PERSONAL FILE:

age:  40       
occupation:  Health club operator. 
hobbies:  I love watching old movies and westerns.  I collect old powerlifting USA’s.  Anything to do with History.  I enjoy my English Bulldog named “Buddy”.
                    :
hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
originally from: Baltimore Maryland

best competition lifts:SQ-456, Bnch-345, & Dead-377.5

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED WEIGHT TRAINING ? 
I wanted to be strong and big to play American Football in High School.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST INVOLVEMENT WITH POWERLIFTING ?
I did a full meet in High School.  I was 17 and travelled to York, PA.  Bob Hoffman was there in a wheel chair.  I had no gear and a bodybuilding belt.  I weighed 97.5kilos.  I totalled 590 kilos.  It was USPF in 1983.

WHAT OTHER SPORTS HAVE YOU TRIED ? 
Baseball, Soccer, Track & Field, Basketball and Football.

HOW DID YOU TRAIN AT FIRST ? 
The classical progressive overload.  It worked well for size and strength starting out.  I always did the powerlifting movements. 

STARTING WESTSIDE TRAINING WAS QUITE A CHANGE TRAINING WISE ? 
Very much so.  I knew it worked from what I saw with my own eyes.  I had to put my ego aside. 

WAS IT HARD TO ADAPT ? 
Not hard but frustrating.  I knew it worked but I found it difficult paying my dues in the trenches because I felt I had been doing that over the last 20 years.  I wanted to be great right then!

YOUR LIFTS JUMPED UP PRETTY FAST DURING THE FIRST YEARS ( 2002-2004 ) ? 
Only because I was inspired by my competition.  The  WPO has so many great lifters that it makes you want to be among them and be respected.  My training partner Marc Bartley feels the same way   We have the same goals and are willing to work toward them.

IN YOUR LAST MEETS THE NUMBERS HAVE MOVED UP FAST SO YOU FOUND A GOOD WAY TO TRAIN. WHAT WERE THE MAJOR CHANGES RECENTLY ? 
Russian Kettlebell training.  It saved me.  My back was always getting hurt.  Now it is under control.  It also feels good to be mobile again. Conventional methods of training were starting to break me.  I also get a lot of training information from fellow competitor Paul Childress.  He has helped me tremendously.

WHAT TYPE OF GYM DO YOU HAVE  ? 
A complete powerlifting facility.  No mirrors.  All competitive powerlifters.   Plus it is equipped with everything you need to train with.  I could never go back to a commercial health club again.  It is sweet. 

HOW IS YOUR GYM GYM COMPARED TO WESTSIDE BARBELL ? 
Westside is bigger and more people.  Plus they are the original.  Most training facilities just copied Westside.  Westside’s best lifters helped me out.  Guy’s like Chuck Vogelpohl,  John Stafford, Rob Fusner and Matt Smith.  I owe them a lot for that.  That led to my gym currently having four guys squatting over 455 kilos , all in national and world meets.  Marc Bartley, Karl Tillman, Tex Henderson and myself.  Westside is the only other gym around that you will find that.   

IT SURE SEEMS THAT LOUIE NEVER RUNS OUT OF IDEAS ? 
Never.  He is someone that, once you meet him, you will never forget him.  I think he means to get lifters jump started to think for themselves.  I don’t think he wants people up his ass all the time. 

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA OF KETTLEBELL TRAINING ? 
I have an older friend who is an ex-athlete.  His name is Mr. Haney.  He was doing them for about two years and we all laughed at him.  When my back went bad, I tried them out of necessity and they worked.  I don’t laugh anymore.  Mr. Haney is my Kettlebell comrade still today.

WHAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE HAS IT MADE ? 
My lower back and hips have really developed.  My shoulders, which were my weakness, packed on a lot of muscle since I started March 2004.  I have to admit that lifting is very fun again because I don’t have to do so much barbell work like before.  

WHAT TYPE OF KETTLEBELL STUFF DO YOU DO ? 
I do a lot of Olympic type movements.  The snatch, the snatch press and bottoms up presses.  I usually use two at a time and swing from the outside of my legs.  I have bottom up pressed, from a snatch position, every kilo kettlebell made.  I really like the double swings between the legs for deadlifts.  I do a lot of windmills using the two hands anyhow position.  All of these transfer to powerlifting.  Especially the deadlift. 

WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM KETTLEBELLS TRAINING ? 
Everyone.  I think you can replace the machines in health clubs with kettlebells. This will never happen but it would be better for people.  My father is 66 years old and uses the double kettlebell method.  He applies this to the exercises I showed him and is ready for the next larger kilo size. 

