I thought it would be fun to share some of my most memorable spotting stories.
What did you say?
Be careful when you ask a deaf person to spot you. Once while bench pressing, I had a deaf guy spot me, and he was all there for the first few reps, then I closed my eyes and went into hyperdrive and ... started ... to ... lose it...and opened my eyes to find him looking off somewhere else; and I started to laugh as I realized there was just no possible way to get his attention...
Balls up
So this guy is spotting me, once again, on a bench press, and he's really serious about it, and really there with me for every increment, and he's real close in, and then - I got balls to the forehead. Well, he was so shocked and humiliated that he shot off to the other side of the gym and I never saw him again. And yes, that means I had to finish the set myself...
Coffee breath
Oh, he was a terrific spotter, but he drank coffee before a lift, and it would almost knock me out during a bench press...
Worst spot ever
Guy volunteers his invaluable aid to lady sure-to-be-in-distress during her Smith Machine squat, and put his hands on my rigcage and rushed my slow ascent, taking the pace to be a signal I was flagging. Obviously, this clown was completely clueless...
Best spot ever
I was in an intense trance on the best pec dek machine I've ever used, and the reverie went deeper and deeper, every fiber electrified for the final squeezing, last, long, slow, amazing moments...Then I opened my eyes and realized a guy had been spotting me. WOW!
Here's an article I wrote on spotting and what makes a good spotter. It ran in one of Chelo's magazines, but they never got around to telling me which one, so alas, I have no clip (nor payment). These things happen. But you can enjoy it now, for free.
Spotting stories
OCB PNW States Championships
Email me at Oregon@theOCBwebsite.com to get involved.
Visit theOCBwebsite.com for entry form, tickets, details.
boxing breakthrough
Today: breakthrough in understanding combat. Focusing on pushing through on punches (instead of just landing them) yielded the notion of pushing the opponent around, directing the path of the opponent's movement. Like most epiphanies, this sounds so simple, yet the difference between knowing and truly understanding is what true learning is, and true knowledge. This strategy arises on the spot and is flexible and organic, choosing from combinations and so on, which is different from the intellectual's idea of slowly plotted, premeditated strategic planning. This is a big breakthrough.
Another good reason to work out. You know the saying - you have to be going somewhere to stumble into something.
obviously, this shot of Lucia is from luciarijker.net.
How to rip a phonebook
From Clay Edgin - March 2004 Athlete of the Month on heavysports.com - come legitimate instructions for how to perform one of the classic feats of strength in American fringe culture - tearing a phonebook in half. He even includes sources of phonebooks for additional supplies and recycling info. He also has instructions for how to tear a deck of cards in half, and a video online of himself rolling up a frying pan. Who says there's no point to being strong?
Eileen Olszewski - boxing champ
Here's a grrl worth noticing. She represents a tough fact in America: You can be the most deserving champion of your field, but it doesn't mean you'll "make it." That doesn't reflect at all on your abilities or achievements. It's just life, and life is easier if you define success differently from market-driven societal systems.
Check her out, the grrl's a champ.
By Benn Schulberg,from The Sweet Science website:
Eileen Olszewski dominated the amateur competition in the 112-pound division, was undefeated in United States competition, and for three consecutive years won the most prestigious titles around the country. After being crowned U.S. national champion for the third straight time in 2003, culminating a remarkable amateur career, Eileen seemed destined to take the professional ranks by storm. Yet, we fast-forward to 2006 and the woman considered one of the best prospects to ever come out of New York is still waiting for her opportunity to make her mark on the sport.
note: no photo credit was given at thesweetscience.com
Announcing the OCB PNW Bodybuilding & Figure Championship
You read it here first. The Mighty Kat is promoting the OCB's first show in Oregon. If you'd like to be involved - volunteering, competing, sponsoring, advertising - please contact me at Oregon@theOCBwebsite.com. Details to unfold soon at ocbbodybuilding.com.
OCB PNW Bodybuilding & Figure Championship
October 21, 2006
Female and Male natural bodybuilding, plus figure
Austin Auditorium in the LaSells Stewart Center of
Oregon State University, Corvallis
The OCB's stunning Karly Green in the ballet pose, a chest pose particularly flattering to females
The OCB is a great organization that is mushrooming because of its emphasis on fair, friendly, honest drugfree competitions - and because advertisers are drawn to its high quality promotional materials, including Fitness & Physique magazine. The OCB is also particularly dedicated to celebrating its female athletes. I have competed with the OCB several times, write for its magazine, did some marketing work for them in grad school, and am now proud to bring them to the great Northwest.
