executing the fasting strategy I had outlined in my previous post, I weighed in at 146 pounds—a full 8 pounds under the 154-pound limit for my weight class.
This successful weight cut validated months of careful nutrition planning and demonstrated the effectiveness of systematic preparation. The 3-pound reduction from morning to evening was exactly what I had expected—primarily water weight and the natural result of not consuming food throughout the day. More importantly, the comfortable margin below the weight limit eliminated any stress about making weight and allowed me to focus entirely on performance preparation.
The post-weigh-in buffet dinner was both a psychological and physiological reset. After months of careful portion control and food restriction, eating without limitations felt liberating. I focused on proteins, vegetables, and a substantial amount of carbohydrates to begin the refueling process for competition day. The meal served its purpose perfectly—satisfying months of dietary discipline while providing the energy foundation needed for peak performance.
Competition Morning: Fueling for Performance
Friday morning brought the final piece of the nutrition puzzle. I was able to find an excellent restaurant near the hotel that provided exactly the kind of substantial, clean breakfast I wanted before competing. The egg white omelet, fresh fruit, and—admittedly—a piece of banana bread created the perfect balance of protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates to fuel three hours of maximum effort.
The banana bread might seem like an indulgence, but it represents an important principle in competition preparation: sometimes the psychological benefit of enjoying something you love outweighs the marginal nutritional considerations. I’ve always been a sucker for banana bread, and having that small pleasure on competition morning contributed to my overall sense of readiness and enjoyment of the experience.
Sleep the night before had been adequate rather than optimal—a common experience for athletes dealing with travel, time zone changes, and pre-competition nerves. However, I felt energized and ready as I arrived at the venue. The months of consistent sleep habits and stress management practices had built a foundation of resilience that allowed me to perform well despite less-than-perfect rest.
Event 1: 2-Inch Country Crush Deadlift – A Personal Record
The competition began at 9:00 AM with the 2-inch Country Crush Raptor handle deadlift, an event that had been my most inconsistent throughout the preparation period. As I approached the platform for my first attempt, I felt a mixture of confidence from recent training sessions and awareness that this lift could go either way.
The early attempts felt solid and controlled, building my confidence as the weight increased. The technique refinements I had worked on throughout the preparation were paying off, and I could feel the strength I had built over months of consistent training. As we moved into the heavier weights, I found myself in a good rhythm, executing each lift with the kind of control and confidence that translates well in competition environments.
When I successfully completed 137.5 pounds, I knew immediately that I had achieved a new personal record. The lift felt clean, controlled, and well within my capabilities—exactly the kind of performance you hope for in competition. Setting a PR in my first event at my first World Championships was an incredible way to start the day and validated the effectiveness of my preparation approach.
However, this moment of personal triumph was immediately put into perspective by witnessing the performances of my fellow competitors in the 70-kilogram weight class. Two athletes broke world records on this implement, with lifts exceeding 180 pounds. Watching competitors in my own weight class lift well over their body weight on this challenging implement was both inspiring and humbling.
This experience perfectly encapsulated what competing at the world level means: you can have the best day of your life personally while simultaneously being reminded of how much room there is for improvement. The athletes setting world records weren’t just stronger—they represented years of specialized training, technical refinement, and the kind of dedication that creates truly elite performance.
Event 2: Saxon Deadlift – Matching Excellence Under Pressure
The second event was the 2-inch by 5-inch Saxon bar deadlift, historically my strongest lift throughout the preparation period. As we moved into this event, I felt confident based on months of consistent performance and the knowledge that this implement had always felt natural to me.
The early attempts confirmed my expectations—the bar felt good in my hands, my technique was solid, and I was moving through the weights with the kind of smooth progression that indicates good preparation and optimal performance state. When I successfully completed 170 pounds, matching my personal record, I felt satisfied with maintaining my best performance under the pressure of world-level competition.
However, this is where the day became frustrating in ways that highlight the unpredictable nature of competition. I knew I was approaching my limit at 170 pounds and requested a 5-pound increase to 175 pounds for my next attempt. This would have been a manageable progression that might have allowed me to set a new personal record. Unfortunately, the competition format required 10-pound jumps, meaning my next attempt had to be 180 pounds.
