Thinking about doing a powerlifting meet in a month

[DAVIDHARDY]

Ok, so I'm a competitive bastard, and I'm in my offseason for bodybuilding. I want to compete in something, and I was looking around and saw that there is a powerlifting meet here in Rock Hill, SC on 11 Sept. I want to do it, but I don't know if I'm strong enough for it. I'll be weighing around 215 of so, so I'd be in the 199-219 class. I have no idea what my max is on my lifts, but I have a month until the meet and could work up to it. I can flat bench 315 for 5 reps, touching the chest, but I never pause for 3 seconds. I do squats with 405, and my calves touch my hams at the bottom, but I'm not sure if that's low enough. I deadlift 495 for 5, barehanded. After I did the 495 for 5, I pulled 545 for a single, but I think I could get 585 if I was all pumped up and sniffed an ammonia tab lol. I'd guess my lifts to be around 455 for squats, 345 for bench, and 585 for a deadlift. Would I be wasting my time since I'm not even going to put up a 3 lift total anywhere near 1500?

Honestly, I don't know where to start with any equipment that I would need. I heard that I'd need a singlet, but I don't know what ones are good and what ones suck. I could head down to Dicks and see if they had any, but are they worth a damn? I use knee wraps and a belt when I squat, I wear my belt when I deadlift, and I wear wrist supports when I bench. Will the singlet make a difference in my lifts, and should I be training with it on if I'm going to do the meet?

I know that is a lot of questions, but I appreciate any responses.

[GENESIS]

My response: Who's the blond cutie in your avatar? a cousin...hopefully...

[robert da strongman]

is it raw or equipped?

the singlet is just a wrestling singlet. offer no support....

[DAVIDHARDY]

That's how we do it down there in Louisiana...that's my old lady, broseph.

[DAVIDHARDY]

is it raw or equipped?

the singlet is just a wrestling singlet. offer no support....

It isn't a raw meet, but I don't really have any equipment, so I'd basically just have wraps and a belt. I read on their site that the singlet is required. Why is that?

[DAVIDHARDY]

The org is APF/AAPF, and it's a drug tested event.

[GENESIS]

That's how we do it down there in Louisiana...that's my old lady, broseph.

reps.

[Curt James]

I do squats with 405, and my calves touch my hams at the bottom, but I'm not sure if that's low enough.

You can't get lower than that. :bowdown: Parallel is all that's required.

I've seen your deads on YouTube. DIESEL BEEEAST!


It isn't a raw meet, but I don't really have any equipment, so I'd basically just have wraps and a belt. I read on their site that the singlet is required. Why is that?

Because it looks pretty? :confused:


The org is APF/AAPF, and it's a drug tested event.

Urinalysis?

Knock 'em out, Hardy! You'll do great! :bowdown:

[DAVIDHARDY]

You can't get lower than that. :bowdown: Parallel is all that's required.

I've seen your deads on YouTube. DIESEL BEEEAST!



Because it looks pretty? :confused:



Urinalysis?

Knock 'em out, Hardy! You'll do great! :bowdown:

Thanks, Curt. I've just heard so many different lift requirements; I'm probably over-thinking it. Yeah, the site says both poly and urine, but i guess it's up to the promoter who he makes take a urinalysis.:dunno:

[s2h]

Thanks, Curt. I've just heard so many different lift requirements; I'm probably over-thinking it. Yeah, the site says both poly and urine, but i guess it's up to the promoter who he makes take a urinalysis.:dunno:try to hook up with somebody that competes in PWL...your lifts look good as far as wieght...but you really need to know what to expect as far as judging...it's best to have a good feel for where you need to be at before the comp as far as what a legal lift is....

[Diabetic Muscle]

Learning the cues will be huge in determining whether you bomb lifts or not. Especially on the bench. Don't train the week of the meet either. Open with whatever you can triple in the gym. Definitely see if an experienced PL can watch your depth and bench to make sure you meet requirements.

[Diabetic Muscle]

It isn't a raw meet, but I don't really have any equipment, so I'd basically just have wraps and a belt. I read on their site that the singlet is required. Why is that?
Singlet is so they can check what gear you do have on to make sure it complies with that federations guidelines.

[DAVIDHARDY]

Learning the cues will be huge in determining whether you bomb lifts or not. Especially on the bench. Don't train the week of the meet either. Open with whatever you can triple in the gym. Definitely see if an experienced PL can watch your depth and bench to make sure you meet requirements.

I guess I'll have to talk to the damn powerlifters in our gym. At least the old guy is cool. When you say learn the cues, do you mean how to perform the lift, or will they be saying commands?


Singlet is so they can check what gear you do have on to make sure it complies with that federations guidelines.


Thanks.

[Sandpig]

Dave, just do it. Do not worry about how competitive you will be.

[Diabetic Muscle]

I guess I'll have to talk to the damn powerlifters in our gym. At least the old guy is cool. When you say learn the cues, do you mean how to perform the lift, or will they be saying commands?




Thanks.
The commands, timing is pretty important. Even something as simple as when to rack the bar when benching. Some feds are stricter than others from what I can tell.

[DAVIDHARDY]

Screw it; I'm doing it! Hopefully I can put up some respectable numbers. I'm deadlifting tonight, so I'll be seeing how 545 geels in my hands. It's been like March since I've held that much weight.

[Curt James]

^Hell, yes! :bowdown:

[DAVIDHARDY]

Hooking up with a guy on Wednesday to work on my bench. I'm going get some tips on Monday from the older powerlifter about my squat depth. Turns out that guy still has some records in state from back in the day. This is going to be fun!

[tjoe]

Love it!

Just do it for fun! See what it's all like.
Sept 11th is close. Since you don't normally train that way and you only have a few weeks, you could work up to some heavy singles from now til then and not cook your CNS. It would give you a very good idea of where you will be at and help you to get the "whole body tightness" required for a big single.
HOWEVER, I would advise against a max single between now and then.
For example on your deads...

135 x 10
185, 225, 275, 315, 365, 405, 455 all for 1 set of triples
495 x 1
545 x 1 feels ok, go 555 x 1 kinda rough, do it again, feels good try 565 x 1.
then move on to whatever else you would do.
If you are questioning if you will make the lift... don't do it! You have to KNOW it's going up.
Down the road that would change, but 3-4 weeks before your first meet, play it safe, but get used to feeling some heavy singles :)

Look forward to the updates and good luck!!

[thesamewords]

The org is APF/AAPF, and it's a drug tested event.
Im doing the APF/AAPF meet on Aug 21 out here in CA. You should compete, treat yourself to a new challenge.But you have to make sure they are going to have a raw portion at the meet because just cuz its on the entry form but doenst mean they are runing a raw portion!

[thesamewords]

BTW the APF is not tested

[DAVIDHARDY]

Love it!

Just do it for fun! See what it's all like.
Sept 11th is close. Since you don't normally train that way and you only have a few weeks, you could work up to some heavy singles from now til then and not cook your CNS. It would give you a very good idea of where you will be at and help you to get the "whole body tightness" required for a big single.
HOWEVER, I would advise against a max single between now and then.
For example on your deads...

135 x 10
185, 225, 275, 315, 365, 405, 455 all for 1 set of triples
495 x 1
545 x 1 feels ok, go 555 x 1 kinda rough, do it again, feels good try 565 x 1.
then move on to whatever else you would do.
If you are questioning if you will make the lift... don't do it! You have to KNOW it's going up.
Down the road that would change, but 3-4 weeks before your first meet, play it safe, but get used to feeling some heavy singles :)

Look forward to the updates and good luck!!

Sweet man, thanks for the tips. I like the idea of stepping up slower and doing fewer reps instead of doing like I was doing. I was just doing a couple sets of 10, then sets of 5, then singles and doubles.


Im doing the APF/AAPF meet on Aug 21 out here in CA. You should compete, treat yourself to a new challenge.But you have to make sure they are going to have a raw portion at the meet because just cuz its on the entry form but doenst mean they are runing a raw portion!

Thanks for the heads up.


BTW the APF is not tested

I must have mis-read something.

[thesamewords]

Dude the AAPF is tested, if you dont pay those card dues you obviously dont get the card the permission to compete. You should just buy them both its like 10 bucks more for the APF/AAPF card.

[DAVIDHARDY]

I'm just going to compete in the AAPF since my lifts aren't going to be near the APF qualifying total of 1735. I'm probably going to go the equipped route as well so I can use knee wraps and elbow sleeves.

[rinse]

Elbow sleeves aren't allowed in any powerlifting fed. There isn't a qualifing total to be in the APF. You can do the APF if you want and if you use drugs you should do the APF.

[DAVIDHARDY]

Elbow sleeves aren't allowed in any powerlifting fed. There isn't a qualifing total to be in the APF. You can do the APF if you want and if you use drugs you should do the APF.


Wow, I didn't know that about the sleeves. I thought I remembered seeing guys have wrapped elbows when I watched stuff on youtube, but I guess not. I'm not going to come close to the APF qual total, and I'm not going to use drugs either, so I'll just stay in the AAPF.

[DAVIDHARDY]

Elbow sleeves aren't allowed in any powerlifting fed. There isn't a qualifing total to be in the APF. You can do the APF if you want and if you use drugs you should do the APF.


Wow, I didn't know that about the sleeves. I thought I remembered seeing guys have wrapped elbows when I watched stuff on youtube, but I guess not. I'm not going to come close to the APF qual total, and I'm not going to use drugs either, so I'll just stay in the AAPF.


I also thought I read it in the rules. Well, I did, but I have this problem. I see what I want to and then stop reading sometimes lol.
c) Elbows - Wraps may be worn only during the Squat and Deadlift competition
but not during the Benchpress. They may cover the general elbow area but not extend to the wrist or shoulder. They may be supportive sleeves of rubberized material or elastic wrap, but must be of one single unit only, and be one metre or less in total length.
I stopped at the part where it says wraps may be worn. Oh well, I'll be fine without them. I only used them once the other day when I benched, because they were hurting me. Didn't really notice any strength gains from them.

[thesamewords]

dude if you do this equipped you wont be able to compete at all bro! Getting a bench shirt and then getting the most out of it takes a little time. not to mention your shirt will cut you up, literally.

[DAVIDHARDY]

dude if you do this equipped you wont be able to compete at all bro! Getting a bench shirt and then getting the most out of it takes a little time. not to mention your shirt will cut you up, literally.

I'm just using knee wraps, wrist wraps, and a belt. It's gonna be a last minuet decision. I'd like to use knee wraps, but I might just go RAW and not use them. I just wanted to use them to reduce my risk for injury, but the more that I think about it, I don't really think I'll get injured with under 500 on my back for a single controlled rep.

[thesamewords]

well bro this is how that goes, open with something you are familiar with, do your second with your personal best, then shoot for a new personal record. Its a basic way to do a meet, but then again some people like to open big and skip their third lift.

[thesamewords]

so are you gonna do the meet or what bro?!

[DAVIDHARDY]

No meet for me. Not strong enough.

[Diabetic Muscle]

No meet for me. Not strong enough.
haha based on what?

[DAVIDHARDY]

haha based on what?

I'd be weighing about 215, pushing 375, pulling 565ish, and squatting 425ish RAW...that's too weak to do a powerlifting meet.

[Diabetic Muscle]

I'd be weighing about 215, pushing 375, pulling 565ish, and squatting 425ish RAW...that's too weak to do a powerlifting meet.
well by those standards I shouldn't even be at the gym. haha

[devinh]

That's a pretty terrible reason to not do the meet if you ask me. How did your first bodybuilding competition go? Probably didn't turn pro at that one did you? (I don't know you, so don't take offense if you did, just doesn't happen often). Either way it was probably a great learning experience and gave you that much more motivation when you got back in the gym. The same will likely happen after your first meet. You may not take first, but I'm sure it will be a damn good time and an excellent learning experience.
I had been putting off doing a meet for a couple years, because I too thought I wasn't strong enough. I'm doing one nov 20th though or the very reasons I mentioned above. Plus I looked up that federations state records an I'm currently higher than all of them in the gym, but that's beside the point.
I think you need to find another one in the next few months and just do it.

[thesamewords]

dave you need to get up in that meet bro, i was the smallest but in my class I did very well. go raw boyyeeeeee and you will do fine. When they create a "flight list" you will still go with the equipped guys though." make sure you know your openers first, because they will have to document that.

