my second powerlifting Comp

[Frost]

Warning, (this is going to be long and boring)

So this weekend let to my second powerlifting comp, didn’t go well, I set myself the target of a 500kg total, 1100 pound which I had done easily in training, I was looking for a 170kg (375), 130 (285) bench, and 200 (440) My comp best had been 160sq, 130 Bench and 195 DL

In training the deadlift has not been going well, I’ve pulled 190 easily and 200 once, but cant break 200 for love nor money so I made the decision to move to sumo style after this comp and hope for the best at the comp

Training for the comp has not been the best but in my last training session I hit all my openers with easy: squatted 160 (352) bench 120(265) and pulled 190(418) so was ready to go.

I weighted 105.5kg 2 days before the comp (I was in the under105kg category) but like a muppet I wanted to make sure I made weight so ate very little the next 2 days, this combined with a 2 hr grappling session the day before the comp (like I said muppet) meant I weighted in at 101kg at the comp feeling tired and hungry, to make matters worse the comp was packed close to a 100 guys in the unequipped so I started lifting 3 hrs after weigh in and it took 3 and a half hours to complete

Squat went good, first round 160 was easy, second round 170 was a struggle but went up, 175 stapled me to the floor and I failed that, but 170kg (375) was a new PB and a good way to start (the fact that it felt so heavy should have been an indication of what was to follow)

Bench
1) 120kg flew up even though the pause took for ever
2)130kg was a real grind, I have doubled this in training but was so tired it took ages to go up, but got all white lights
3) 135kg went no where, no surprise I was spent after the 130

So 130kg ((286) equalled my comp best but I had wanted more

Deadlift
The warm up went badly, 180kg which I can treble almost didn’t comp up it was a real grind so I was in no shape for my opener
1) 190 (418) went up all three lights (I was shocked it moved off the floor to be honest)
2) 200, didn’t go anywhere complete fail
3) 200 same weight same outcome three red lights

So finished with a 490kg total (1078) happy I beat my last comp total but annoyed I didn’t get the 500

Take home lessons
I spent way too long lifting at 90%+ before the comp (4 weeks) it burned me out.
Cutting that much weight was stupid, as was grappling the day before
Need to get my warm ups sorted, I started the squat warm up 45mins before I was called out to squat (mix up over the running order)
Deadlift its all in the head get it sorted and try Sumo

[sanjuro_ronin]

I friend of mine suggested looking at the DL NOT as a pull, but a push with the legs, don't know if that MAY help...
Those are good numbers bro, BUT doing ANYTHING before a PL competition is, well...not very smart.
The big lifts tend to be more mental then physical IF you've done the work in the gym and you have.
You do need to understand that ANY activity you do will cut into your recovery time.
Even more so when you are getting close to the limits of your strength.
I would probably suggest you cut out MA two weeks going into the comp, FOR SURE the week of the comp.
Much like you should cut ST 2 weeks going into a MA event.

[Frost]

Yep as my coaches have said many time head up backside down and push with your legs…which is what I do right up to 190kg, then it all goes to pot ….and as they said its in my head 190 flys up 200 fly up once, since then nada…it’s a mental thing hence the move to sumo

I know 4 hard sessions the week before comp and helping set up the gym the night before probably wasn’t the smartest thing I have ever done…………….well hopefully ill learn from that and be more serious about it next time

Cheers for the advice paul, I didn’t take the comp that seriously as there where 2 strong lifters in my category and I had no hope of winning, then they both pulled out and I missed top spot by 50kg and second by just 27kg, oh well next time more rest and better tapering!

[sanjuro_ronin]

Allow me to suggest this view:
Don't compete to beat anyone, compete to "beat" yourself and for self-improvement.
Focus on YOU, make the competition about YOU and not about beating someone else.
You will enjoy it more and became a better athlete and you will surpass your "limits" far quicker.
I have a winning record in most to the MA I competed in and yet I NEVER fought to beat anyone ( although I never competed at an elite level either).
I fought to test myself, I fought to prefect my art and there was never an "opponent" other than myself.

[viper]

All my Olympic coachs tell me to push the ground away it works i find.

[Scott R. Brown]

That is intersting, the pushing the ground away, for the deadlift. I actually focus on pushing/thrusting my hips forward. The hardest part for me is sitting back far enough before I begin the pull. I think it is a body structure thing for me.

