First Powerlifting Meet - a Few Questions
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JTick
Posts: 2,131 Member
Hi All -
I am about 18 weeks out from my first powerlifting meet and am looking for a bit of help on a few things.
1. I am currently ~175, and am hoping/planning to cut down into the 165 class. With 18 weeks left, it shouldn't be an issue, and I should be finished cutting in enough time to let my strength stabilize. But what happens if I miss weight? Will they just put me in the 181 class?
2. I am running 5/3/1, and have been on it for about two years. With this being my first meet, I'm not sure I should worry about peaking or changing my program. Am I okay to just run this program up until the meet? I am planning on setting my openers at something I can triple, my second attempt at my gym best, and my final attempt at a 5 or 10 lb PR. I feel like I can follow that plan without worrying about a program change, and the numbers will just be what they are.
3. Lately, I have been feeling rushed at the gym. As my big lifts get heavier, I need to rest a little more between sets. I'm frequently finding myself at the gym for 75-90 minutes in order to get everything in without feeling like I'm going to die. I do have the ability to go to the gym 5 days a week (currently I only go three). Would it benefit me to throw another day or two in there just to finish off my accessory work and keep the time down to a more reasonable level?
Thanks!
I am about 18 weeks out from my first powerlifting meet and am looking for a bit of help on a few things.
1. I am currently ~175, and am hoping/planning to cut down into the 165 class. With 18 weeks left, it shouldn't be an issue, and I should be finished cutting in enough time to let my strength stabilize. But what happens if I miss weight? Will they just put me in the 181 class?
2. I am running 5/3/1, and have been on it for about two years. With this being my first meet, I'm not sure I should worry about peaking or changing my program. Am I okay to just run this program up until the meet? I am planning on setting my openers at something I can triple, my second attempt at my gym best, and my final attempt at a 5 or 10 lb PR. I feel like I can follow that plan without worrying about a program change, and the numbers will just be what they are.
3. Lately, I have been feeling rushed at the gym. As my big lifts get heavier, I need to rest a little more between sets. I'm frequently finding myself at the gym for 75-90 minutes in order to get everything in without feeling like I'm going to die. I do have the ability to go to the gym 5 days a week (currently I only go three). Would it benefit me to throw another day or two in there just to finish off my accessory work and keep the time down to a more reasonable level?
Thanks!
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Replies
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Hi All -
I am about 18 weeks out from my first powerlifting meet and am looking for a bit of help on a few things.
1. I am currently ~175, and am hoping/planning to cut down into the 165 class. With 18 weeks left, it shouldn't be an issue, and I should be finished cutting in enough time to let my strength stabilize. But what happens if I miss weight? Will they just put me in the 181 class?
2. I am running 5/3/1, and have been on it for about two years. With this being my first meet, I'm not sure I should worry about peaking or changing my program. Am I okay to just run this program up until the meet? I am planning on setting my openers at something I can triple, my second attempt at my gym best, and my final attempt at a 5 or 10 lb PR. I feel like I can follow that plan without worrying about a program change, and the numbers will just be what they are.
3. Lately, I have been feeling rushed at the gym. As my big lifts get heavier, I need to rest a little more between sets. I'm frequently finding myself at the gym for 75-90 minutes in order to get everything in without feeling like I'm going to die. I do have the ability to go to the gym 5 days a week (currently I only go three). Would it benefit me to throw another day or two in there just to finish off my accessory work and keep the time down to a more reasonable level?
Thanks!
1) Yes. Having said that, I'd really not advise cutting into your first meet UNLESS you are already planning on dropping weight for personal/lifestyle/body comp reasons anyway. You're going to have enough stuff to focus on that you shouldn't be worrying about making weight.
2) Up to you. At the very least I would do something a bit more PL specific especially as you get closer to the meet. For example, 5/3/1 doesn't have you do Squat/Bench/Dead (in that order) on the same day so you're not necessarily conditioning yourself for that experience on the platform.
3) Your schedule is what it is. As for accessory movements I would keep them in early on and gradually phase them out as you get closer and closer to the meet so that your training more closely resembles what you will do on the platform AND so that you are dropping fatigue as you get nearer the meet.
Let me know if you have more questions.
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Thanks SideSteel.
I am still considered obese, so I would like to continue dropping weight. I didn't want to put it on hold for a meet. I currently plan on getting out of a deficit at least a month before the meet - so wherever my weight is then, that is where it will have to stay until after I compete. I am losing on 1900 calories and expecting no more than a pound a week, so I feel like my calories are high enough to not hurt my strength too badly.
What PL program would you possibly recommend? I know that Wendler has a 5/3/1 for PL book - which I own but haven't read. I'll take a look at it and see if he makes recommendations for how to throw those lifts together/cut out accessory work - or if I just need to move to something else entirely.0 -
Honestly I'm not up to speed on template PL programs for meet prep.
But I'd check powerliftingtowin.com and check candito's site to see what they have.
When I prep for myself or clients is customized but there are some common trends. Volume accumulation early on followed by an intensity phase where volume drops and load goes up followed by a taper and deload prior to the meet.
