The Platform....your experience

jmule24

I'm just looking for those of you who have competed in a powerlifting meet to share your experience.

1. What made you decide to compete?
2. How did you set your goals for the competition?
3. Some personal take-a-ways?
4. Advice to a person who wants to compete but doesn't know where to start.


Thanks!

sjohnson__1

In for the comments.

Willbenchforcupcakes

1- I had some friends threaten to kick my *kitten* if I didn't get up on the platform.

2- depends what level of competition we are talking about. Local comps are more about having fun and spending the day with my friends and teammates. For my next competition, it's simply to come first in my weight class. I want the spot on the national team, and to do it guaranteed I need to win my weight class.

3- on a very fundamental level it's you against you. Until you are at a higher level, no one but you actually cares how much weight is on your bar. Just get up there relax and have fun.

4- if you can, watch a meet in the federation you are thinking of competing in first. Learn the flow of a meet. If there is a team around you, see if you can practise with them. Just relax. Most of us are quite friendly nice people, even if we can be hard and intense on meet day.

KickboxFanatic

1. My local gym hosts a Memorial competition every January and my trainer encouraged me train for it and compete.

2. Once I decided to compete, my trainer and I ran a strength test to see where my 5/3/1 maxes were on each of the big 3. Then we ran a percentage based program on those numbers for the 12 weeks leading up to the event. Additionally, it's important to know your caloric needs. If you haven't already, determine your TDEE (iifym and zstrengthfit.com both have calculators to do this, personally I prefer zstrengths but look at both) and then eat over your maintenance numbers. Protein and complex carbs are extremely important in building strength and maintaining energy. Eat big, Lift big!

3. Powerlifting changed my life. My first meet, I was the only girl and had only been PL training for 3 months. Those guys cheered for me on every single lift regardless that my numbers were a third of theirs. The powerlifting community is a family. We all want to win but we also want everyone else to do their personal best. I've never experienced another sport where everyone wants everyone else to succeed.

4. In addition to what Iron_Miss_Canada (go crush that next meet and claim your spot lady!) there are a million resources out there. A few that I found helpful were Greg Nuckols website and training programs (strengtheory.com), Rich Zwolinski (zstrengthfit.com) and the entire community at fitocracy.com (social media for fitness enthusiasts, many users are world record holders and all are more than happy to give advice and guidance)

_incogNEATo_

@usmcmp @nakedraygun

usmcmp

1. What made you decide to compete? I was in bodybuilding off-season and doing a strength cycle. Having goals keeps me on track better, so I decided to do one for the experience (and another for records).

2. How did you set your goals for the competition? I went into the first one with the goal of just doing my best and setting some personal records. I never set a specific pound goal, but I had an idea of what I wanted to hit.

3. Some personal take-a-ways? Unless you plan on competing at a higher level this should be fun. You should aim to set PRs and enjoy meeting people. If you hate the programming (like I do) then it may not be the thing for you. No matter what, the first meet is a huge accomplishment and something to be proud of.

4. Advice to a person who wants to compete but doesn't know where to start. Go watch one and meet people. Most of the smaller ones are set up great to mingle with the competitors. I suggest getting form help at some point, earlier keeps you from developing bad habits. Most of all, compete and lift for the love of it.

juliewatkin

1-I decided to compete because I wanted to compete. It wasn't any more complicated than that. I started teaching myself the big three and wanted to get on the platform.

2-I had assistance setting my attempts for my first meet. When I decided I wanted to compete, I sourced out a local club in my area. To my good fortune, I'd managed to find the club headed by the man who started the Canadian IPF affiliate years ago. I started training with him in July and did my first meet in September. His opinion was that there was no point wasting time. As far as attempts, he had me opening at weight I was embarrassed which leads to...