[crashcrew56]

That is a horrible reason not too do a meet, you have some solid raw numbers there, and even if are doing 10-15lbs under your best numbers you would still have a solid meet. You should worry about blowing everyone out of the water during your first meet, it's all about just getting your feet wet.

[MightyMetcalf]

Ok, so I'm a competitive bastard, and I'm in my offseason for bodybuilding. I want to compete in something, and I was looking around and saw that there is a powerlifting meet here in Rock Hill, SC on 11 Sept. I want to do it, but I don't know if I'm strong enough for it. I'll be weighing around 215 of so, so I'd be in the 199-219 class. I have no idea what my max is on my lifts, but I have a month until the meet and could work up to it. I can flat bench 315 for 5 reps, touching the chest, but I never pause for 3 seconds. I do squats with 405, and my calves touch my hams at the bottom, but I'm not sure if that's low enough. I deadlift 495 for 5, barehanded. After I did the 495 for 5, I pulled 545 for a single, but I think I could get 585 if I was all pumped up and sniffed an ammonia tab lol. I'd guess my lifts to be around 455 for squats, 345 for bench, and 585 for a deadlift. Would I be wasting my time since I'm not even going to put up a 3 lift total anywhere near 1500?

Honestly, I don't know where to start with any equipment that I would need. I heard that I'd need a singlet, but I don't know what ones are good and what ones suck. I could head down to Dicks and see if they had any, but are they worth a damn? I use knee wraps and a belt when I squat, I wear my belt when I deadlift, and I wear wrist supports when I bench. Will the singlet make a difference in my lifts, and should I be training with it on if I'm going to do the meet?

I know that is a lot of questions, but I appreciate any responses.


I'd say you definitely need a squat/dead suit like Inzer or Titan....you could also get a bench shirt, I've never used them but I hear they're good.

I do have an Inzer squat suit and power pants and they're great. The power pants (just like the suit only the bottom half) are like only 35 bones and worth it, they keep you tight and help you rebound out of the bottom.

Good luck..
Air Power

[tjoe]

Wuss.

My first ever meet was a Nationals bench meet where Vincent Dizenzo got 800.
I got 375 with a single ply shirt. Most everyone else in my class got 500+ (shirted).
Prior to the meet I was doing an hour of cardio a day for about a month and was already down a lot of weight. A buddy of mine convinced me to do it along with him and 2 other people.
ALL 3 of them came home with a 1st place trophy (only ones in class, LOL) and I was at the bottom of class of about 25-30 guys.
Regardless, It was a great time and I was glad I did it.

You need to find a meet and enter.

Had I not got that 1st one out of the way I probably never would have done any of my other events (couple PL and a few SM).

[crashcrew56]

I'd say you definitely need a squat/dead suit like Inzer or Titan....you could also get a bench shirt, I've never used them but I hear they're good.

I do have an Inzer squat suit and power pants and they're great. The power pants (just like the suit only the bottom half) are like only 35 bones and worth it, they keep you tight and help you rebound out of the bottom.

Good luck..
Air Power

Coming from a multi-ply lifter, he doesn't need to start wearing gear, he can always do a raw meet

[MightyMetcalf]

Coming from a multi-ply lifter, he doesn't need to start wearing gear, he can always do a raw meet
True, but did he specify that his meet was raw?

[bad bad leroy brown]

Dont let your current numbers deter you. It's your first meet, and you get something in the record books to build upon. If everyone thought they weren't strong enough to do meets, we'd have very few competitors.....

DO IT!!!!!!

[bad bad leroy brown]

True, but did he specify that his meet was raw?

Dont matter, my first meet was a USPF meet, and there was no raw division. Unless youre talking about a big meet(cash prizes) then it matters little if you compete raw or equipped. This is his first meet, he should do it to learn the general format of a meet, know how to compete under meet conditions, and to get something in the record books.

[DAVIDHARDY]

Dang, I tought this thread died a long time ago. I dodn't do the meet. I'm just going to focus on bodybuilding instead of powerlifting. I'll just lift heavy doing that lol.

[tjoe]

and [/thread]