With music blaring and the spectators’ cheering, the arena swelled in anticipation.
As an adoring crowd looked on, power lifter Chris Moore focused on his squat attempt to set a new world record.
“I knew it the whole time,” Moore said. “I had no doubt. I knew it was time to shine.”
Moore, an exercise and sports science major, then broke the world record in the amateur super heavyweight open division by squatting 805 pounds Sunday at the IPA Nationals in Columbus, Ohio.
The competition is something Moore said he won’t forget.
“It was the best experience I ever had to date in my life,” Moore said.
The 21-year-old senior said he felt his techniques were good enough for him to break the record of 800 pounds set by Mitchell Curry in November 1998.
“I kept my back arched, head up and exploded out of the hole,” Moore said.
In a squat, the lifter stands with a barbell on his or her shoulders. The lifter then bends his or her knees to lower the body. Once the lifter reaches the deepest point, he or she must return to the starting position.
Moore said he would have never been able to break the record if wasn’t for help handlers like Matt McDaniel and Clint Richey.
With the support Moore was able to finished first in his division. Moore said he was proud to represent supporters, The University of Memphis and the city with his performance.
“I trained at the U of M in the human performance labs in the fieldhouse,” Moore said. “I was proud to go up there wearing my Memphis stuff. The audience saw it and that felt pretty good, representing where I’m from.”
Moore also represented Memphis in a Tiger football jersey for two years. His football career end ed after a severe back injury.
Moore suffered from degenerative disk disease, a condition where the disks in the back deteriorate and cause extreme pain when lifting heavy objects.
“I could only squat 350 pounds, and I couldn’t stand for five minutes without pain,” Moore said. “Doctors told me no football or power lifting.”
He said he was devastated by the news. He had to give up what he had done for nine years and what was “loved the most in his life.”
Despite what specialists said, Moore recovered with a return to the gym and more power lifting.
Moore said he had a long, hard journey to get to the top. He said he is glad he returned to the sport and hopes to achieve more great things in power lifting.
“It was an amazing experience that hopefully will be the start of a great power-lifting career,” Moore said.
