After speaking with a friend recently, I realized we never did introductions on this forum.  We may have done them once upon a time at a different site or something, but even so, it's time to re-visit who is on the forum!

So let's hear it!  Who are you?  What do you do?  What is interesting about you (everybody has something)?  I'm sure we have lots of interesting people on this board, so everyone should reply in this thread!

I guess I'll get the ball rolling:

Who are you?
My name's David and I'm from New Zealand.

What do you do?
Currently studying (law), only 8 months more to go... Spent the rest of my free time working and lifting.

What is interesting about you?
Good interesting - I've won an international writing award
Bad interesting - I've had the misfortune to see what the inside of my scrotum looks like (nasty accident)
Powerlifting - In a couple days I'm about to do my 4th meet. I've been using RTS for the last couple months and things have been shaping up nicely for it (except for this damn head cold I've now got!!!). I'm aiming for a 1200lb (raw) total at about 205lb BW. Oh, and I've been lifting for a little under two years now.

I guess that's about it. I look forward to hearing from the rest of you.

Not one big on posting a lot on the forums, but this one seems a good fit. Seems like a bunch of hard working lifters, strength athletes, looking to improve, help, share, and listen regardless of difference in ability.

My name as you can tell is Brian, been hiiting weights as far as I can remember, back to pre-teen and teenage years. Started more toward powerlifting in my early 20's, and didn't actually do a sanctioned meet until I was about 30. My first meets were done raw, and then I began incorporating wraps and a squat suit. (An Inzer Champion---remember these?) Was drawn to the sport by the legends, I recall Kaz in WSM competitions, O.D. Wilson, Dave Pasenella, but couldn't really relate to the huge guys. Knew of Mike Bridges, but when I became more aware he had already left the sport, along came Eddie Coan, and showed that you didn't need to be 6 ft+ and 275-300+ to lift huge. So the journey continues, now as a master lifter in my early 40's.

I have trained solo for nearly all this time. Had a few sporadic training partners when I first started. With the exception of being away on vacation, I can count the times I've trained in a commercial gym on one hand. I train in my home. My equipment is nothing anyone would be envious of, but I'm not complaining. I am happy that I was able to put up a nationals qualifying total, so that is satisfying, but I look for more, as we all do.

Anyway, as far as what I do, I have been a firefighter for the past 16 years in a major urban department here in the Northeast. (part of the reason I train alone---work schedule). Have a very supportive wife, who is been through more than one person should have had to in life. (Not just being married to me either). One of the strongest (inner strentgh) and most giving people I'll ever know.

So that's about it, not real interesting, but like I said, I like this medium, and may get to posting my training log, it's a little ridiculous, but is getting me by.

Brian

My name is Jim Coates, I am Arizona Police Officer, currently working as a LE academy instructor for the federal gov. in New mexico. I been competing since 1995, started at 165 , now in the 198 master pure, I'm 46...I heard about this system from Nico Filiciano, a very good friend, at the 2009 maters nationals in phoenix a few weeks back. Haven't had a good meet since dec. 08

I ordered the book this morning from Liftinglarge.com and looking forward to learning new things about myself. I have trained with partners most of my time, but last several years, alone...I know I can do more, but lately, some minor injuries and probably the same old stuff has been too much..(mostly westside temp) heavy bands ect..love it when I do it, but I can't seem to get it to carry over.

My wife and daughter are the most important in my life, we do everything together, and my wife has also competed since 95, mostly just trains now..they are my biggest fan club...

So far, I see this forum as not so cluttered with people bashing and I think this is the place for me...I want to thank Mike Tuchscherer for being so honest with his training...I hope we meet someday.

I wish all of you, especially the newer lifters all the success in the world...you really only do this for yourself..thank you all...

Greetings.

Who: Bob Wanamaker, age 48, and am "re-entrant" into lifting as of Nov 2005.  I compete in strongman at the amateur level and have a long-term goal of taking a shot at my pro card.  I started working with Mike in December of 2008, and have learned an incredible amount in the year that's passed.  I primarily train by myself in my garage and driveway.

What:  I'm a consultant, specializing in web technologies, business processes, security, and networking.  I've had my own company for the past 18 years.  Dialed things back quite a bit so that I could pursue lifting.

Interesting?  I don't watch television, I do read a lot of books, I rescue "problem" Alaskan Malamutes and Siberian Huskies.  I'm married, my wife is into distance running.  We work hard to support each other in our respective sports.

Oh, and I vastly prefer LP to CD or any other digitized format.  No comparison, really.

Well my real name is Mike and I'm a student at Lafayette College studying History and Russian Studies and I'm a senior, from Connecticut though. I've been working out for the past 6 or 7 years, training for the past 2, have done full power and strongman in the past, now I'm just bench-only due to a touchy knee even though I'm all of 22 years old.  

I help lead a Christian fellowship on campus and spend a lot of time doing outreach, service, and things of that sort.  I'm going to the Urbana student missions conference in December and taking the Perspectives course on world mission in the spring with plans to do full-time long term missions work to unreached people groups after graduation, probably somewhere in the "10/40 Window" of Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.  So basically I have a year before all that materializes during which I plan to go to Bench Nationals and break all possible Junior and Collegiate records...or something like that, haha.

I guess I should introduce myslef since I stop by here a couple of times a day....

My name is Jim O'Brien. I compete at 198 and my next meet will be early to mid 2010. I have been training in some form or another since high school(I'm 37 now) but have been powerlifting for the last several years. I work in a machine shop and my job pretty much is breaking steel all day.  Other than that, I have 2 boys one is soon to be 14 and the other is 11 and I help coach there teams of baseball and wrestling(although I know very little about coaching baseball). The oldest is a phenomenal soccer player who will most likely be starting for the high school varsity team as a freshman. The youngest is our catcher on the baseball team( think of the red headed kid from Sandlot with all the trash talking behind the plate). as you can see I'm a busy guy but I enjoy it. I almost forgot to mention a very suuportive wife. She always encourages me to train and compete. She says I get grumpy if I miss training. She is an excellent cook(Paula Dean would be jeolous) so it's hard to stay at 198.

Hey my name is john. Iam a butcher at ryans steak house.  Iam married to maggie and have a daughter. Her name is brooklyn. we are also expecting anouther baby in about 7 mounths. I like spending time with my famliy, playin my X box 360, and workin on my truck. I work out about 5 days out the week.

I've always found introductions awkward because I can't seem to get across what I feel is describing. However: my name is Patrik, I live in sweden and I work as a software programmer in the gaming industry. But I think I'm more of a clown than a computer engineer so that's why I also compete in powerlifting. Which brought me here.

 I've competed in powerlifting, mostly with equipment, a few years now and I quite enjoy it. I live and love to compete and that really is the one and only reason I train [like this!]. What's interesting about me is that, though I may appears as being difficult to approach and a bit... distant at times. I'm really not. I'm also very much into photography so I suppose all things that a loner does, is something that I do. Too. I do prefer lonering about in company to solitude though. Very much like what powerlifting is all about. A sole tough journey together with other sole tough loners.

Name: Dan

Occupation: Clinical Dieitian and I'm currently going back to school in the hopes of being excepted into a Physician Assistant program and move on career wise.

I'm a single dad with an awesome soon to be 3 year old boy that is my reason for living and breathing. I'm 28 years old and I've lifted since I was 11 years old. Wrestled for six years and competed in Olympic weightlifting for 4 years.  I've been competing as a 165 pounder in powerlifting for almost 3 years which is down about 20 pounds from my Olympic lifting days.  I spend my spare time doing...well, dad stuff. And reading.  I'm currently training for the Washington State championships in February. 

Who are you?
My name's Brady Stewart and I live in the quiet little country town of Germantown, IL.  It is probably the most relaxed place on earth and I love it.  I am married to Beth.  She is my best friend.  I compete in the 242s and am 5'11''.  Been lifting weights since I was 15, been competing since 2001.

What do you do?
Currently working as a budget analyst.  I may begin studying for a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the NSCA within the year.  I have always wanted to do that.  I think I just want it for fun, to educate myself, and to potentially use it for future endeavors in strength training. 

