Preparing for a meet
There is nothing like putting a check in the mail and committing yourself to put your training on display. Whether it’s the drive of competition or desire for self betterment, nothing can focus your training like a competition. When you have put in the hard work and come prepared, your first and subsequent meets are a great experience.
First things first, you need to find a meet. They are conveniently located here. While there are many powerlifting meets out there that may be great, our meets are friendly to newer lifters for a variety of reasons. Online competitions are convenient, fun, and focused on self-improvement. Compete from the comfort of your own gym, with equipment you are familiar with, without the crowds. Our two week submission window will give you plenty of time to get an attempt on the board, even around a busy schedule. No commands, no procedures other then correct execution of the lift, and an online discord community to support you.
Training leading up to the meet does not have to drastically change. Looking for a competition specific program can be a mistake. These programs are designed for experienced lifters, with the intention to improve their total just a little bit over the course of several weeks or even months. If you are an intermediate or certainly a novice, your program will continue to get you strong in a much shorter amount of time. The addition of a few heavy singles for practice and a short period of reduced loading may be all that is required. The more experienced you are, the more appropriate a more complex program, with a lengthier period of loading reduction becomes. Stick with a program that matches your training advancement.
Leading into the competition make sure to practice your lift according to the USSF rules. The closer you get to competition the more your training should look like competing. Practice like you compete and compete like you practice.
Lastly, if you are someone that values continual progress, we cannot recommend enough the value of a good coach. A good coach will get you stronger, improve your form, adjust your programming, guide you in attempt selection, and generally help you prepare for your big day. Online coaching is an excellent option. USSF President Jordan Stanton is a coach at Barbell Logic Online Coaching, and they’ve helped competitors at all levels of training advancement set new personal records. If you’re going to compete, and you can afford it, we highly recommend hiring a professional coach.
For more tips on preparing for a meet, also check out our friends at Barbell Logic Podcast for the most current and well produced content on the market.