0

USD

Search products, brands, workouts...

WE SH IP TO ALGERI A VIE W D E TAILS

Common Powerlifting Meet Mistakes

Made By Inexperienced Competitors

Read this article if you're considering your first powerlifting

meet. These tips will help you maintain strength levels and
maybe even blast a few new PRs.
 Having competed in over 15 powerlifting meets I
have at one point or another made the following mistakes and/or have seen other lifters
do likewise. Hopefully this article will help new lifters who are planning to do their first
competition or even more experienced lifters to learn from others’ mistakes and not
compromise their performance on meet day.

Mistake #1 – Weight Loss

Whilst a lot of lifters cut weight before meets, this is usually a planned controlled process
done in order to lift in a lighter weight class that their usual bodyweight permits, hence
somebody who normally weighs around 105kgs (and would be in the 110kg class)
would drop 5kgs or so before a meet in order to compete at a lighter (and potentially
easier) bodyweight class. Different feds have different rules regarding weigh-in
procedures; some have weigh-ins 24 hours before the competition, whilst others only
have on the day weigh-ins.

Obviously the former permits a bigger deviation in how much weight can be dropped as
there is the 24 hours available from weigh-in to meet time, therefore this gives the lifter
some time to regain weight (and some strength that might have been lost from the
weight loss), whereas feds which stipulate the weigh-in only on the day of the meet do
not allow the lifter a huge discrepancy in weight loss, as he/she would suffer a huge
drop in performance if there is severe weight loss just a few hours before lifting.

However the mistake that certain lifters make and have made (me included) is losing
weight when there was no requirement for it, in other words the weight loss would not
lead to a  change in the weight class that the lifter would compete in. For example if a
lifter normally weighs 99kg (eligible for the 100kg class) and then prior to the meet at the
weigh-in he weighs 96kg (still 100kg class), this 3kg weight loss is pointless and
counterproductive as the drop in weight has not led to the lifter switching to a lighter
weight class and will likely have a negative impact on strength.

So why do beginners and even some intermediate level competitors do this mistake?
One reason could be the fear of gaining weight and as a result having to lift in a heavier
weight class; say the aforementioned 99kg lifter might have the fear of weighing over
100kg at weigh-in and as a result lifting in 110kg class, so a result this fear of putting on
weight would lead to a restrictive diet and as a consequence weight loss occurs when
not required.

Likewise a lot of lifters tend to lose weight close to competition time due to the stress that
occurs during this period. For many lifters the desire to do well (or just not to embarrass
themselves) at the meet might entail them to get severely stressed and this could lead to
weight loss. Competing in powerlifting meets will additionally require a fair bit of travel
which could disrupt eating patterns; this effect is further compounded when competing
abroad, as result maintaining bodyweight proves even more challenging.

The bottom line is that lifters who are not planning to cut weight for a meet should be
wary of unplanned weight loss and should control harmful factors such as fear of weight
gain, stress, travel or anything else that may lead to weight loss. All the hard work
completed in order to be well prepared for the meet can be undone just due to a slight
drop in weight, so lifters should be cautious of this the next time a meet approaches.

Mistake #2 - Inappropriate Food

This mistake relates to consuming food or drink on the day of the meet or the day before
which might have an adverse effect on performance. Common culprits are spicy food or
high amounts of dairy products, but in reality it can be many things and only the lifter
would know how different food or drink would affect his or her body.

Last thing you want whilst at the meet is running to the toilet in between each attempt
(this situation becomes significantly worse if lifting equipped), so the day before
competition and on the day itself make sure to stick to food products you know will give
you fuel but at the same time are easily digestible and will not give any unwanted
surprises.
Mistake #3 – Insufficient Warm Up
This relates to the specific issue of a warm up for each lift at a powerlifting competition.
First-time competitors need to understand that warming up at a meet is not the same as
when training in the gym. At the gym you have the rack all to yourself or perhaps you
share it with a couple of other people. You go at your own pace, taking your time with
warm ups, having sufficient but not excessive rest between sets.

At the meet this becomes a different story where you might have 10-20 lifters at a time
wanting to do a set with only maybe 2 squat racks/monolifts available, also all of the
competitors have different strength levels so a lot of time will be spent on changing the
weight on the bar. For these reasons it is likely that after doing a warm up set the lifter
might not have the chance to do another set for some time and as result would get cold
between sets, as well as not being completely ready when the time for the 1st attempt
arises.