Generally it will depend on how experienced the person is too. For example if someone were still making steady gains on a linear model I would leave that in place until a few weeks out and then start pulling vol and accessory work down and getting more meet-specific.
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What PL program would you possibly recommend? I know that Wendler has a 5/3/1 for PL book - which I own but haven't read. I'll take a look at it and see if he makes recommendations for how to throw those lifts together/cut out accessory work - or if I just need to move to something else entirely.
I've read that book. A year or so ago, so I don't remember everything.
Essentially, he has you switch the 5s and 3s week. So it's 3/5/1. And on the 5s week, you only go to 5 reps, don't push that last set. So you have a hard week (3+), then an easy week (5), then a hard week (1+). I want to say he has you do some singles at your training max, but I might be confusing that with the Strength Challenge. It probably wouldn't hurt, if you're up for it. There's a little more to it, but that's the bread-and-butter of the 5/3/1 for PL book.
As far as openers go, I'll advise you to go a little lighter on your openers for your first meet - at least for squat. You want to make sure that, with any nerves or anything, you can easily get a good lift in for each. Maybe instead of something you can triple, something you can hit 4-5 on. Just as an example, I somehow missed my first squat on my last meet, even though I had tripled 15 lbs heavier - not sure if it was nerves, lack of setting up properly (I think that was it, but I'm not 100% sure), or what. Hit it the 2nd time, but I very easily could have bombed out.
The only other thing I'd add is to expand on what SS said in his last post, regarding accessory work. That last cycle? Just go with the "I'm Not Doing Jack *kitten*" template.0 -
Agreed re: squat opener. I'd go more conservative on your first meet. Something you can 5-rep in training.0
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One other thing I forgot about: make sure you train bench using a 1-2 second pause at the bottom. That's a requirement for a meet. If you've anyone at your gym (assuming you go to a gym, and don't train at home) who's competed, ask him/her to give you the commands, so you have an idea of what to expect. Your max paused bench will typically be a little lighter than your touch-and-go bench.0
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Thanks all - definitely some thoughts here for me to keep in mind as I move forward!0
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Woohoo, yay for your first meet!
Ditto with what's already been said. The other thing I'd suggest is reading through the federation's rulebook. Which meet are you doing?
Keep us posted
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Agreed with all above:
1 - Don't cut.. Unless you are cutting in general
2 - Yes, you could run 5/3/1 up to the meet, although maybe not ideal.. IMHO, run it till 2 weeks out, do that week as a 3 week, not pushing, Mobility\stretching the week of... (Just my preference BTW)
3 - As per SS... As you lift more, you'll NEED more rest, that's part of the deal we have to face. Again, to echo SS, the closer you get, dial down the accessories.
Also, as it's first comp, I'll echo checking the rulebook, and practicing commands!! Over and over again!! Every Bench\Squat\Deadlift session, do a few reps\sets under commands. Even on the lighter sets... It'll engrain it as a habit by comp time....
So many people fail on basic commands, it's unreal... I admit, Most does come down to nerves, but I've see far too many fail for stupid stuff it's just not needed.
Finally - A lesson from my last comp........ My last comp, i struggled on Bench, as the pauses were longer (Well, Overly HUGE TBH!!!).... Train a mid-long 2-3 count... If you can press that, comp day should be fine, you'll cover the best and worst Judges that way.0 -
@zorahgail - I'm doing the Kentucky State Championships in Lexington in December. I emailed the director and he said it's open to first time competitors - I'm excited because I think I'll get to see some pretty great lifters there!
@CarlKRobbo - I'm cutting in general. If I don't make the weight class I hope to, I'm okay with that. I will definitely move out of a deficit at least four weeks before the comp. But I'm still too fat and need to cut anyway, and this was some pretty good incentive.
I agree that as my lifts have been getting heavier, I've needed more rest. That's one of the reasons I haven't already jumped to lifting 5 days a week - I don't have much left in the tank on the day after I lift. I will definitely taper my accessory lift as it gets closer.
I have read the rulebook cover to cover (it's a USPA meet) but I'm sure I'll read it again several times as the nerves kick up. I am planning on going to a meet in September to watch, and will be taking an experienced powerlifter friend with me so that I can ask questions.
Will definitely work on the commands - that's one thing I haven't done yet. I do some paused bench work, but will incorporate longer pauses as well.
I also need to start lifting away from the mirror - I don't use it to check depth/form, but I'm used to staring at myself when I lift so I need to cut that out.
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What everyone else said.
I would also be sure to take anything from powerliftingtowin with a grain of salt. It's kind of like the wikipedia of powerlifting. While Izzy has researched a ton and put together a lot of great information he is not an expert so a lot of inaccuracies come through. For example his article on back rounding and back injury is based on a painful lack of comprehension of anatomy and kinesiology. Not that you can't or shouldn't find a good peaking program on there, but just don't take every sentence as gospel.
Good luck!0 -
This has me remembering my first meet.
The worst thing was bench because I picked a weight too heavy for an opener and hadn't trained with a pause.
So, I'm going to echo training with a long pause for bench. Something like touch chest, count 1-2 Press.0 -
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