Powerlifting Meets/Results

[BostonRugger]

Just got my USAPL membership and signed up for Push/Pull at the Central Mass Open on January 11th. I already got the day off of work and we are in the clear.

Pretty excited that I'm actually doing this.

[Wilhelm]

Just got my USAPL membership and signed up for Push/Pull at the Central Mass Open on January 11th. I already got the day off of work and we are in the clear.

Pretty excited that I'm actually doing this.

Most excellent. \o/

[BostonRugger]

The meet is a week away. I’m very excited and think I have a good chance to PR bench and deadlift (I’m doing push/pull).

The meet seems really big, over 60 lifters. Three sessions, two flights per session. Does that seem normal for a local event?

[Manveer]

The meet seems really big, over 60 lifters. Three sessions, two flights per session. Does that seem normal for a local event?

Seems normal to me. Meets in southern California seem to usually be bigger than that.

[KarlM]

The meet seems really big, over 60 lifters. Three sessions, two flights per session. Does that seem normal for a local event?

Seems normal to me. Meets in southern California seem to usually be bigger than that.

I just registered for the Validus meet (a local USAPL sanctioned meet) to be held in San Diego April 25. Registration opened today and I believe it already sold out. It was capped at 75 lifters.

[KarlM]

The meet seems really big, over 60 lifters. Three sessions, two flights per session. Does that seem normal for a local event?

Seems normal to me. Meets in southern California seem to usually be bigger than that.

I just registered for the Validus meet (a local USAPL sanctioned meet) to be held in San Diego April 25. Registration opened today and I believe it already sold out. It was capped at 75 lifters.

As of today there are a few more spots. What say you @Manveer?

[Manveer]

The meet seems really big, over 60 lifters. Three sessions, two flights per session. Does that seem normal for a local event?

Seems normal to me. Meets in southern California seem to usually be bigger than that.

I just registered for the Validus meet (a local USAPL sanctioned meet) to be held in San Diego April 25. Registration opened today and I believe it already sold out. It was capped at 75 lifters.

As of today there are a few more spots. What say you @Manveer?

It would be cool to get back on the platform. I am not really training these days though. Mostly quick BB-type sessions, dealing with a couple of nagging injuries.

[augeleven]

Anybody signed up for the Whippany March Mania meet?
http://www.whippanyac.com/pages/events

[MattimusMaximus]

Finally signed up for my very first meet ever! March 28th! Getting super nervous.

If I keep holding on to momentum I might be able to pull off a 470 squat, 335 bench, and 500 deadlift. Hoping for at least 1200 lbs or 545 kg min total, but wanting a 1300 lbs it 590kg total.

Will be competing in the 105kg weight class... though not sure I’ll make weight...

[Wilhelm]

Finally signed up for my very first meet ever! March 28th! Getting super nervous.

If I keep holding on to momentum I might be able to pull off a 470 squat, 335 bench, and 500 deadlift. Hoping for at least 1200 lbs or 545 kg min total, but wanting a 1300 lbs it 590kg total.

Will be competing in the 105kg weight class... though not sure I’ll make weight...

Man, hope you kill it.

I can share what limited experience i have, if you have any questions or concerns.

[MattimusMaximus]

@Wilhelm i appreciate that! Yeah I’m super confused how it all works so should be interesting lol.

I just got my schedule and looks like I’m “Flight A” and 7th to lift. I’m assuming that means I won’t be waiting too long to lift but no idea how to time warmups yeesh!

So many questions but none really important lol. Like, will I have time to use the bathroom before I get to the platform? Will someone tell me I’m going soon or is it up to me to listen? Most important, when will I get to eat? Erhmahgerd I hope I don’t regret doing this haha.

Anyone got any tips or feel like sharing experience?

[Wilhelm]

@Wilhelm i appreciate that! Yeah I’m super confused how it all works so should be interesting lol.

I just got my schedule and looks like I’m “Flight A” and 7th to lift. I’m assuming that means I won’t be waiting too long to lift but no idea how to time warmups yeesh!