Whilst the severity of these situation will vary from meet to meet (due to factors such as
number of lifters and amount of lifting equipment in the warm up area), there are 2
things that can be done to make you get the most out of your warm up. The first thing
you should do is start warming up early, as in not 10-15 minutes before your 1st attempt.
Doing so will give you plenty of time to do enough sets that you feel ready and confident
once you start on the platform, in addition you will avoid the unnecessary stress that
comes when you have to rush your warm ups right prior to the actual lifting.
The second thing that will help you feel warm and ready, is as simple as keeping yourself
warm. Between warm up sets and even all 3 attempts put more layers of clothing or
track suit bottoms on (anything to keep you warm) to prevent the muscles from cooling
down. This point is particularly important when competing in colder climates, so make
sure to have extra clothing on for the period when you are not lifting.

Mistake #4 – Lack Of Sleep

This is a pretty simple mistake that doesn’t even require much explanation yet many
lifters (even advanced ones) fall prey to it. All lifters regardless of whether it’s their first
time competing or whether they are at an elite level and aiming to set records will have
anxiety and nerves before a meet. As a result the quality of sleep the night before is
unlikely to be optimal (if there is even any sleep).

Whilst one can point out that the adrenaline rush during competition will offset any
negative effect that the lack of sleep might have, it is still strongly advised to try and get
as good a good night’s sleep as possible. The adrenaline rush will definitely kick in but it
must be remembered that powerlifting meets are an all day affair and it is possible that
the poor sleep the night before will hamper your performance as the meet goes on to the
latter stages.

The night before, try to relax as best as you can, get rid of any negative thoughts you
might have in regards to the meet, and best of all don’t even think about the meet at this
time. Although these recommendations are easy on paper and much harder when you
are feeling the pressure of the competition, staving off this mental strain and attaining a
sufficient amount of sleep the night before would lead to a much more pleasant meet
experience as well as avoiding a potential decline in performance.

Conclusion
Powerlifters of all levels make mistakes at meets which through their own experience
they will eradicate for future occasions. There are plenty of other potential mistakes that
exist, the list above deals with common mistakes encountered by first-time competitors
and lifters who are still relatively new to the sport.

Hopefully this article would help these individuals enjoy their experience of powerlifting
competition and permit things to go as smoothly as possible.

Join over 500k subscribers who receive weekly

workouts, diet plans, videos and expert guides
from Muscle & Strength.

First Name
 Email

Choose Your Goal

Subscribe Free

17 SHARES

5 STARS 3 VOTES
RATE THIS

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Story Of Olympic Weightlifter Cheryl Runners: Compartment Syndrome Vs. Off Season Football Training Workout
Haworth Shin Splints Checklist

AJ Hawk Tough Training Football Workout Tim Tebow's Upper Body Muscle Building Speed for Big Men: Improving
Workout Acceleration

About The Author

Azer Aliyev
Azer is a strength and fitness enthusiast and powerlifter who has been
training for 10 years and competing for 5 years, including participating in 4
World Championships.
View all by Azer Aliyev »
 0 Comments + Post Comment

HELP & SH IPPING M&S RE WARDS

Help C enter How to e ar n points?
C ont ac t Suppor t Rewards Cat alog
Your Ac c ount
FOLLOW M&S
Order S t atus
Shipping & Retur ns

C ONTACT U S
Muscle & S treng th, LLC
1180 Fir s t S treet S outh
C olumbia, SC 29209
PH : 1 - 8 0 0 - 5 3 7 - 9 9 1 0
Email : click here

JOIN OUR NE WSLE T TER

Build muscle, lose fat & s t ay
moti vated. Join 500,000+
new slet ter sub scr iber s!

First Name

Email Address

Choose Your Goal

Sign Up

About Ca re e r s Wr i te fo r U s A ffi l i a te s Te r m s o f U s e P r i va cy Po l i cy C o o k i e Po l i cy
© C o py r i gh t 2 0 0 5 - 2 0 1 9, M u s c l e & S tre n g th L LC . I m ag e s c o py r i gh t o f th e i r re sp e c ti ve ow n e r s .