YOUR FAVOURITE ME EXERCISES, PICK 3 SQ&DL AND 3 BP EXERCISES ? 
For the squat, I would say Heavy band box squats, heavy triples with belt and briefs and sets of five on the deadlift.  The sets of five get me in shape to deadlift.  When I was light I did singles.  Now that I am heavy, I need more practice.  For the bench, I love to board press off of two and one boards.  I like heavy chain presses.  (adding chains to each attempt until I fail).  I also like to floor press.  I use the fat bar for all of these. 

YOUR BEST RESULTS IN SAMPLE ME LIFTS ? ( 3-5 SQ&DL AND 3-5 BP, JUST EXAMPLES ) 
I did 320 kilo squats for six repetitions raw.  Very deep.  I have done a triple with 410 kilo’s in the squat with belt and briefs.  Not much on knee wraps.  For bench I have done 185 kilo fat bar weight with eights pairs of logging chain on each side.  Benched 272 kilo’s raw in training.  I am not that strong in the gym.  I lift with zero intensity because it doesn’t count.  It reminds me of football practice.  Very boring but necessary.  So I do what it takes to be the best. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GETTING THE WPO TO EUROPE ?
The organization is called "World Powerlifting Organization" Not the Atlanta, GA & Columbus, OH Powerlifting Organization.  I like the guys in our close knit group but I want to lift with Europeans also.  I think one event should be scheduled overseas and one in the United States.
 
HOW MANY AMERICANS DO YOU THINK ARE COMPETING ?
At first I heard alot were going.  Then they scheduled a record breakers meet in Chicago, IL, the week prior to the Finland meet.  I feel alot of Americans will go the easy route and save money going to Chicago.

WHAT´S YOUR GOAL AT THE MEET ?
I want to improve in all my lifts compared to the Arnold where I won the championship.  My biggest goal is that my squat is finally realized.

HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF POWERLIFTING ?
The more there is prize money, the more lifters will come out to lift.  When powerlifting gets on ESPN, it will really take off.  The only way for that to work is to get film of the lifters personal lives and show it before they broadcast the attempts.  Otherwise the audience can't understand what is going on.  The general public does not comprehend numbers well.

NAME 3 MOST COMMON TRAINING MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE ?
Lifters try to skip stages of training.  They try to go from a beginner to world champion without paying any dues.  A champion must experience all the aspects of becoming a great lifter, which include injuries, bomb outs and getting your ass kicked by better lifters than yourself.  Secondly, lifters wear more gear than they need.  Save the big time gear for the big time lifters.  Small meets should rule out excessive gear.  The real big mistake is not to study powerlifting and it's history and all the information available to the lifter on the internet.  Lastly, lifters quit much too soon.  As soon as they encounter hardships, they "retire"!  They have zero intestinal fortitude like the old timers.
 
 
YOUR ADVICE FOR THE BEGINNER ?
Set a reasonable pace to achieve your lifts.  Don't go from squatting 300 kilo's one meet and a month later you try 400 kilo's because you bought a new lifting suit.  Learn to perservere during the hard times like injury and lack of money.  Have no excuses.  When everything seems to go wrong, keep trying.  The biggest advice is to study the game itself.  Learn all you can about the physics of powerlifting and it's application.  Read, read and read.  Don't just follow someone else.  You have to learn through trial and error.  If a lift you try in training has no carry over on the platform, don't do it anymore.   


WHAT TYPE OF GEAR HAVE YOU USED IN THOSE ? 
I used to wear Titan briefs.  Now I wear Metal Gear with all my lifts.  I do not use gear for the deadlift.  The metal briefs are awesome to do the box squat with. 

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GEAR IN GENERAL ? 
I think it is great.  I wish the young lifters would use less but for the pro’s and the top IPF guys, I think it is great.  The beginner powerlifters today head straight for the big time gear.  They don’t spend enough time in the trenches and getting muscle built.  At most small meets, you can’t tell the difference between the powerlifters and the audience.  That is terrible.  The they come out in gear that I haven’t even seen before and struggle with light weights.  This needs to be recognized.  Leave that big time gear for the big time lifters.

ANY THOUHTS ABOUT THE STATUS OF POWERLIFTING IN GENERAL ? ( federations, meets, testing, gear ) 
I think it will be a long time before we see any unification.  Personally, I wanted to lift with and among the strongest.  It happened to be the APF then the WPO.  I remember watching Ano Turtanian lift in Florida.  Deadlifting around 395 kilo’s at 3:00am in the morning.  Big Garry Frank hoisting huge weights.  Along with Paul Childress, Matt Smith, Beau Moore, Andy Bolton and his huge deadlift, Brent Mikesell and Steve Goggins.  That was my final decision.  To lift among the best.  I couldn’t care less what league it was with or who was in charge.  All I wanted to do is lift big among the giants of the game.  I never want to isolate myself in some league where I am the only competition and the nearest lifter is more than 100 kilo’s behind me.  I like to take risks.  What is the incentive to go to a meet and you know if you do just your openers that you are the winner? 

WHAT NEGATIVE THINGS WOULD YOU REMOVE ? 
There are too many federations.  Keep just two amature and one professional.  Also, bashing lifters on the internet.  Sumo deadlifts altogether.  Judges who have never totalled USPF elite in their own career.  Layered gear for beginner lifters.  Drug testing in the IPF! And finally, Bench only out of PLUSA’s top 100 list and give them their own top list.

GEAR AND EQUIPMENT HAVE CERTAINLY EVOLVED GREATLY DURING LAST YEARS ? 
Yes, I think the positive is that lifters are safer.  Negative is that weak lifters are matching the strong lifters in the bench, for example, when in real life they couldn’t compete without the gear. 

GEAR HAS BEEN HERE FOREVER BUT THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP FAST SPECIALLY IN THE SQUAT AND BENCH, WHAT DO SEE THE BIGGEST REASON FOR THAT ?
I think material and science have joined together to help with the big numbers you currently see.  Also, the bench only guys have come up with great training techniques that incorporate the gear and help you maximize your numbers.  Some guys get up to 140 kilo’s over their raw bench weight.  In the Squat, the gear has helped with tremendous stopping power.  Years ago you could bottom out with the tightest of suits. 

NOW THEY HAVE GONE UP IN THE DEADLIFT TOO ?
We are learning to not over train the deadlift.  That was the problem.  Ton’s of squat work overkilled the deadlift work.  We have learned to save our lower backs.  I think the deadlift has gone up recently is because of Andy Bolton.  Everyone is more motivated to pull better.  That is all it is. 

WHAT TYPE OF GEAR DO YOU USE PERSONALLY ?
I use Metal Gear. Ano’s wife Mina made all my stuff.  I love it.

BEING A SUPERHEAVY YOU DON´T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WEIGHT TOO MUCH ?
I don’t worry but I watch it.  I don’t want to weigh more than everyone but I want to lift at the weight I maximize my lifts.  I think it is around 168 kilo’s.

HOW DO YOU SEE A VALUE OF PROPER NUTRITION FOR POWERLIFTERS ? 
I wish we could all afford to eat the way we should.  Here in America, we have fast food restaurants that are bad for us and our health.  But it gets convenient.  I think you will see a big trend shifting towards proper nutrition for powerlifting.

DO YOU USE ANY SUPPLEMENTS ? 
Just a protein powder.  I will leave it nameless because I am not sponsored by them.  They all seem to do the same thing anyway. 

WHAT LIFTERS DO LOOK UP TO AND WHY ? 
Garry Frank.  He is the strongest man on earth.  I like him because he pushed the bar concerning totals and inspired powerlifting to make a comeback.  Notice that powerlifting was in the dark ages most of the nineties until Garry came on the scene.  Then we all got motivated.  I like Ed Coan , Steve Goggins and Jesse Kellum.  They were champions in the eighties and remain so still today.  I like Brian Siders because he just lifts big.  I like Ano Turtanian because showed us how strong Europeans are by actually coming over to the USA and beating us at his own expense.  He didn’t just state he was better on the internet.  I also like Paul Childress, Kaz, Don Rienhoult ? , Andy Bolton and some of the European dudes who I can’t pronounce their names.  I have great respect for Beau Moore.  He motivates me a lot. 

HOW DO SPEND YOUR SPARE TIME BETWEEN WORK AND TRAINING ? 
Like I said earlier, I love to watch John Wayne westerns.  I like all the old movies made during WW II.  Most westerns and especially the show Gunsmoke.  I think men ought to act a little more like John Wayne and a lot less like “Will & Grace”!

ANY FINAL COMMENTS ? 
I would like to thank my parents, Don & Adrienne Thompson for their support.  My whole crew from the powerlifting gym I own.  My ex-girlfriend Mandy Stafford and her Mom, Jeanne Blume for all the food they fed me and they were great to me.  Mark Blackberg, my business partner, Marc Bartley my training partner.  Paul Childress for his training advice.  Tom Frederick from Glen Rock, PA for getting me started as a teenager.  He was brutal but fair and said long ago I would be a champion if I want to.  Mike Lambert from PLUSA for contributing to powerlifting all these years.  Kieran Kidder for all he has done to make powerlifting advance.  Travis Mash and Ox Mason.  My brother, Joshua Thompson, for standing by me all these years.  Pavel Tsatsulin for helping me with Russian Kettlebells.  And finally, Louie Simmons, Dave Tate for getting me started.  They still help me when I get a little off course.  But if it wasn’t for those two, I would have not even have tried to compete.  Thanks to Ano & Mina Turtanian for the Metal Gear gear and the great show they run in Finland..