So many questions but none really important lol. Like, will I have time to use the bathroom before I get to the platform? Will someone tell me I’m going soon or is it up to me to listen? Most important, when will I get to eat? Erhmahgerd I hope I don’t regret doing this haha.

Anyone got any tips or feel like sharing experience?

Edit to add - The way i describe my attempts after openers, is just how i do.
I will have a single, specific, primary goal, that i'm pretty sure i can reach, so i stick to my script for the most part.
If the sub goals play into the primary, then i go for those as well. Like single lift PRs vs the total.
But afaict, the adrenaline bump is real, and you are versed in rpe.
maybe for you there will be more flexibility to go for it if things feel really good.
I know you have a two teir total goal, might have to use those skills to get to the bigger total.
IF it's really there for you on the day.
***
Yeah, scope out the bathrooms ahead of time.
Warmups were my biggest concern at first, but it is really pretty easy, and not a big deal once you are there.
Other lifters can help.
I like to find a platform, and try and get the proper plates gathered ahead of time.
The warmup room can be chaotic, with all the women and their gear there and warming up, competing, and the men arriving with all their shit.
My meets have been in small spaces, but it still wasn't that hard to get things done.
It's not like you have to time things to the split second.

Hopefully someone with more experience can add to what i remember about warmup guidelines.
Our meets have the women in the morning, or even one very small meet had flight A women, and flight B men, all in one session.

In any case, you are either following a flight, or are in the first flight.
I have seen "last warmup 10 minutes before opener" written somewhere.
Honestly, i don't think about it much now, it's sort of self evident after you do it once, and even the first time you will do fine.
You'll probably be warming up on a platform with people lifting in your range (ask what their range is, or what top warmup they are taking. The vids i link show this)
Just find a group you fit with.

TSA freebies. Excel sheets for attempt selection, warmup timing, and more.
https://thestrengthathlete.com/freebies/

Another was, if you are following a flight, is to start your warmups as the flight before you starts their second attempts.
Hopefully there will be a monitor in the warmup room so you can see the lifters as they go. (liftingcast)
The announcer should call the three lifters in line. Who is up, next, and in the hole (i think that's how thay say it)

The order can shift between rounds of attempts, depending on what weights people lift, as the order goes from low to high.
Maybe someone opened lighter than you, and went ahead of you, but their 2nd is heavier, and they are no longer before you.
Just watch the monitor, and listen to the announcer.

It should fall into place just fine, just pay attention to whatever means they use to keep you informed.

personally, and this is just me, i usually get to the meet plenty early, as i have to drive about three hours, and i will do light warmup stuff way ahead of time.
Not dead lift, but i really need to get under the bar on the bench early in the day, just because i'm old, and it takes a while to even be able to get my legs back, etc...
I will do some deadhangs, find the best spot i can for my gear, hang around to be sure i get my rack heights as soon as they start setting them.
Then as the women finish, (or even unobtrusively before then) i will groom a warmup platform, making sure there are the right change plates, a bar i like (or the best available) collars, even scope out where deadlift jacks sre, if there are any, and enough 45s.

This is all pretty low key, but i like to do it ahead of time, and camp out.
part of it is talking to people, and finding who will be your warmup partners.

And be flexible and helpful
Like "let's use this bar instead" or whatever they might want/need.
Same goal, just looking out for each other.

I will do light squats well ahead of actual warmup time.
Just the bar. Old man parts like to be ready.

But it's also easy to waste energy.
Or use energy.
My first meet i was pumped, and i cheered the women on pretty hard.
It might have been better for me to have been camping out at that time.

I don't exactly dry myself out ahead of weigh ins, but i also don't over do liquids close to weigh ins.
I'll do a lot before i leave home, but that's hours ahead.
If you are doing a motel and are closer to the meet, plan accordingly.

I do have my coffee ready and mixed up for right after weigh ins.
snacks and drinks are covered in those vids.
My stuff is weird, because my diet is weird, so i won't even mention it further.