What is interesting about you?
I don't really know anything that is all that interesting about me.  I enjoy hunting even though I haven't gone in quite some time.  I am a closet nerd in that I love technology even though I am really not that good with it.  Movies are a hobby of mine.  Yardwork is strangely relaxing for me.  Beth says that when I set my mind on something, I make it happen.

I played soccer for 13 years before powerlifting, played 1 year of college football without ever playing before, while training with the football team, I discovered that lifting weights was something that I loved and have never looked back.

Who are you

- Brian S.  Recent lurker and now official poster.  I'm from Upstate NY, 38, wife, 2 kids, all that is domestic sans white picket fence.  Powerlifting is a 24/7 obsession for me.  Started in 2006 and just reaching my stride.  Best total drug-free/raw in the 165's is 1265 and every ounce of focus is on hitting the elusive 1300.

What do you do 

 - Computer geek for a major beverage company by day.  Solo basement lifter at night.

Something Interesting

- I've been adding more and more strongman implements into my training and am trying to perfect the art of crafting homeade atlas stones.  Finding it's not as easy as just pouring some concrete in a mold.

David Robertson, I am an office manager for 16 years with Scottrade Inc in Alpharetta Georgia.

Work out in my garage.  Have worked out in gyms from time to time but can concetrate much better on what i am doing working at home.

Been powerlifting (contests) for about 12 years but never progressed much at all except for that first 6months.  So i started with the personal training with mike 5 weeks ago and my squat  and bench are already where they have never been.

Going to  hit the contests again this year 4 of them.....those they have not done contests---DO THEM!!  It is a great way to motivate yourself.  Also it does not matter how much you lift at the contest--I have seen people squat 300 pounds get the biggest cheers there just because it was their personal best.

Who am I? My name is Andrew and I'm from upstate NY. I've been lifting since 2005, went to IPF Subjunior Worlds in 2006 and 2007. I'm done with gear stuff now though and am going to focus on raw lifting from here on out. Raw Unity 2011 here I come!

What I do? I am a junior Physical Therapy major at Ithaca College. Got 3.5 years left of school before I head off into the real world. 

Whats interesting about me? I am a race car driver as well as a lifter, been racing since i was 7. I also used to be a pretty avid bowler throughout high school (Avg 205).   

Who am I?

I'm Matt Nolan, I'm 23, been powerlifting for 6 years, and olympic lifting for a couple of months (compete in both).  I'm 5'10 and weigh around 95-96 kilos but I'm slowly trying to get that up to something respectable.  I read the Manual and it was by far the best read I've ever had on the subject of programming, and I'll be using it to design my own 5 lift routine that can accomodate to the fact that some days I'll be doing the quick lifts before the power lifters.  I'm a decent deadlifter, but my long arms make my bench bad although it might be my most technically sound lift, and I cannot figure out how to squat, snatch, or clean and jerk.  I'll be at RUM 2011 though, with hopefully a better idea of how to squat.

What do I do?

I'm a software engineer government contractor!

Something interesting:

I've had nearly a 200 pound gap in my squat and deadlift number at one point in my training.

Who: My name is Jerad. I live in Alberta, Canada.

What do you do: Employment - I work in the IT department for the Health Region in my province.

Powerlifting - Been training for ~ a year now. Best meet lifts are 495/330/451 @ 242 partially geared, IPF meets. Stumbled across Mike's video's on youtube and once I picked my jaw up off the floor I checked out the website.

What is interesting about you (everybody has something)? Nothing extremely interesting about me. I'm basically a huge nerd. Which may just work to my advantage. I am reading articles on strength gain, nutrition, recovery all day practically. Always looking for new ways I can improve my technique and strength.

Hey all,

My name's Abe, and I'm form central California, near the coast. I'm 25 and been lifting pretty consistently since I was 17, although I've only really been "drinking the coolaid" since this January, when I knuckled up and bought m'self a home gym (the squat palace) and some gear. I'm a pretty dedicated guy, and I always want to know the why's of everything I spend my time doing.  I work for an auto repair shop at the moment, although I'm looking at law enforcement as a long term career.  I play the steel guitar, I want to be friends with just about every animal I meet, and I have a tempermental redheaded girlfriend.