Mekka Fitness

Powerlifting #

I do raw, natural, powerlifting and bodybuilding. Raw means I don't lift in any specialized clothing, canvas shirts, or fancy equipment. Natural means I don't use any performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). I have nothing against anyone who chooses to go the PED route, it's just not for me. You do you.

Here are my best lifts:

I only have one powerlifting goal left in life: 500 lbs on the bench. I'll achieve that in 2021. I've done 495 twice, most recently in 2019. Yay! I did it! 500 lbs! I have no more powerlifting goals. It's easier to get older than to get stronger, so I might age into a California record if I can keep my strength up for a few more months. 👴🏿 But other than that, I think I'm going to slowly downsize.

Some friends from college swear that they saw me "squat" 800 lbs, but no I did not. You saw me do 800 lb "quarter pin squats" which means I only went a quarter of the way down. This is for explosive power at the top of the range for high jumping. I've never been able to squat 800 lbs all the way to depth. I'm not humble or shy, I would brag about it if I could squat 800 lbs to depth. I squatted 600 lbs for triples, but I never attempted a max effort single to depth over 600 lbs.

Google has a fitness competition called the Google Fitness Games (GFit Games). I usually win the bench press, both absolute and lb for lb., mainly because the two women that are stronger than me never bothered to show up! :) I'm stronger than all the men, both lb for lb, and absolute, because I have a lot of lbs, but also a lot of strong. But lb for lb, these 2 women are stronger.

Kinda powerlifting #

Technically, I don't compete in powerlifting, because I bench, but I don't do the other 2 disciplines anymore. I don't deadlift, because I don't want to adapt to hook grip, and I don't want to tear a bicep. I don't squat in competition, because I don't work on my flexibility enough to reach depth safely with any serious weight. I'm working on regaining flexibility, but I'm still not going to squat super heavy. Heaviest I go these days is 495 lbs.

Not really bodybuilding either #

Most of the year, I'm over 20% bodyfat, because I like to enjoy life. Occasionally I'll work my way down to about 16%, which is low for me. Then I'll head out to Venice beach, where tourists take pictures of us. I look very different at 16%. I'm not really a bodybuilder, because I don't do posing routines, I don't compete, I don't spray tan or shave, and I don't contest prep (diet hard).

Former sports stuff (Al Bundy section!) #

I played a little college football at Pomona College. Freshman year, I started at Nose Guard / DT.

I was co-captain of my college Rugby team, and along with others, lead our team to the national championship game. We were a small college, but we beat up on much bigger schools like UCLA, USC, UNLV, and San Diego State.

I played high level men's club rugby for the Riverside Killer Bees. While I was there, we were undefeated SCRFU champs, and went to the national championship tournament. We didn't win. :/

I played high school football at Phillips Academy at Andover. My senior year we were undefeated New England champs.

I studied a little Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Romie Aram and Betisse Mansouri at Millenia jiu-jitsu in Pomona. I've done some boxing and MMA. Mostly sparring, some smokers.