I have to be up early either way, (home or motel) because it is of prime importance that i poop, even twice if i need to.
I have never had to poop at during a meet so far.

I do take one bottle of water with a salt potassium mix, to help not cramp up late in the day.
My upper abs love to cramp for bench, though they almost never do at home.
However you do it, spare a thought for electrolytes.
Just be sure you are consuming them in a way you are familiar with.
The rule of not eating/drinking/doing anything new, or that you are not used to during meet day, is a good one.

It's easy to get another lifter to chalk your back for bench, but i take a little baggie of crushed chalk, and i can get each side of my singlet on my own, by slipping the straps off one at a time.

Be patient when you are setting your rack heights.
I got my bench height wrong once, and didn't know until just before my third attempt why it felt hard.
Hooks were too low, and i was having to press the bar up on unrack.
I told the scorers, and they were able to enter the change.

I like to have a plan for my attempts, and contingencies as well.
If i make this, then this.
So far, i haven't changed an attempt based on rpe, except for final DL
I'm just not practiced in that, and there is too much going on for me to have that much uncertainty.
I will have probably two options. (come to think of it, the TSA thing gives you three) I'm usually just dialed in and end up taking exactly what i have planned to take.
I did move my bench opener down last meet. They should let you know at lifters meeting when the cutoff for changing openers is.
iirc, i moved it down from what i had planned, but it was still what i entered as my opener, so i didn't have to change it on my card.
I knew bench was weak that day, and didn't want to waste any energy.
Went for a lighter 3rd as well, but i had considered that option for days ahead of time.

But mostly i want to know before i take an attempt, what my options are to tell the score table i want for my next.
If you don't have a handler, it really helps to be ready ahead of time what your choices are.

i have never had to put in attempts in writing, except for openers.
We just stop at the scorer's table after our attempts, and tell them verbally.

I have always been pretty predictable, but on my third DL there might be a decision to make.
Should i go heavier, etc...
I have these things written down, and print out my attempts from the TSA freebies attempts thing.
Mostly to tally my sub total as i go. And i think it shows the pound equivalents right there
I actually depend more on a mini spiral notebook i keep in line with me during the rounds when attempts are going down

I'm rambling
Find some way to have your attempts and scenarios ready, and be ready for putting in the following attempt right after you complete the one prior.

WAIT for the rack command on bench!

Wait for all the commands, of course, but i have seen people beat the rack command on a hard bench attempt after a great fight.
They get the lift, and have fought so hard they just slam it back into the rack without even thinking.
USAPL? Make sure your feet stay flat on the floor for bench.

All that kind of thing.
Just know all the rules, and make sure that's how you lift.
Clothing, etc...
No socks touching knee sleeves , etc... etc...

[MattimusMaximus]

Thanks @Wilhelm!

Biggest concern is definitely those commands for all the lifts. I’m just not used to any of that and don’t really have a way of practicing.

Bathroom seems like a silly thing to worry about but I’m honestly wondering how that works if you’re bladder is full and you’re up soon... guess you hold it lol. It’ll be an adjustment to training at home and having that pre lift poop hahaha.

Eating I’m wondering if there’s time before moving on to the next lift or not but I suppose I’ll find that out when I get there.

Ours is a provincial qualifier (Canada- IPF) and so there’s 56 lifters but they’ve split the meet (morning/afternoon) and I’ll be first thing in the morning. 2-hr weigh-in at 7:30am. Not used to lifting in the morning so should be interesting too.

I figured I’d attempt 90% ish, 95% ish, and then decide my 3rd attempt. Definitely want to be somewhat flexible since I don’t have calibrated plates at home... so there might be a surprise at comp lol. Also my bench is much shorter in height, length, and width compared to comp so I don’t know if the fatter pad will make it easier or harder.