The 180-pound attempt became a perfect example of how competition can test not just your physical capabilities, but your mental resilience and ability to execute under pressure. I successfully lifted the weight off the ground and stood completely upright with it—a lift that would have counted in training. However, the bar slipped from my hands before I received the down command from the referee.
Competition rules allowed me 60 seconds to complete the lift after my first attempt, so I could try as many times as I wanted within that timeframe. I took a moment to regroup, added more chalk to my hands, and attempted the lift again. Once again, I successfully lifted 180 pounds to a standing position, and once again, the bar slipped from my grip before I could complete the lift according to competition standards.
After a third unsuccessful attempt, I could no longer get the bar off the ground. I had pushed myself to my absolute limit, and while I was proud of successfully lifting 180 pounds multiple times, my official result remained 170 pounds—matching my personal record rather than exceeding it.
This experience was simultaneously frustrating and educational. From a pure strength perspective, I had clearly improved beyond my previous personal record. The ability to repeatedly lift 180 pounds demonstrated that my preparation had been effective and my strength had increased. However, competition isn’t just about raw strength—it’s about the ability to control that strength under pressure, maintain grip security when fatigued, and execute perfect technique when it matters most.
The frustration came from knowing that a smaller weight jump might have allowed me to set a new official personal record. However, this is the nature of competition—you must work within the rules and format as they exist, not as you might prefer them to be. This lesson applies broadly to any challenging situation: success often requires adapting to constraints rather than wishing they were different.
Once again, the performances of my fellow competitors provided perspective on what elite-level performance looks like. Athletes in my weight class broke world records with lifts approaching 200 pounds on the Saxon bar. These weren’t just strong performances—they were demonstrations of what’s possible when talent, training, and opportunity align at the highest level.
Event 3: Anvil Medley – The Humbling Reality of Fatigue
The third and final event was the anvil medley, featuring three weights (100 pounds, 120 pounds, and 140 pounds) with 60 seconds to attempt all three weights and then perform as many repetitions as possible with the heaviest weight successfully lifted. This event had been my biggest question mark throughout preparation, as I had only been training with anvils for a few weeks leading up to the competition.
My strategy going into this event was based on realistic assessment of my training performances: lift the 100-pound weight (which should be manageable), attempt the 120-pound weight (which I thought I could handle), try the 140-pound weight (which I knew would be challenging), and then perform repetitions with whichever weight represented my maximum.
However, competition rarely unfolds exactly according to plan, and this event became a lesson in how fatigue, unfamiliarity, and the pressure of competition can impact performance in unexpected ways.
During the warm-up period before the event began, I immediately noticed that the anvil felt much heavier than it should have. Anyone who has experience with strength training knows this feeling—some days a weight that you normally handle easily feels unusually heavy, while other days the same weight feels light and manageable. As soon as I lifted the anvil during warm-ups, I knew this was going to be one of those challenging days.
Several factors likely contributed to this sensation. By this point in the competition, I had been lifting for over three hours, and cumulative fatigue was certainly a factor. The anvil lift was also the newest implement in my training arsenal, so I lacked the deep familiarity and confidence that comes from months or years of practice. Additionally, the competition environment—with its time pressure, audience, and high stakes—can affect performance in ways that are difficult to predict or control.
When the actual event began, I was able to successfully lift the 100-pound weight, confirming that I had at least some capability with the implement. However, when I attempted the 120-pound weight, I couldn’t get it off the ground. Even more frustratingly, when I returned to the 100-pound weight for repetitions, I found that I could no longer lift it either.
This was the most disappointing moment of the competition for me. I knew from training that I was capable of better performance on this implement, but competition day didn’t allow me to demonstrate those capabilities. The combination of fatigue, unfamiliarity, and whatever other factors were at play created a perfect storm that prevented me from executing at my trained level.