3- personal take always. I'm forever glad that I followed his advice and opened embarrassingly light. I only got one bench in. Had I not taken his advice, I may have bombed at my first meet ever and not gone as far with the sport as I have. Also, know the rules. I've been a referee for years now and It's always sad to see a new lifter lose a lift on a technicality. For a first meet, go and have fun. Meet people and network. It's an extended family and very supportive. I met my husband competing. I can't promise everyone a husband/wife but it is a very close knit community

4- Advice on where to start - find a local club. Google powerlifting in your state/province. Clubs and associations want to be found and should have a website. For example, our Provincial affiliate has a website and on the website is a list of 40 or more clubs in the Province. Clubs are usually looking for more members and are happy to introduce people to the sport. It may seem intimidating at first. I remember when I was in your shoes and didn't even know where to start looking. Google is your friend.

SonyaCele

i decided to compete because i was bored with just going to the gym and lifting weights and not having a goal. I watched a meet, and found a PL trainer and she guided me through the whole process of training and prepping for when i compete, and i went with a team of girls. Personal takeaways, ive learned more about my body and mind than i could have if i didn't go this route, and i also made a bunch of great friends, and i got really strong.
My advice is go watch a meet and start meeting people and find a good trainer.

giantrobot_powerlifting

jmule24 wrote: »

1. What made you decide to compete?

In August of 2013 I happened upon a powerlifting meet at the Wisconsin State Fair. I watched as much as I could and remembered a time when I lifted heavy. I got back in the gym March ’14 and I had in the back of my mind to compete at this meet. And I did, and now I am hooked.

jmule24 wrote: »

2. How did you set your goals for the competition?

My goals were modest. White lights on every lift. Gain some experience from my first meet and build confidence. Highlight was taking Gold in Master 1 on deadlift.

jmule24 wrote: »

3. Some personal take-a-ways?

Sharpened my training, gave me something to train for. Also, I have never received any awards in any athletic activity before (plenty of professional) but never athletic. And my family, parents included, are totally proud of me. Its a source of new found pride in myself that I never had before.

jmule24 wrote: »

4. Advice to a person who wants to compete but doesn't know where to start.

1. Read this forum.
2. Go modest early. Don’t put undue pressure on yourself to perform.
3. Find a meet. Facebook is the easiest way. Subscribe to their calendar.
4. Find a Federation. USAPL. NASA. WFC. IPF. Strongman. RAW United. NAPF.
5. Check approved equipment. (USAPL)
6. Check approved substances.(USAPL)
7. Read the rule book! Join a Federation. (If a sanctioned event.)
8. Compete even if you think you are not strong enough. You’ll never be as strong as you want to be. Compete anyway, you may surprise yourself.
9. Lastly, Have fun! There is great commerardire and friendship at powerlifting meets!

usmcmp

nakedraygun wrote: »

[*] Compete even if you think you are not strong enough. You’ll never be as strong as you want to be. Compete anyway, you may surprise yourself.
[/list]

Yeah @lolbroscience compete anyway!

_incogNEATo_

usmcmp wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

[*] Compete even if you think you are not strong enough. You’ll never be as strong as you want to be. Compete anyway, you may surprise yourself.
[/list]

Yeah @lolbroscience compete anyway!

I'd like to see this happen as well.

_incogNEATo_

Thanks for sharing @nakedraygun

giantrobot_powerlifting

usmcmp wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

[*] Compete even if you think you are not strong enough. You’ll never be as strong as you want to be. Compete anyway, you may surprise yourself.
[/list]

Yeah @lolbroscience compete anyway!

Agreed.

_incogNEATo_ wrote: »

Thanks for sharing @nakedraygun

Always willing to help.

Willbenchforcupcakes

nakedraygun wrote: »

usmcmp wrote: »

nakedraygun wrote: »

[*] Compete even if you think you are not strong enough. You’ll never be as strong as you want to be. Compete anyway, you may surprise yourself.
[/list]

Yeah @lolbroscience compete anyway!

Agreed.

_incogNEATo_ wrote: »

Thanks for sharing @nakedraygun

Always willing to help.

Fourthed. It needs to happen.

jmule24

Thank you to everyone who has responsed thus far!

sjohnson__1

Very motivating stuff.. and I agree @LolBroScience needs to get on the platform. I'm certainly interested myself. Great thread, Joe.

LolBroScience

Jeez, dogpile

giantrobot_powerlifting

LolBroScience wrote: »

Jeez, dogpile

Don't you compete in Strongman, or will soon @LolBroScience ?