Raider team out-lifts defending bench-press champions

Photo By Sgt. Mitchell Ternay | While being spotted by Maj. William Voorhies, executive officer for 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Lt. Col. Darron Wright, the 4th SBCT deputy commanding officer, bench presses his 38th and final repetition during a 225-pound press-off competition at the Scorpion Gym. His team won the competition with 134 combined repetitions.  

CAMP LIBERTY, IRAQ

05.13.2010

Story by Pfc. Mitchell Ternay 

4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq – Scorpion Gym filled with Soldiers who gathered around a bench, May 13, as four teams warmed up and readied themselves for a showdown of strength and stamina.

Members of the 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division "Team Raider" waited anxiously to begin this month's 225-pound bench-press competition.

Each team comprised four members, each of whom had to push out as many repetitions on a 225-pound barbell as they could in four-minutes. Competitors were allowed to swap out and return for more repetitions as often as they wanted within the time limit.

The spotlight that day was on the Soldiers from 1192nd Engineer Battalion, who had won the top spot the previous month and came back to defend their title.

"We're gonna strip ya'll's title," said Sgt. 1st Class Alfred Jackson, a member of Team Raider and the communications non-commissioned officer in charge for 4th SBCT., 2nd Inf. Div., as he sat on the bench before the event began.

By no means a small individual in his own right, the Columbus, Ga., native still appeared to be one of the smaller competitors that day. His reputation around the gym, though, overshadowed appearances.

"He's the one on the board for the 400-pound club," whispered one spectator to another about Jackson being one of the few individuals to have bench-pressed more than 400 pounds.

Taking the bar first for his team, Jackson let loose with a burst of intensity, but like all the competitors, eventually the weight took its toll.

"You've got to do as many reps [as you can] before you're tired," explained Pvt. George Fuller, an East Orange, N.J., native, from the 38th Eng. Bn., 4th SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div., also with Team Raider.

As fatigue began to set in, Team Raider members swapped places seamlessly, yelling encouragement to one another as they heaved the bar into the air.

With fuel still in his tank and time running short on the clock, Lt. Col. Darron Wright, the 4th SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div., deputy commanding officer, stepped in to finish off the last 38 repetitions – more than any other single competitor. The only other competitor that came close was Jackson with 35.

"We came here to compete and we brought our best to take the title," Wright explained, still catching his breath while he waited for the announcement of the winner.

In the end, Team Raider won the competition with a combined 134 repetitions. The defending champions trailed in second with a distant 117 repetitions.

Covered in sweat, Jackson held his medal and grinned as the crowd faded from the gym: "Feels good to be the winner."

• Date Taken: 05.13.2010
• Date Posted: 05.21.2010 11:12
• Story ID: 50062
• Location: CAMP LIBERTY, IQ