This experience was humbling and frustrating, but it also provided valuable lessons about the unpredictable nature of competition and the importance of building deep familiarity with any skill you want to perform under pressure. It reinforced my decision to focus more heavily on anvil training in the off-season and highlighted the difference between being able to perform a skill in training versus being able to execute it reliably in competition.
The Broader Perspective: What World Championships Taught Me
Stepping back from the specific results of each event, the overall experience of competing at the World Championships provided insights that extend far beyond armlifting and apply to anyone pursuing challenging goals or putting their preparation to the test in high-stakes situations.
The Reality of Elite Competition
One of the most striking aspects of the competition was witnessing the level of performance that defines world-class athletics. Watching competitors in my own weight class break world records and lift weights that seemed impossible put my own performance into perspective in ways that were both humbling and inspiring.
These athletes weren’t just stronger than me—they represented a different level of specialization, dedication, and technical mastery. Their performances demonstrated what’s possible when talent meets optimal training, perfect technique, and years of focused development. This wasn’t discouraging; it was educational. It showed me exactly what the next level looks like and provided clear targets for future development.
This experience reinforced an important principle about goal pursuit: there’s always another level. No matter how much you improve or how satisfied you are with your progress, there are always people who have gone further, achieved more, or developed greater mastery. This isn’t a reason to be discouraged—it’s a reason to be inspired and to maintain perspective about your own journey.
The Importance of Personal Benchmarks
While it would have been wonderful to place highly in my weight class or compete closely with the world record holders, the reality is that most people who compete at this level won’t finish in the top three. This doesn’t make their participation less valuable or their preparation less meaningful—it simply means that success must be measured by different standards.
When I compare my performance to my own benchmarks rather than to other competitors, the picture looks quite different. I set one new personal record, matched another personal record, and came very close to exceeding my best performance on the Saxon bar. These achievements represent months of consistent training, careful preparation, and successful execution under pressure.
This perspective applies broadly to any challenging endeavor. Whether you’re pursuing fitness goals, professional achievements, or personal development, the most meaningful comparisons are often with your previous self rather than with others who may have different starting points, resources, or circumstances. Progress is progress, and improvement is improvement, regardless of how it compares to others’ achievements.
The Value of the Journey Over the Destination
Perhaps the most important insight from this entire experience is that the value of pursuing challenging goals lies as much in the journey as in the specific outcomes achieved. The months of preparation, the discipline required for consistent training and nutrition, the mental skills developed through managing pressure and uncertainty—these benefits exist regardless of competition results.
The process of preparing for the World Championships taught me about systematic goal pursuit, the compound effect of consistent effort, the importance of honest self-assessment, and the mental skills required for peak performance. These lessons will serve me in every area of life, long after the specific details of this competition have faded.
This perspective doesn’t diminish the importance of outcomes or suggest that results don’t matter. Rather, it recognizes that the most valuable aspects of challenging goal pursuit are often the skills, insights, and personal growth that occur during the preparation process. The competition results are important, but they’re not the only measure of success.
Looking Forward: Lessons for Future Development
The competition experience provided clear direction for future training and development. The anvil medley performance, while disappointing, highlighted an obvious area for improvement. Having only trained with anvils for a few weeks before the competition, I have significant room for development in this area.
The off-season will include much more focused anvil training, not just to improve strength with this implement, but to build the deep familiarity and confidence that allows for reliable performance under pressure. This represents an opportunity to address a clear weakness and potentially transform it into a strength for future competitions.
The Saxon bar experience, while more successful, also provided insights for improvement. The ability to lift 180 pounds multiple times suggests that my strength has progressed beyond my official personal record, but my grip security and technique under maximum load need refinement. Future training will focus on maintaining control at the highest weights, not just achieving them.
The Country Crush performance was the most satisfying of the day, demonstrating that consistent training and technical focus can lead to breakthrough performances when it matters most. This success provides a template for approaching the other lifts—systematic preparation, technical refinement, and the confidence that comes from consistent practice.
The Broader Application: What This Means for Your Goals
The lessons from this World Championships experience apply to anyone pursuing challenging goals, whether in fitness, career, personal development, or any other area of life. The principles that guided my preparation and the insights gained from competition translate broadly to goal achievement in any context.
