First powerlifting competition!

apriltrainer

Done! This was a paid meet. First off, I didn't go into it thinking I was going to make any money. I am very new to powerlifting and a complete newbie to the barbell. But I decided to put a meet on my calendar to get me to put my all in practice and stop dilly dallying around.

I walked in there with $0 dollars and walked out with $500.

Now, I know not all meets are paid but dang, I was super happy!

I am going to do another in Nov. Am hooked. HOOKEd. Next one won't be a paid meet but the lifting is addictive. I played it super conservative at this meet and I ended up first place in my Squats out of all the women. Because no Women competed. I took home a $300 check for that.

I was 2nd place in my bench. 4 women competed in Bench. Again, I told myself it didn't matter if I would win. THese women had more experience(or at least one of them lied to me to get me to change my numbers so I would bomb my first lift...but I stuck to my guns and did what the 5/3/1 book said. I did 85% of my max for my first lift and hit it.

Out of 4 of us, first place woman in bench was a beast(and I mean that in a GOOD WAY!) She has decades of experience on me in lifting and just is my idol now! I got 2nd. One of the women lifted 10 lbs more than me but she was also 30 lbs more than me so I got 2nd. The 4th woman started off the gate with a super high number and bombed all her lifts. She also kept asking me what I was lifting after I was done because she "wants to be better than me."

WTF? I thought I'd find camraderie and sisterhood in this meet with fellow women. But I was WRONG. It sortof saddens me. I thought I would find this backstabbing sortof stuff in bikini and figure(what I used to do) but I guess mean girls are everywhere. I did meet one cool powerlifting chic. So at least I know one now.

I got third place in deadlifts. But that's ok. The other women were superstrong, and instead of making me jealous, I found them inspiring . And of course I am super competitive still, they just make me realize I need to train harder!

I did find out some thing while lifting..

I get stage fright with my first lift. Doing my squats was FRIGHTENING as anyhting but the adrenaline made my weights feel like a feather. I think..I think I shall be more aggresive with my last lifts.

My stage fright was over with my bench and deads.

And again, I think playing it conservative with my two lifts helped. All my lifts were good. THe judges said they were clean(People in the audience said I had the best form, even the judges said it!) I'm always worried that my form sucks next to others and highly critical. I'm glad I got that feedback from the judges.

I may not have been the strongest lifter but I was glad I got up there and did it. It made me more confident and made me want to get even stronger.

ChrisLindsay9

Congrats on doing so well! And this has been particularly helpful to me as I determine what weight my openers will be. I think I'll take your advice and go a little bit conservative (at least on my squat). I am not necessarily focused on winning, but I'd like to get a PR or two (and hit a certain total weight) if I'm feeling good.

Thanks for taking the time to write this post. And again, congrats to you!

zorahgail

Congrats & I'm so proud of you! That's amazing & awesome & what an experience. So glad you did find at least one cool chick; bummer about that one who was all playing games.

This makes me so excited for my first meet. YAY.

apriltrainer

@ChrisLindsay9 - It was great! I am glad I followed the plan just like Wendler laid out in his 5/3/1 book. I thought lifting 85% of my max felt WAY too light. But it really made me feel confident on my other lifts. Every single one of them I hit confidently and I didn't get any red lights. Not even 1! All white.

I sortof wish though I went a bit heavier in my last lift. Oh well. But definately what Wendler wrote about the opening lifts is right. I saw so many people bomb all their lifts because they went to heavy in the beginning.

In his book he says not use that first lift to impress anyone. And at first I was doubting myself. One of the girls who kept bothering me about my opener, was telling me how much more she was going to lift.

And she did lift it..but not well and she got all red. and that REALLY discouraged her. Discouraged her so much she didnt get any of them on her 2nd and 3rd attempts.

So Wendler was spot on. I had my doubts but I no longer have them.

@ ZorahGail- yes do your first meet! It will be addictive, I have no doubt! I already have one scheduled for November! Unfortunately it's only bench and deadlifts(squats are my fav!!! UGH!!) but I am going to do it! The guys were awesome. If anything, they were VERY supportive. I thought I'd feel weird in a mostly male dominated sport. But the guys were cool and friendly.

One thing about this powerlifting contest. THe past 3 years only one female has competed. This year, three of us showed up. Lol! We made history at this event!

Fittreelol

This also makes me excited for my first meet. Love reading about other women being BAMF so thanks for sharing!:flowerforyou:

I train in a strongman gym and thus with a lot of female NAS competitors. They are all so supportive and fun. Boo that your experience wasn't the same. :grumble: