They are saying the journey is the vacation spot. The chase is best than the catch. I feel that’s why powerlifting is so enjoyable. There’s a lot preparation and build-up to a contest. It’s each exhilarating and terrifying to place your self on the market on one single day.
With that mentioned, I see so many individuals piss away months of diligent preparation by dropping the ball the week of their meet.
As I write this, I’ve a handful of Bonvec Power lifters just some days out from their first meet. They’ve finished all of the exhausting work. Now it’s all about making it to the end line. I liken the top of meet prep to touchdown a airplane: the journey is actually over, however you’ve nonetheless gotta get the individuals again on stable floor safely.
Listed below are 5 issues powerlifters ought to do the week of their meet to offer themselves one of the best probability to succeed on the platform.
Visualization
One thing I discovered myself saying to my lifters time and again this week: “An important factor you are able to do this week is construct confidence.” A assured lifter is a robust lifter, and confidence begins with placing your self in the proper mindset to specific your true capabilities. In my expertise and by way of the anecdote of numerous world-class athletes, visualization is THE strongest instrument to assist construct confidence.
Lifters ought to put aside time to visualise their meet day efficiency every day throughout meet week. Sit alone in a quiet place, shut your eyes and stroll your self by means of your makes an attempt. Attempt to paint as vivid an image in your thoughts as doable, from the sensation on the bar in your fingers, to the sound of the gang, to the scent of the… Nicely, there are many distinctive smells at a powerlifting meet.
Former UFC champion Georges St. Pierre used to actually observe strolling from the dressing room to the octagon main as much as a combat. He’d visualize the gang and the lights, think about the screaming followers and blaring music. He’d even anticipate the scent of the Vaseline rubbed on his face by his coach. GSP wrote in his e-book, The Manner of the Battle:
“The important thing to efficient visualization is to create essentially the most detailed, clear and vivid an image to deal with as doable. The extra vivid the visualization, the extra seemingly, and shortly, you might be to start attracting the issues that assist you obtain what you need to get finished.“
Georges St. Pierre
It takes observe to get good at this, so in case you can, visualize 2-3 instances per day for not less than per week main as much as the meet. By the top, you’ll be shocked at how sensible you can also make your visualizations. When you get on the platform, you’ll really feel such as you’ve already efficiently made the carry lots of of instances.
Enhance Squat, Bench and Deadlift Frequency
When you’re like most powerlifters, you most likely practice the squat, bench press and deadlift a few times per week. Throughout meet week, it’s a good suggestion to extend the frequency so that you get extra observe with the primary lifts.
I usually have my lifters do the competitors lifts thrice throughout meet week. None of those classes are heavy, however they provide the lifter a number of possibilities to observe the lifts with out including further fatigue. This helps groove method and construct confidence.
Most meets are on Saturday, so a meet week coaching plan may look one thing like this:
Monday
Squat: 1×1 @ 80%, 2×3 @ 70%
Bench: 1×1 @ 85%, 2×3 @ 75%
Deadlift: 3×1 @ 80%
Tuesday
Squat: 1×1 @ 75%, 2×3 @ 65%
Bench: 1×1 @ 80%, 2×3 @ 70%
Deadlift: 3×1 @ 75%
Thursday
Squat: 3×1 @ 70%
Bench: 3×1 @ 75%
Deadlift: 1×1 @ 70%
Nothing heavy and positively not a whole lot of quantity, however loads of touches with the competitors lifts to grease the groove and assist the lifter really feel dialed in heading into the meet.
Hit Singles Heavier Than You’d Suppose
I’ll always remember the most important mistake I made prepping for my first powerlifting meet: I didn’t practice AT ALL the week of the meet. Didn’t contact a weight, not even the empty bar. Once I bought to the warm-up room on meet day, I felt rustier than the Tinman. Quick ahead over a decade and I’ve embraced a a lot completely different strategy to fulfill week coaching.
Taking part in on the final level, I’ve discovered it extremely useful to have lifters hit singles on the primary lifts between 80-85 % of their aim third makes an attempt about 5-6 days out. Many coaches and lifters would scoff at this and declare that’s manner too heavy so near the meet.
Perhaps it’s too heavy in case you’re a 1,000-pound squatter who places their physique by means of hell and again throughout meet prep, however what in regards to the common to above-average powerlifter? You imply to inform me {that a} 150-pound girl making an attempt to squat 250 kilos can’t squat 200 kilos for one solitary single on Monday with out ruining their restoration for Saturday? Even a 200-pound man making an attempt to squat 500 kilos ought to be capable of hit singles at 400 kilos (80% of 1RM) with crisp method and minimal impression on fatigue. Eighty % of a lifter’s 1RM is about an 8-rep max. I’ll take my possibilities having my lifters go away 7 reps within the tank 5 days out. That is the place real-world expertise trumps academia and keyboard jockeying.
We’ve solidified this strategy by having most of our powerlifters hit singles at 7 RPE (about 90% of 1RM) throughout a very good chunk of their low season coaching so that they by no means lose the talent of dealing with heavy singles. Specificity works. You get what you practice for.
Minimize Out Most Accent Work
When you’re like many powerlifters and like skipping your accessory work, now’s your time to shine. Bodybuilding-style equipment like lat pulldowns, leg curls and triceps extensions are the unsung heroes of powerlifting by serving to construct muscle and eradicate weak factors. However while you’re a couple of days out from a meet, you’re not going to get any larger. It’s greatest to considerably cut back and even fully eradicate accent work within the title of restoration.
When you really feel such as you MUST do some accent work, decide only one or two workout routines in your first two coaching days. Maintain them to 1-2 units and make them tremendous gentle and straightforward. Simply sufficient to get some blood pumping. In your closing coaching day, don’t do any equipment. Simply squat, bench and deadlift. Any additional time is greatest spent resting, recovering and visualizing.
Don’t Minimize Weight
I’ve gone on report many instances saying that it’s a horrible thought to chop weight. Nothing saps efficiency like lowering energy, carbs, water and sodium – all issues which are important for intense coaching (and RECOVERING from intense coaching).
Until you’re making an attempt to…
- Qualify for a high-profile meet (e.g., national- or international-level)
- Set a major report (state, nationwide or world)
- Win cash
…there’s actually no cause to chop weight to make a particular weight class. Simply go in weighing what you usually weigh and carry.
Ask your self this: would you somewhat carry out at your greatest by setting PRs throughout the board and NOT end in first place in your weight class? Or win your weight class however not set any PRs since you felt drained and sluggish from slicing weight? The latter state of affairs is what I’ve seen occur time and again with lifters who reduce weight. Certain, they could get a medal for profitable a lighter weight class, however they normally go away feeling disenchanted that they didn’t carry out in addition to they might have had they stayed in a heavier class.
Throughout the week of the meet, eat usually, hydrate usually and get loads of sleep. If there are not any data or prize cash on the road, don’t fear about slicing weight.
Land the Aircraft
Don’t spoil all of your exhausting work by crashing the airplane on the runway. Be sensible together with your previous couple of coaching classes, do your visualization and maximize your restoration. Then you may reap the rewards of your efforts and be happy with your efficiency on the platform.
