First Meet!
rabetts
Posts: 31
I just entered my very first push-pull meet, which is 18 days away. What can I do to be ready? I know I'm not going to set records or anything, but I really want to feel ready, and that I did my best. Do I have enough time to do any strength gains? Any help or input is appreciated.
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I've heard it said several times before, it's gonna be paraphrased but the basics are
"There isn't a lot you can do in the last two weeks before a meet to get stronger, but there is a lot you can do to get weaker"
Trying to gain a lot of strength last minute is going to either lead to negative effects on your CNS, or an injury.
The best thing you can do is continue with your training as usual until about a week out. Deload the week before the meet and be well rested. Take the extra time to prepare for the meet, packing things, reading the rule book (twice), and getting your weight where you need it.
I hit my deadlift opener about 14 days out, squat opener about 10 days out, and my bench opener 7 days out. I think you can get by with hitting all of your openers about a week about, but after that, shut it down and start resting.0 -
Thanks so much for the info! Ok, so, take a rest from the weights. Is cardio still ok? And by cardio, I mean walking or elliptical. I don't run.0
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Thanks so much for the info! Ok, so, take a rest from the weights. Is cardio still ok? And by cardio, I mean walking or elliptical. I don't run.
Maybe some low intensity stuff geared more towards recovery.
The main thing about the last week before a meet is making sure you're fresh, so just don't run yourself in the ground with conditioning work. If it's not going to help you on the platform, don't mess with it when you're this close to a meet.0 -
I regret being AT ALL concerned with my weigh-in before the meet. I wish I hadn't given a second thought to sodium or water weight or anything. I would have eaten eaten and eaten some more in preparation.
I also wouldn't have gotten locked into this mindset of trying to hit my 200 lb. deadlift goal before the meet like it would have been reflected in my pulls the day of the meet. I (once again) would have set my numbers a good 30 lb. lower than the PRs I hit 2 weeks prior.
Talk to EVERYONE. I don't think I've met a nicer crowd than the folks I met at the games. It makes me smile just to think about it. I got advice right before I went on to deadlift from someone who was watching me warm up and noticed I do this stupid bad form habit of rolling my shoulders back when I lock out. I benefited from the great coaching cue to think of Rocky Horror Picture Show and thrust your hips out (do the pelvic thrust!) keeping that in mind helped me right before deadlift time, too.
I got a little anxious on the platform and gave up on lifts before I would have in the actual gym. I will work on mental prep before the next meet and certainly before the next Show-Me-State Games.0 -
^^lol @ rocky horror picture show dance.
All of that was great advice. Definitely talk to the other lifters, the majority of the time they'll be awesome.
Most of the people were ****s at my first meet, but it was a small meet, w/ a good chunk of the people being from one gym. Wasn't the friendly atmosphere I always hear about.0 -
I'm totally terrified that this will happen! Mostly because I've also heard about how wonderful the powerlifting community is, and usually if I'm expecting one thing, the opposite is true. LOL (pardon my behavior, while my pessimism shows)
Most of the people were ****s at my first meet, but it was a small meet, w/ a good chunk of the people being from one gym. Wasn't the friendly atmosphere I always hear about.0 -
The nice thing about powerlifting meets is there is NOTHING they can do to make you less strong, that is why I think its so friendly.
In other sports like football/rugby/soccer you see your competitors as the enemy and so if you can play more aggressive than them you win. Yet with powerlifting it doesn't matter how hard you push weight, your competitor isn't affected, no animosity.0 -
Chances are, everyone will be nice and helpful.
I think the reason the people at my meet weren't that nice is because they weren't really powerlifters. They just attended the gym that hosted the meet, so the owner encouraged people to compete.
Something about the sport really brings out good traits in people. I think it takes a strong person both physically and mentally to even make it to the platform. So the people are usually pretty cool.
Just get out there and have fun. No one cares how much you lift. I realized that after the first flight. The other lifters are worried about their lifts, but will still cheer you on. But people don't go to meets to laugh at people who can't lift heavy things. Everyone is behind you at a meet.0 -
Its so easy to start a conversation too:
"So what do you do for your hamstrings?"
5 minuets later you are now friends.0 -
I forgot to report back and let you all know how it went. It was great! I really enjoyed it. Mostly the atmosphere, the energy was addictive! People were friendly and supportive. I was slightly discouraged by the lack of female entrants, which results in lack of competition. Five women total. Five. Everyone else was under 150lb body weight, so I was the only one in the 275+. I got first place trophies in bench (100lbs) and deadlift (220lbs). I'm kinda sad that I didn't really earn the trophies, the were just basically handed to me for entering, but kinda proud for having the courage to take my heavyweight behind up on that stage in front of hundreds to move some iron. Thanks to everyone for cheering me on!0
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A lot of meets are that way, you won't always have competition in your weight class.
But you still earned them because you had the strength to show up and get on the platform in front of your peers. Most people will never have that.0 -
I love that it sort of forces you to compete mostly against yourself. For me, I had a Big Deal Competitor in my weight class/age group so that shoved the whole competing against others mentality way down deep.0
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I forgot to report back and let you all know how it went. It was great! I really enjoyed it. Mostly the atmosphere, the energy was addictive! People were friendly and supportive. I was slightly discouraged by the lack of female entrants, which results in lack of competition. Five women total. Five. Everyone else was under 150lb body weight, so I was the only one in the 275+. I got first place trophies in bench (100lbs) and deadlift (220lbs). I'm kinda sad that I didn't really earn the trophies, the were just basically handed to me for entering, but kinda proud for having the courage to take my heavyweight behind up on that stage in front of hundreds to move some iron. Thanks to everyone for cheering me on!
I think you've done amazing to get to the point of benching 100 and deadlifting 200! Don't ever doubt the nerve needed to compete too. Be proud of those trophies!
Well done. 0