Systematic Preparation Works
The aspects of my preparation that went well—weight management, strength development in familiar lifts, mental preparation—were the areas where I had the most systematic and consistent approach. This reinforces the value of breaking down complex goals into manageable components and addressing each systematically over time.
Whether you’re preparing for a fitness challenge, a career transition, or any other significant goal, the principle remains the same: consistent, systematic effort over time produces reliable results. There are no shortcuts to meaningful achievement, but there are proven processes that increase your chances of success.
Honest Self-Assessment Enables Better Strategy
My realistic assessment of my anvil lifting capabilities allowed me to develop an appropriate strategy and set reasonable expectations. While the execution didn’t go as planned, the assessment process itself was valuable and will inform better preparation for future competitions.
This principle applies to any goal pursuit: honest evaluation of your current capabilities, resources, and constraints allows for better planning and more realistic expectations. This doesn’t mean lowering your standards or settling for mediocrity—it means working with reality rather than fighting against it.
Process Focus Reduces Pressure and Improves Performance
Throughout the preparation and competition, focusing on the processes I could control—training consistency, nutrition adherence, mental preparation—was more valuable than obsessing over outcomes I couldn’t predict. This approach reduced anxiety and allowed for better decision-making under pressure.
In any challenging situation, identifying the factors you can control and focusing your energy there is more productive than worrying about outcomes that depend on multiple variables beyond your influence. This doesn’t guarantee specific results, but it maximizes your chances of success while preserving your mental and emotional well-being.
Perspective Determines Experience
The difference between viewing this competition as a disappointment versus a valuable learning experience comes down to perspective and how you define success. By measuring progress against personal benchmarks rather than only comparing to others, the experience becomes much more positive and motivating.
This principle is crucial for maintaining motivation and enjoyment in any long-term goal pursuit. If success is defined only by external comparisons or perfect outcomes, most experiences will feel like failures. If success includes personal growth, skill development, and the courage to attempt challenging things, most experiences become valuable regardless of specific results.
Gratitude and Reflection
As I conclude this documentation of my journey to the World Championships, I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity to pursue this goal and share the experience with you. The chance to compete at the world level in any sport is a privilege that relatively few people experience, and I don’t take that lightly.
I’m grateful for the support system that made this journey possible—my wife who supported the time and energy investment, the coaches and training partners who provided guidance and encouragement, and the online community that followed along and offered motivation throughout the process.
I’m also grateful for the lessons learned, both the positive reinforcement of effective preparation strategies and the humbling reminders of areas that need improvement. These insights will inform not just future athletic pursuits, but my approach to any challenging goal in any area of life.
Perhaps most importantly, I’m grateful for the reminder that pursuing challenging goals is inherently valuable, regardless of specific outcomes. The person I became through this process—more disciplined, more resilient, more systematic in my approach to challenges—is the real prize, and that value exists independent of competition results.
The Next Chapter
While this concludes the documented journey to the 2025 World Championships, it’s not the end of the story. The insights gained, skills developed, and areas for improvement identified will inform future training and competition goals. The off-season will bring focused work on anvil lifting, continued development in the other lifts, and the systematic approach to improvement that this experience has reinforced.
More broadly, the principles and processes that guided this journey will continue to inform my approach to challenging goals in all areas of life. The systematic preparation, honest self-assessment, process focus, and perspective that served me well in this context are transferable skills that apply to any meaningful pursuit.
For those of you who have followed this journey from the beginning, I hope it has provided insights and inspiration for your own challenging goals. Whether you’re pursuing fitness achievements, career objectives, or personal development goals, the principles remain the same: systematic preparation, honest assessment, process focus, and the understanding that the journey often matters more than the destination.
The platform in Las Vegas was just one stop on a longer journey of growth, challenge, and continuous improvement. The real victory isn’t in any specific competition result—it’s in the willingness to pursue challenging goals, learn from the experience, and apply those lessons to become better in all areas of life.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. The next adventure is already beginning.