So you have decided to participate in your first powerlifting meet. You are likely excited, but also a bit nervous. In this article, we will help you prepare for the meet. We will talk about how you peak and taper in the weeks up to the meet and what you can do on gameday to get the experience possible.
How to peak and taper for a powerlifting meet
In the world of periodization peaking is a term used to define a type of training done right before a competition. In this training phase, volume is decreased while intensity and specificity are increased. This type of training is done, to maximize performance on a single day at the cost of long-term development. A good peak can add 5-10% to your performance. While peaking isn't necessary practicing lifting heavy weight is. A peaking block usually lasts 3-4 weeks. Work is usually more focused on practicing reps in the 1-3 rep range in this period, and the total volume is substantially lower.
While one does not have to do a phase of dedicated peaking training. I highly recommend doing a single at RPE 8 for squat, bench, and deadlift at least once a week close to the competition.
About one week out from the competition, what is known as a taper starts. The taper is a period of training, lack thereof. In this period the focus is on dropping systemic fatigue, to get ready for competition. During a taper week, very little training is done. Usually, not much more than openers for the competition lifts, and maybe a little maintenance training.
How to prepare for meet day
Preparing for the meet day in advance can be beneficial for your experience. It's important to have the right equipment available, food to eat and to know if you should use stimulants to improve your performance.
How should you prepare your lifting equipment for a powerlifting meet?
Before the competition, you need to prepare your training equipment. For raw competition, this usually includes lifting shoes (are you using different ones for squat, bench, and deadlift?), wrist wraps, and a lifting belt. You need to make sure that the equipment you want to use is allowed in the federation you compete in. Federations such as the IPF have a list of what equipment is allowed and what isn't.
What foods should you eat during a powerlifting meet?
Next, you need to prepare what food you are going to eat on competition day. Most meets are going to take 3 hours and usually even longer. So you might get hungry during the meet. While a higher carbohydrate intake may be beneficial, powerlifting competition isn't the most calorie-taxing event. Usually, it's better to eat for tolerance. You should eat something that you know won't upset your stomach. Because of this, it is usually best not to stray too far from your normal diet pattern during the competition.
How to use stimulants during a powerlifting meet?
Stimulants can be both effective and fun to use in training. Common stimulants used in powerlifting are caffeine and sometimes smelling salts. It is recommended not to go overboard with stimulants in competition. You should not use much higher doses of caffeine than you are used to. On top of the stimulant intake, the nerves from the competition will usually be more than enough to get you hyped for lifting. Getting too stimmed up, both from stimulants, self-stimulation, and the nerves before a lift, may negatively affect performance for some lifters.
What to do on game day
The goal of the competition day should be to enjoy yourself. Don't expect to win anything in your first competition. Instead, your goal should be to have the best competition day possible and make the highest total possible.
Warming up for your lifts
Around 30 minutes before it is time to lift, you should start warming up. It is usually a good idea to take a few more warm-up sets than usual. Make sure most of those sets are lighter weight, and that you don't go overboard with the heavier stuff. The goal here is to get warm, so don't overdo it. Your second last warm-up should be done 7-10 minutes before you have to lift. The last warm-up set about 5 minutes before. If you thrive with shorter or longer warm-ups feel free to do so, as the first attempt should be pretty light anyways.
Special consideration may come up for smaller lifters and some women. A round between lifts may usually be 10 minutes or longer. In some rare cases, lifters may have a hard time staying warm between sets. If you easily get cold between sets, you might consider warming up between attempts. Make sure to lift to stay warm and not fatigue yourself.
How to select attempt at a powerlifting meet?
We have now arrived at the competition itself. It is time to select your attempts. It is important to remember that powerlifting isn't just a competition about maxing out. The goal of a powerlifting meet is to gather the highest total. This requires more strategy than hail mary PR attempts. My recommendation for a first meet is to go for 9/9 lifts. At the first meet, all lifts meet PRs. It will be a much better experience to get all the lifts rather than bombing out (not being able to form a total).
A good rule of thumb is that the opener should probably be no more than RPE 6-7. That is, something you could at least do for a couple of reps with no problem. Not only does this secure your ability to form a total, but it also takes off the worst nerves. The second attempt can be more aggressive, maybe 5-10% above the opener. Finally, there are two different strategies for the third attempt. If the second attempt was easy jump another 5-10%, or if not, a more conservative jump of 2.5-5 kg might be better. This strategy allows you to gather the highest possible total.
Remember, it's always better to leave a little on the platform than fail an attempt.
Closing words
Meet day is a day to have fun and enjoy yourself. You prepared the best you could for this day, and it will go however it goes. Now is the time to have a good time and enjoy yourself. Remember to be helpful and talk to people; you might make new friends as well.
About Rasmus Skriver
Powerlifter and coach with more than 7 years in the game.