His name gets called, and he walks to the platform. He rubs the chalk on his hands as everything goes silent. He doesn’t remember the walk to the rack. He grabs the bar as he has done countless times before. His eyes are open but he sees nothing.

He unracks the weight. His legs can feel the strain of the overbearing weight on his shoulders. And like the calm before the storm, there is nothing. It is just him and the bar.

It feels like eternity and all of a sudden the judge screams, “SQUAT!” And in that instant, his eyes light up with the fire from hell. RAGE fills his body. His heart is ripping at his chest. His brain is focused on one thing and one thing only, to not be crushed by this insurmountable weight.

Failure, is not an option. His entire body feels an enormous amount of stress. His legs are bursting. His abs and back are begging for something to push against to make this easier. They find nothing. Not even a belt. It is entirely up to him and his skill. This is nothing new, but somehow different from all the times before.

He begins to stand, and as he stands the lights begin to fade once again. He hears the “Rack” call and suddenly all of his senses return. What had just happened? Did he make it? Is he still here? And then the calm. 3 white lights. Cries of victory and cheer fill the small room. He is dazed and confused. But in the end, all that matters still remains….

He lives to lift another day.