Good job Frost! :)

[Fa Xing]

All my Olympic coachs tell me to push the ground away it works i find.

That's actually how I was taught too.

[viper]

Scott R brown are your hammys tight for me good position was effected by tight hammys.

I was using the hip drive as my mantra due to kettlebell stuff. I found that I was thrusting the hips fowards to much instead of up which pushed the bar away from my body. Thats during oly lifts. The hip drive thought works well in the later phase of all pulls be it DL or oly training.

[Scott R. Brown]

Scott R brown are your hammys tight for me good position was effected by tight hammys.

I was using the hip drive as my mantra due to kettlebell stuff. I found that I was thrusting the hips fowards to much instead of up which pushed the bar away from my body. Thats during oly lifts. The hip drive thought works well in the later phase of all pulls be it DL or oly training.

No I am very flexible. I was doing the full splits and straddle splits up until 3 years ago when I injured my groin. I am 52. I can still touch my palms to the ground with straight legs. In fact, I do stiff legged deadlifts from a block with the bar touching the tops of my feet with no problem.

I have short legs and arms in relation to a long torso. So I think it is a structural thing, also I am bow legged.

[viper]

True I am slightly envious I am 26 and still struggle to touch the ground.

[IronFist]

dood don't u listen to the kung fu dudes on this forum???

WEIGHT LIFTING IS BAD FOR YOU!!!1!1!!!

IT will make U Slow and INFLEXIBLE.

U NEED TO LIFT WITH UR TENDONS!!!!!11!111!!eleven!11!1!!

Skinny small people EASILY beat up BIG WEIGHT LIFTING DUDES WITH STUPID USELESS "show" MUSCLES!11!1!!!! http://smiliesftw.com/x/eek3run.gif (http://smiliesftw.com) http://smiliesftw.com/x/eek3run.gif (http://smiliesftw.com) http://smiliesftw.com/x/eek3run.gif (http://smiliesftw.com)












Seriously though, I don't speak kg, so I appreciate you listing the weights in pounds :D

Your body weight was 222.67 pounds.

Hey what would have happened if you came in over your 105kg weight class limit? Would you be disqualified or just bumped up to the next weight class?

You mentioned sumo deadlift. I've been doing that for the last few months because I noticed I have developed a hip rotation when I deadlift (bad) but only when I do conventional and not sumo, so I'm doing sumo for a while to change things up.

At first it felt super weird and I didn't like it.

I still don't like it that much, but it feels less weird now at least. The groove is different. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on how you feel about it compared to conventional when you start doing it.

Again, nice work http://smiliesftw.com/x/biggthumpup.gif (http://smiliesftw.com)

[Frost]

dood don't u listen to the kung fu dudes on this forum???

WEIGHT LIFTING IS BAD FOR YOU!!!1!1!!!

IT will make U Slow and INFLEXIBLE.

U NEED TO LIFT WITH UR TENDONS!!!!!11!111!!eleven!11!1!!

Skinny small people EASILY beat up BIG WEIGHT LIFTING DUDES WITH STUPID USELESS "show" MUSCLES!11!1!!!! http://smiliesftw.com/x/eek3run.gif (http://smiliesftw.com) http://smiliesftw.com/x/eek3run.gif (http://smiliesftw.com) http://smiliesftw.com/x/eek3run.gif (http://smiliesftw.com)












Seriously though, I don't speak kg, so I appreciate you listing the weights in pounds :D

Your body weight was 222.67 pounds.

Hey what would have happened if you came in over your 105kg weight class limit? Would you be disqualified or just bumped up to the next weight class?

You mentioned sumo deadlift. I've been doing that for the last few months because I noticed I have developed a hip rotation when I deadlift (bad) but only when I do conventional and not sumo, so I'm doing sumo for a while to change things up.

At first it felt super weird and I didn't like it.

I still don't like it that much, but it feels less weird now at least. The groove is different. I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on how you feel about it compared to conventional when you start doing it.

Again, nice work http://smiliesftw.com/x/biggthumpup.gif (http://smiliesftw.com)

if i had been over i would have been in the 120kg group....which was won by a guy whose opening lifts were 260kg 575) squat, 170kg (375) bench and 280kg (616) deadlift....those were his OPENING lifts and all went up so easily it was annoying hence i wanted to make 105kg lol

Sumo is how nearly all our lifters deadlift, I've done it a few times but it feels unnatural but i have some great coaches

[IronFist]

I love people who warm up with more than my max :D :(

[JamesC]

Sounds like your CNS was just shot from weeks of heavy lifting beforehand. I have a hard enough time making it home after squatting and deadlifting in the same workout, and I only do it once every 1.5 weeks. It kills me.

