132 Female First Meet

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hey everyone! My name is Wendy and I am brand new to posting! I have been lurking a little but mostly reading some articles recently. I have been working out for about 3 years and have competed in 2 fitness competitions and decided to try out powerlifting! (wow, i am sounding like such a cheerleader right now,shit.)

Anyways, after my show in August I started training for a meet here in dallas, the AAPF/APF Texas Cup. Im a trainer so I am pretty aware of training for strength but I have never lifted THIS heavy. My starting maxes were squat: 235, deadlift: 245, and bench 135. Here are my meet results:
Squat: 281.5
Bench: X
Deadlift: 308

The whole experience was crazy. I had never lifted out of a monolift nor had I ever squatted by command before. I missed my first attempt because the bar was slightly off center and I think I was just really nervous. Oh and I had asked for 270. They loaded the bar heavier but I didnt realize it. Luckily, after my 2nd attempt, which was way easier than it should have been, I had a good lift. Then I think I picked 290ish. I cant really remember.

Dont even get me started on my bench press. This was my weakest area (duh.) starting off in the beginning of my training because I hadnt done chest once during my fitness comp prep except for my one armed pushups so I had gone 3 months with out a chest workout. Also, remember the absolutely horrible resource I spoke of?

Yeah, he was training me on bench. He was having me doing only partials, CRAZY FUCKING HEAVY partials, huge negatives and rarely a full rep. I ended up losing muscle to the point. When I went to do a a heavy single full rep I could barely, I mean I had to fight for my life to lift 125. This was over a month and a half into training.

I thought maybe I was tired, so I tried it a week later, well rested, well fed, tons of energy. Still, barely budged it. I have never felt what is was like to be overtrained until then. So, I took over my bench training and I was able to raise it back around 135. I was so angry.

Then, at the meet, again, having never been trained for a powerlifting meet I didnt know that once you are handed the bar you are free to press when ready. I opened with 132.2 (probably a little over zealous but I know I couldve gotten it) and I was just chillin there. Laying in the bench, weight in my arms, waiting for a command that wasnt coming.

I even looked back at the judge while my arms were straight in the air holding the weight. That’s when he told me i could go when I was ready. So, I brought it down, and i anticipated the press command too quickly and did a little mini press and brought it back down to wait but they saw it as a failed attempt so they lifted it off of me.

I was so pissed and thrown off because I know I couldve gotten it even after the mini press, or i sure as shit wanted to try! Anyways, I missed the other 2 attempts so I didnt get a total for the meet.

I still did the deadlift and I opened with 308 and got it on my first try. Then I tried 314 and missed both times. Which disappointed me because I had pulled 315a couple times a few weeks earlier. I definitely learned A LOT!

I guess Im curious to know how these weights compare to others in my weight class who lift raw and in the AAPF. I was the only one in mine. All of the other females in the AAPF were in equipment and the other was in the 148 weight class and in the APF.

Any information, training tips, hints please feel free to chime in! I am brand spanking new and love to learn!

2

I’m not an expert, but your lifts sound extremely good for a 132 raw female. A bw bench and 2 x bw squat are huge.

You might consider posting this in Powerful Women. There are a lot of strong ladies over there that might have a better idea where you stand, etc.

Good luck with the lifting! Sounds like you have a lot of potential.

3

Nice job.

One thing to think about:

Your DL opener. If you’ve pulled 315 in the gym a few times, chances are you’re fresh when you’ve done it. That, and the fact that you missed a lift that was only 6 lbs heavier, twice, makes me think that you opened too heavy.

Clearly, a 308 DL is a 308 DL, and is certainly impressive for a raw 132. Just something to think about.

It would SUCK to have a good squat and a good bench and then bomb on the DL’s, ya know?

4

First of all good job in your meet, keep at it. :slight_smile:

For bench, i have read and found that mixing up how you train, have speed bench days(works on explosiveness and turnaround quickness) regular days and heavy board/towel/negative days.
Also as you found out, always blasting, seems to cause overtraining pretty quickly, thus wendler and gironda(bodybuilding legend) have advocated working hard for say 3 weeks, really pushing yourself to the max, then having a week off or a deload week. This type of training could also be known as periodization training.

Just my 2cents, there quite a few more experienced lifters than I.

