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Marine Gunnery Sergeant Michael Green began his powerlifting career in the fall of 1985, when he was a freshman in high school. As a 5’2”, 105 lb freshman, his options were limited in the sports in which he could participate. He was labeled as “too small” by his coaches and his friends. In the off season of the 1985-1986 football season, Michael decided to lift weights with the current players to prepare for the next season. The day he began to lift weights, the powerlifting coach was holding tryouts for the schools powerlifting team. At this point in his life, Michael had never touched a weight or graced a weight room.
The coach loaded the bar to 135 pounds. Michael pressed it with ease and waited for the weight to go up. The coach then loaded the bar to 185 pounds and again it went up with ease. The bar reached 225 pounds and Michael once again pressed the weight. The coach immediately told Michael that he had made the varsity team. During the next fours years of his high school powerlifting career he won regionals three times and the state twice. His final weight class was 132 pounds with a final three-lift total of 1215.
Gunnery Sergeant Green entered the United States Marine Corps shortly after he graduated high school. Because of numerous deployments to the Middle East, Philippines, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and other countries, his powerlifting career was delayed for ten years. In the fall of 1999, Gunnery Sergeant Green resumed his weightlifting career when he entered the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Bench Press Championship Series. The series consisted of six bench press competitions over a period of eight months. Entering the final two competitions of the 1999 series, he placed 1st and 2nd respectively. He would come back and win the next three championships from 2000 through 2002, achieving a top “unequipped” bench of 475 pounds at a bodyweight of 198 pounds.
Green then deployed to Japan for 14 months where he continued to beat all who challenged him. He entered seven events and won best lifter at each event. Green achieved a 490-pound raw press at a body weight 200 pounds. He then decided to enter his first sanctioned meet upon returning from Japan. It was the USPF Southern California State Bench Press Championships. With the advice of veteran lifters in the sport, he decided to use a bench press shirt. His first shirted lift was 562 pounds. Over the next two years, Gunnery Sergeant Green continued to learn how to master the gear. In 2005, he captured his first world title. At the World Association of Bench Pressers and Dead Lifters (WABDL) World Championships in Reno, Nevada, Green broke a six year-old sub-masters record by benching 617@220. He also won the open division. On June 3rd, 2006 he displayed an incredible feat of strength at the World Association of Bench Pressers and Dead Lifters River Country Record Breakers Championships. He came closer to his goal of benching 700 pounds by benching 677 pounds. Green captured his second world title in Las Vegas on November 18th, 2006 at the WABDL World Championships. He finished with 661-pound press, but was within one inch from locking out 705 pounds.
GySgt Green’s compelling dedication to excellence is incomparable. In every competition he enters he dons the Marine Corps colors and has the Marine’s Hymn playing as he takes the platform. After every lift, whether successful or not, he proudly salutes the crowd to show the respect he has for them and for their support of this great nation. Michael Green will dedicate his performance at the 2007 Arnold Sports Festival to all who have gone before him and to fellow Marine Corps members who have lost their lives in the current operations in the Middle East. GySgt. Michael Green will compete at the Arnold Sports Festival on Saturday, March 3, 2007.
The coach loaded the bar to 135 pounds. Michael pressed it with ease and waited for the weight to go up. The coach then loaded the bar to 185 pounds and again it went up with ease. The bar reached 225 pounds and Michael once again pressed the weight. The coach immediately told Michael that he had made the varsity team. During the next fours years of his high school powerlifting career he won regionals three times and the state twice. His final weight class was 132 pounds with a final three-lift total of 1215.
Gunnery Sergeant Green entered the United States Marine Corps shortly after he graduated high school. Because of numerous deployments to the Middle East, Philippines, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and other countries, his powerlifting career was delayed for ten years. In the fall of 1999, Gunnery Sergeant Green resumed his weightlifting career when he entered the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Bench Press Championship Series. The series consisted of six bench press competitions over a period of eight months. Entering the final two competitions of the 1999 series, he placed 1st and 2nd respectively. He would come back and win the next three championships from 2000 through 2002, achieving a top “unequipped” bench of 475 pounds at a bodyweight of 198 pounds.
Green then deployed to Japan for 14 months where he continued to beat all who challenged him. He entered seven events and won best lifter at each event. Green achieved a 490-pound raw press at a body weight 200 pounds. He then decided to enter his first sanctioned meet upon returning from Japan. It was the USPF Southern California State Bench Press Championships. With the advice of veteran lifters in the sport, he decided to use a bench press shirt. His first shirted lift was 562 pounds. Over the next two years, Gunnery Sergeant Green continued to learn how to master the gear. In 2005, he captured his first world title. At the World Association of Bench Pressers and Dead Lifters (WABDL) World Championships in Reno, Nevada, Green broke a six year-old sub-masters record by benching 617@220. He also won the open division. On June 3rd, 2006 he displayed an incredible feat of strength at the World Association of Bench Pressers and Dead Lifters River Country Record Breakers Championships. He came closer to his goal of benching 700 pounds by benching 677 pounds. Green captured his second world title in Las Vegas on November 18th, 2006 at the WABDL World Championships. He finished with 661-pound press, but was within one inch from locking out 705 pounds.
GySgt Green’s compelling dedication to excellence is incomparable. In every competition he enters he dons the Marine Corps colors and has the Marine’s Hymn playing as he takes the platform. After every lift, whether successful or not, he proudly salutes the crowd to show the respect he has for them and for their support of this great nation. Michael Green will dedicate his performance at the 2007 Arnold Sports Festival to all who have gone before him and to fellow Marine Corps members who have lost their lives in the current operations in the Middle East. GySgt. Michael Green will compete at the Arnold Sports Festival on Saturday, March 3, 2007.
