Michael (Mike) Brown
DOB: 10/16/71
Age: 30
Marital Status: Single
Location: AZ
Ht: 5'10"
Wt: 178lbs
Best Lifts
507 Sqt, 320 BP and 529 Dlt @ 165
505 Sqt, 330 BP and 575 Dlt @ 181
My first competitions was the East Midlands in Cambridge, England, September 1991. I lifted almost RAW, wearing
a singlet and single redline knee wraps, and a leather training belt! Bench press shirts weren´t allowed
in BAWLA (British Amateur Weightlifting Association), England's IPF affiliate. My lifts in the 165 class were,
335 Sqt, 265 BP and 365 Dlt! I finished second in the under 23s!!! I was hooked, back to the gym for more training!
My next meet was 6 months later in Berlin, Germany and I was much improved.
Early Inspirations
Lamar Gant - 617 Dlt @ 132
Dan Austin - Most prolific 148lber of All-Time and pretty darn good at 165 & 181!
Jon Pall Sigmarson - Word´s Strongest Man (This guy gets hyped)
Jesse Jackson - 711 @ 148 (Best suit ever, it had a nice skull & crossbone design)
Big Mike Hall - Early ADFPA SHWT
Ed Coan - 1039 Sqt (This guy squats deep)
Rick Weil - First man to bench triple bodweight
Bev Francis
Mandy & Henry Wadsworth - My original coaches, Mandy finished 4th in the IPF World BP Champs with a 92.5 Kg
(203 lb) BP @ 132 lbs. Henry deadlifted 661 @ 181 lbs. Just two of many of the great British lifters, I had a chance
to meet!
If you´ll notice, most of my inspiration came from the lightweights and middleweights. Those were the guys
that I could relate to, not enough respect is given to sheer weight, let alone weight-to-bodweight ratio these
guys lift!
If you ever get a chance to watch video of the USPF Senior Nationals or World Record Breakers from ´88, ´89,
´90, ´91...do so!!! I couldn´t believe it so many first rate competitors on the same stage at
the same time!
My Lifting Federations
BAWLA, USPF, ADFPA/USAPL, NASA and WABDL
If it´s not listed I just haven´t had an opportunity to compete there, yet!!! I´ll compete in
any organization. I´m 100% drug-free and I wear single-ply gear, but I like to lift!
Powerlifting gives you a good opportunity to travel and meet new people. I´ve competed in England, Germany
(Berlin & Frankfurt), Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Seattle, Washington!
Powerlifters, generally speaking, are great people! Most are willing to lend a helping hand, give advice, and cheer
for others!!! Here´s a short list of some lifters I´ve had the pleasure of meeting:
Gene Bell - Multi-World Champion
Tim Taylor - Perennial National Champion
Dave Ricks
Andrew "Bull" Stewart
Art Jones - 541 lbs BP @ 218 RAW, this guy pauses every rep in training!
Chris Turner - 181lbs National Competitor
Training Style
I´ve trained using progressive overload for most of my life! I´ve gotten some pretty good results.
Recently, I´ve started to incorporate some Westside Barbell techniques and philosophies into what I call
a "hybrid" Westside Routine. I think a "mixed bag" of training techniques can be used successfully!
I can learn something from any and every lifter...someone may say something that I think is ludicrous, but a month
or so later when I think about again. I think hmmm!!! Maybe, there is a place for that in my routine or form! If
I try it and it works, I´lll keep it! However, I do believe that a lifter should choose a basic philosophy
or training style and stick with it for a while! Try not to change your technique on meet day, it´s kind
of like erasing when you are taking a test!!!!!
Hobbies
Traveling - I´ve visited:
Copenhagen, Denmark
England (Lived there for two years and go back, occasionally)
Germany (Great Place to party, lots of cool sites)
Norway (Beautiful)
Turkey (The Turkish Riviera is great, if you like to party)
I also enjoy hiking and reading!
Michael Brown competed in the NASA Western States Nationals in Mesa, AZ on
23 Mar 02. Michael finished in 2nd place in the 187lbs weight class @ a
bodyweight of 178. Michael totalled 1296 via a 485 Sqt, 309 BP and 502
deadlift.
Pics are as follows:
468 lbs opener
3rd attempt at 502 lbs
309 opener
locking out 309 lbs!
Email Mike