5

[quote]BlackWidowGirl wrote:
Hey everyone! My name is Wendy and I am brand new to posting! I have been lurking a little but mostly reading some articles recently. I have been working out for about 3 years and have competed in 2 fitness competitions and decided to try out powerlifting! (wow, i am sounding like such a cheerleader right now,shit.)

Anyways, after my show in August I started training for a meet here in dallas, the AAPF/APF Texas Cup. Im a trainer so I am pretty aware of training for strength but I have never lifted THIS heavy. My starting maxes were squat: 235, deadlift: 245, and bench 135. Here are my meet results:
Squat: 281.5
Bench: X
Deadlift: 308

The whole experience was crazy. I had never lifted out of a monolift nor had I ever squatted by command before. I missed my first attempt because the bar was slightly off center and I think I was just really nervous. Oh and I had asked for 270. They loaded the bar heavier but I didnt realize it. Luckily, after my 2nd attempt, which was way easier than it should have been, I had a good lift. Then I think I picked 290ish. I cant really remember.

Dont even get me started on my bench press. This was my weakest area (duh.) starting off in the beginning of my training because I hadnt done chest once during my fitness comp prep except for my one armed pushups so I had gone 3 months with out a chest workout. Also, remember the absolutely horrible resource I spoke of?

Yeah, he was training me on bench. He was having me doing only partials, CRAZY FUCKING HEAVY partials, huge negatives and rarely a full rep. I ended up losing muscle to the point. When I went to do a a heavy single full rep I could barely, I mean I had to fight for my life to lift 125. This was over a month and a half into training.

I thought maybe I was tired, so I tried it a week later, well rested, well fed, tons of energy. Still, barely budged it. I have never felt what is was like to be overtrained until then. So, I took over my bench training and I was able to raise it back around 135. I was so angry.

Then, at the meet, again, having never been trained for a powerlifting meet I didnt know that once you are handed the bar you are free to press when ready. I opened with 132.2 (probably a little over zealous but I know I couldve gotten it) and I was just chillin there. Laying in the bench, weight in my arms, waiting for a command that wasnt coming.

I even looked back at the judge while my arms were straight in the air holding the weight. That’s when he told me i could go when I was ready. So, I brought it down, and i anticipated the press command too quickly and did a little mini press and brought it back down to wait but they saw it as a failed attempt so they lifted it off of me.

I was so pissed and thrown off because I know I couldve gotten it even after the mini press, or i sure as shit wanted to try! Anyways, I missed the other 2 attempts so I didnt get a total for the meet.

I still did the deadlift and I opened with 308 and got it on my first try. Then I tried 314 and missed both times. Which disappointed me because I had pulled 315a couple times a few weeks earlier. I definitely learned A LOT!

I guess Im curious to know how these weights compare to others in my weight class who lift raw and in the AAPF. I was the only one in mine. All of the other females in the AAPF were in equipment and the other was in the 148 weight class and in the APF.

Any information, training tips, hints please feel free to chime in! I am brand spanking new and love to learn!
[/quote]

I think your numbers are awesome! You could totally qualify for Eric Talmant’s Raw Unity Meet in Tampa on January 30th.

You’ve got me beat on both the squat and the deadlift and I’m in the heavier weightclass!

Despite how stressful the day sounded, I’d be pretty damn pleased with myself if I were you.

6

Hey OP, congrats!

Your next meet will be much better as you can use what you have learned on your first.
Check out
http://www.elitefts.com/
for info / ideas too.

7

[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Nice job.

One thing to think about:

Your DL opener. If you’ve pulled 315 in the gym a few times, chances are you’re fresh when you’ve done it. That, and the fact that you missed a lift that was only 6 lbs heavier, twice, makes me think that you opened too heavy.

Clearly, a 308 DL is a 308 DL, and is certainly impressive for a raw 132. Just something to think about.

It would SUCK to have a good squat and a good bench and then bomb on the DL’s, ya know?[/quote]

I’d second that. Open conservative on the DL especially since you will be in a more fatigued state than your gym deadlift days. You will have already done 6 max lift attempts by the time it gets to the DL. Just get a good lift under your belt so you don’t end up bombing, and use your 2nd attempt for a lift you’re pretty sure you can get but will be a test of will. Then use the 3rd on for a PR attempt if you hit the 2nd well.