I’ve been training with my kids in the background and playing annoying music to distract myself during lifting in the hopes it’ll prepare me for lifting at a meet but honestly lifting in front of a crowd is definitely gonna freak me out lol. I had to lift in front of everyone at a Starting Strength Seminar back in 2015 and I hated it, mind you I was being assessed by Rip and they made us do fahves not single attempts.

Thanks again for all that info, I’ll be sure to re-read it as things get closer to the meet.

[Wilhelm]

Open light.

OPEN LIGHT!

Open your squat light so you can bury it deep.
Always bury your opener. It can help the refs look favorably on your later attempts if they aren't as deep.
Not absurdly light, so you're not making a huge jump to your second, but something you can for sure make even if you get on your toes, or go completely loose in the hole.

You still have plenty of time to practice commands, even if you just do it in your head.

For bench, practice bringing the bar to a still pause, no moving around on your chest.
The sooner it's still, the sooner you get the press command.

Lock your knees at the start of the squat, wait, squat, then knees locked again at the end at the end.
Wait, rerack.

In training -
Bring the bar out, stop
Bring it down, stop
Press it up, stop
You can say the commands in your head when the bar is still at each point.

One way to help be sure about on rerack, especially on bench, is let the spotters help you guide the bar back in.
Basically, just wait at the end.
It's only a moment, and i think it feels pretty natural, since that's part of what they are there to do.
They won't move in and grab it until the ref gives the command, unless they fuck up, which i have almost never seen.
Only when they grab it early when it looks like the lifter may fail, but the ref hasn't said rack for an unsuccessful lift.
That won't happen though, almost certainly.
Forget i even mentioned it


You're going to do just fine.
I did fine my first meet, and went 9 for 9, i know you can too.

[Viola]

@Wilhelm i appreciate that! Yeah I’m super confused how it all works so should be interesting lol.

I just got my schedule and looks like I’m “Flight A” and 7th to lift. I’m assuming that means I won’t be waiting too long to lift but no idea how to time warmups yeesh!

So many questions but none really important lol. Like, will I have time to use the bathroom before I get to the platform? Will someone tell me I’m going soon or is it up to me to listen? Most important, when will I get to eat? Erhmahgerd I hope I don’t regret doing this haha.

Anyone got any tips or feel like sharing experience?

Hey Mattimus, Congrats on signing up! I also lift and ref in the CPU. Here are a few tips for you, copy-pasted from the new lifter cheat sheet I have created for our provincial association.

1.Learn the rules. Download the IPF rulebook and read it. Some parts you can skim, but make sure you understand the parts about equipment and technique (e.g. heels down on BP, hands on bar as DL goes down, etc).

2. Practice doing the lifts, especially with someone else giving you the commands. DON'T FORGET TO WAIT FOR THE RACK COMMAND FOR SQUAT AND BP. Check your technique with an experienced powerlifting friend, coach, or by videoing yourself.

3. Get a provincial and CPU membership. Go to the CPU website and click membership. Follow the prompts - sign up for a provincial membership and pay online. Print your CPU card and/or save it to your phone – it won’t be mailed to you. Bring it to the meet.

4. Complete the CCES online course. The link is on the CPU website. This will take 1-2h. DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE THE MEET, THE CCES WEBSITE HAS BEEN KNOWN TO GLITCH. At the end, print out the certificate and/or save it to your phone. Keep the CCES log-in information because you will need to do a refresher course every 12 months if you continue to compete. This course tells you all about the rules regarding drug and steroid and supplement use. Bring the certificate and photo id to the meet.

5. Get approved equipment
Required:
1. Singlet on IPF approved list
2. T-shirt – must meet requirements as per IPF rules
3. Underwear – must meet requirements. tighy whities are the safest.
4. Socks – must meet requirements. Long socks covering shins up to knee needed for deadlift.
5. Shoes – must meet requirements
Optional
1. Belt – on IPF approved list
2. Wrist wraps – on IPF approved list
3. Knee sleeves – on IPF approved list
4. Knee wraps/bench shirt/squat or deadlift suits – on IPF approved list

6. Plan your attempts in kg, in increments of 2.5kg. I.e., 200kg, 202.5kg, 205kg are acceptable, 201kg, 204.5kg etc are not.

