Meet Week
Three days out from my first powerlifting competition.
As some of you may know, I have spent the last several months training for my first powerlifting meet, which will take place this Saturday. I’ve been squatting, benching, and deadlifting for the past 13 years, and I’m both excited and nervous to finally do it on a competitive platform.
Training has mostly gone well, with a few hiccups along the way. My heaviest lifts in this train-up were a 375lb squat (a 25lb PR), a 255lb bench (10lbs shy of my previous PR), and a 430lb deadlift (a 15lb PR). There was definitely more in the tank for those gym lifts, which I hope to find and express on the platform this weekend.
I’ve never been a fan of the pre-race deload/taper in running, and I’m feeling a similar sentiment during this competition week. It’s hard not to go crazy with the competition looming and the lack of intense training as an outlet. Ultimately, I’ve got to work to convince myself that the physical and mental rest I get this week will allow me to lift more weight on Saturday. Maintaining my normal routine of meals, reading and writing, movement, and work are helpful; I’m simply pushing everything back by roughly an hour so I can get some more sleep in. I’m still conducting some low-intensity training sessions this week.
Here’s a glimpse into meet week:
Monday: 5x1 squats at 195lbs (~60% of my opening attempt weight) and 5x1 bench at 155lbs (~70% of my opener) with verbal commands
Tuesday: 45-minute weight vest walk; McGill’s Big 3, 2x20 band hamstring curls, 2x25 band tricep extensions, 2x20 back extensions, 2x20 band face pulls, 2x20 band bicep curls
Wednesday: 30-minute Z2 run
Thursday: rest and travel
Friday: weigh-ins
Saturday: competition day
