American Masters Championship Meet Review

It's been five months since my last trip to Savannah. Prior to my last trip I had spent a frustrating couple of months training alone in my new home. My routine was off, I had no programming to follow and I was unfocused. Lifts that had been routine prior to our move weren't even close to happening. I was nervous and was hoping that a miracle would happen when I got out onto the platform for the Masters Pan-American Games. There was no miracle. I bombed out on my snatches and sat teary eyed in the crowd watching the ladies of my session clean and jerk.

That meet became a turning point. I realized I needed to be mentally stronger.  I needed a focused training plan and a nit-picky coach who would help me fix the nagging faults in my movements. I was going to be focused and see how far I could take my weightlifting.

Event Details
The event was held at the Anderson Cohen Weightlifting Center in Savannah, GA. This facility has to be close to a one-of-a-kind in the country. It's part of the Chatham County Recreational Department. For $20 a month you have unlimited access to platforms and top end bars and plates. It operates as an open gym, but coaching is available for no additional fee. The coaching staff is led by Michael Cohen. An Olympian himself as well as a two time Olympic coach. Coach Cohen is who started me on my path from crossfitter to weightlifter.

But back to the event. The event ran from November 12-15th with several sessions each day. The competition was held on a single platform with eight warm-up platforms available. As this was a National level event, the competition bars, weights and scale are certified and National level referees run the event. For Master lifters this means your totals can be used to qualify for International events as well as the Masers Nationals also being held in Savannah March 2016. I lifted on Saturday afternoon and can only speak for the day I was competing. Weigh-ins ran on time and my session of lifting was only a few minutes behind schedule.

The event brought a couple hundred participants from across the country. Lifters range in age from their 70's to barely 35. Experience levels also run across the same spectrum. Split snatches and cleans are not foreign sights. 36 individuals set new event records which made for some exciting sessions.

The entry fee for the event was $65. A National level event includes the requirement of drug-testing and so entry fees reflect that in the price. There was no live-feed, up-to-date results page or photography offered. Event shirts are an additional cost. Food is available on site. Locker rooms contain a sauna, showers and changing areas. Weight class winners received medals and the best lifter in each age went home with a nice plaque.

Love shirt from Ladies Lift Here

My Results
My goal was to lift a 163 total and qualify for Senior Nationals. I jammed my thumb severely the week before the competition. The knuckle was still swollen and I was unable to hold a hook grip to the top of a snatch. This concerned Coach Cohen who was handling calling my lifts and he chose to start me low. Snatches went 59, 63, 66 resulting in the first time I've ever gone three for three at a meet, a 2 kilo meet PR and a American Masters record.

Going in to the cleans I knew I needed a 97 to make the qualifying total, a one kilo all time personal best. Coach agreed to let me go for it if I made my first two lifts. Again he opened me conservatively with an 85. I was following myself and sat in the back while several weight changes were called. I came out to lift 92. It was an easy clean, but the jerk was out in front and my back leg buckled. I was caught off guard. I haven't missed a jerk in weeks and certainly not at this weight. Came out to try it again. It was an even easier clean but again the jerk was out in front.

I ended winning the 58 kilo class and best lifter for the 35 year-olds. I broke three records; snatch, clean and jerk and total. I walked out to take my last two lifts hearing my daughter yell and cheer for me. I stood on the podium and smiled at my husband who was proud of me. It was a good meet.

Singlet Adidas from Hookgrip