7. Get to the meet 30min before weigh-ins start. There will be an order of weigh-in posted, the order depends on random lot numbers assigned to the lifters. But as Flight A, you will be among the first 14 lifters weighed in. You can do the equipment check after weigh-ins if you don't have time before. You will need first attempts in kg, and the rack height and safety heights for the squat and BP so the ref can enter it on your weigh-in sheet. They will let you get those on the equipment at the meet before or during weigh-ins. HAVE YOUR CPU CARD, CCES CERTIFICATE, AND PHOTO ID READY TO SHOW AT EQUIPMENT CHECK AND AT WEIGH-INS.

8. Find someone the same height as you to share the squat rack as you warmup.

9. Ask the refs (wearing blue blazers) if you have questions.

10. How many flights are there in the morning session, with how many lifters? We just did a 2 session flight with ~56 lifters. First session had 30 lifters over 3 flights, started lifting at 9am, ended about 2.

[MattimusMaximus]

@Viola wow thanks for all the info! Morning is just 2 flights with 16 in each so 28 total for the first half of the day. Sounds like I’ll be out of there in the early to mid afternoon than yay!

[Wilhelm]

It's looking like July 24th for the next USAPL meet here in Maine.
Should be vaccinated by then, and can make an appointment in Bangor if things are moving too slowly up here still by then.
Seems like i should be fine though.

Bench and DL cycles continued out in blocks till the end, land perfectly on the calendar, as i don't really try and peak those with different programming.
Well, bench i would start the final block at week 4 of the program to make it fit, and just manage the weight bump appropriately.

Squat blocks, run as i'm doing, will end about three weeks before meet week, and i'd want to shift to peaking/more singles then anyway.

Gonna just keep on chooglin' , balancing work and recovery as i have been.

[ChasingCurls69]

My next meet is May 1st, and it's my 4th meet in as many years. I'm hoping for at least 100lbs on last year's total of 1267, and a 661/300kg deadlift to take another gym DL record and possibly hit the second heaviest DL at the meet. It's almost exclusively gym members signed up, but still a sanctioned USAPL meet which is cool. And it'll be my first meet as a very light 105kg lifter after doing the first 3 at 93kg (weighing 190lbs, 197lbs, and 200lbs respectively).

[gymdad150]

@MattimusMaximus

Wilhelm covered everything, but it bears repeating: OPEN LIGHT ON YOUR SQUAT! (and all your other lifts too, but especially the Squat)

You should open with something you can easily hit for a triple.

Make sure you're videoing your Squats to confirm you're at depth.

Also, get used to lifting your gaze out away from the rack (not the SS 6" foot lookdown). I got held up at Raw Natls until I made eye contact with the head judge. It shouldn't work that way, but be prepared.

Don't fuck around with the food you eat the night before or the day of the meet. Don't add new and exotic concoctions that your stomach isn't used to.

I'm not a morning person either, but I start training in the mornings once a week, about 6 weeks out from my meets to get used to lifting "early" in the day. I also start waking up earlier about 6 weeks out, so it's not so shocking to my system (but I'm old and need lots of time to get "loose"). By the time meet day rolls around, I'm ready to get up at 4:30am...

I find visualization of each of my lifts helps with the "nerves". I envision what each plate on the bar looks like; what a loaded bar looks like; what a successful lift looks like. Take the time to go through each step of the process: getting ready to address the bar; un-racking the bar; hearing the commands; exiting the platform and putting in your next attempt.

More than anything, see yourself having fun!

[MattimusMaximus]

@gymdad150 Thank you for the sharing your experience and tips. My meet was supposed to be a year ago but 2 weeks before the meet we entered lockdown here (Canada) and my meet was cancelled. The union has shut down all local competitions, since Mar 2020 until further notice due to the pandemic.

Hopefully I’ll get a chance to compete some day but I’m definitely not winning any comps lol.