What does your recovery between sets look like during training as compared to the comp? What about your food? Seems like gorging yourself on oatmeal is a safe bet for a heavy day like that.

Also, i'd say the 10kg barrier is a mental thing for sure. I'm assuming you've already tried a deload? If not, have you tried deloading 10% and building back up?

Also, also, you're a beast-man. You give me inspiration. Seriously. No ****.

[Frost]

Sounds like your CNS was just shot from weeks of heavy lifting beforehand. I have a hard enough time making it home after squatting and deadlifting in the same workout, and I only do it once every 1.5 weeks. It kills me.

What does your recovery between sets look like during training as compared to the comp? What about your food? Seems like gorging yourself on oatmeal is a safe bet for a heavy day like that.

Also, i'd say the 10kg barrier is a mental thing for sure. I'm assuming you've already tried a deload? If not, have you tried deloading 10% and building back up?

Also, also, you're a beast-man. You give me inspiration. Seriously. No ****.

warm up were all too long, because of the size of the lifting groups and a mix up in when we were meant to start my squat warm up started 45 mins before my first lift, im usually done lifting in an hour and a half, took two hours before we even started the bench if i remember rightly, simply too long a day with not enough food

you are right my CNS was shot, i was planning on a few weeks of easy lifting before the comp, but because i couldnt get to the gym as much as i liked in the last month and because i got my peaking wrong i worked my opening lifts two weeks in a row just too much work at 90% and above

oh well ill learn for next time

[JamesC]

You put in the work, and you had the balls and consistency to compete. That's more than most(myself included) can say. I'm just too **** lazy, tbh. Kids tend to make stuff like this impossible. At least until they get older...

Anyways, you got the experience, and that counts for a lot. You've obviously learned from it too, so it wasn't a total bust.

Btw, how is your MA training going? Do you feel they are interfering with each other?

[Frost]

You put in the work, and you had the balls and consistency to compete. That's more than most(myself included) can say. I'm just too **** lazy, tbh. Kids tend to make stuff like this impossible. At least until they get older...

Anyways, you got the experience, and that counts for a lot. You've obviously learned from it too, so it wasn't a total bust.

Btw, how is your MA training going? Do you feel they are interfering with each other?

im managing to do 1 x 2hr grappling class a week as well as 1 x 2hr stand up class, i was also managing to get back with my old TCMA instructor but after a few classes my work scedule changed which means i can only train with him now and then, which is no good to him or me lol which is annoying.,
Grappling twice a week and powerlifting twice a week does take its out of me i think at my age to be really good at one i would have to drop the other.

As it is i get 2 complete rest days a week, to be a great powerlifter i need more than that, and to be at the level i was once in grappling i need to train that three times a week and rest the same amount, thats not going to happen as i love both so am happy being ok at both :)

[sanjuro_ronin]

im managing to do 1 x 2hr grappling class a week as well as 1 x 2hr stand up class, i was also managing to get back with my old TCMA instructor but after a few classes my work scedule changed which means i can only train with him now and then, which is no good to him or me lol which is annoying.,
Grappling twice a week and powerlifting twice a week does take its out of me i think at my age to be really good at one i would have to drop the other.

As it is i get 2 complete rest days a week, to be a great powerlifter i need more than that, and to be at the level i was once in grappling i need to train that three times a week and rest the same amount, thats not going to happen as i love both so am happy being ok at both :)

Much wisdom here...
May I suggest this though, IF you choose to be more competitive in either or I suggest periodization.
When you are doing grappling for a meet, dedicate 8 weeks to training every day to grappling and drop the PL.
When you are doing a PL meet, do the same.
IF you keep your training consistent year round, the 8 week lay off form either won't cut too much into the gains you make.

[Fa Xing]

Much wisdom here...
May I suggest this though, IF you choose to be more competitive in either or I suggest periodization.
When you are doing grappling for a meet, dedicate 8 weeks to training every day to grappling and drop the PL.
When you are doing a PL meet, do the same.
IF you keep your training consistent year round, the 8 week lay off form either won't cut too much into the gains you make.

I would go with this.