T Nation

3 Weeks Till First Meet

#1

What’s up guys! So I’m 3 weeks out from my first meet and I’d like some ramping up/down advice. I haven’t been consistent at the gym, but I’d like to improve as much as possible the next 3 weeks and I can dedicate the time, so I’d like some help. If I had to compete tomorrow, in the 165lb. class (I’m 6’1) I could squat 275, bench 215 and deadlift 365- those numbers wouldn’t change even with a few months off.

My plan- next week: load on creatine and somehow not gain any weight (ahh!) train to those numbers (275, 215, 365lbs.)

2 weeks till: try for 300 squat (which I’ve hit before), 225 bench (which i’ve easily done b4) and 405 deadlift (which I’ve hit before). If I hit them, go till I fail.

1 week out: 5x5 exercises.

Sorry to admit, I usually use a pussy pad (7% body fat doesn’t exactly cushion). I’m thinking to wean myself off it only when doing 1 rep weight.

I also use gloves on deadlift (SORRY, shut up), so I’m thinking to substitute chalk on the 1 rep weight as well.

SQUAT Max 4 Weeks Out- MY Plan
#2

You really need to move up a class, but you know that. Are you on creatine already? I wouldnt up it or start taking it now unless your going to stay on after the comp.

I never recommend going to failure unless its a missed lift at a meet or you really thought you were going to get the lift but missed. It has its place for beginners, which you are but not two weeks from a meet.

You want to slow down the volume hit heavy 3,2, singles. Not 5x5

But at 6’ 1" 165 don’t expect very good numbers your destine for 242+ in this sport

#3

It’s your first meet. Don’t sweat it. Go have fun and learn.

#4

Eat more and by more I mean like 3 gallons of whole milk and 10-15 eggs a day the Creatine isn’t going to do much to your strength in that amount of time.

For example I’m also 6’1 but weigh 260 and have to cut down to 242 to compete lol not fun reminds me of wrestling in high school 12 years ago. For your weight I think your numbers are good just think how good they could be if you were actually eating enough to get stronger and put on muscle

#5

x2
Train as normal til 1 week out, then work up to your openers about 5 days out and then stay out the gym. Stuff your face the day before the meet.

#6

thx for the feedback guys! I decided today to load on creatine and figure out my true squat without the pussy pad. I totally effed up my lowball squat, but went sumo highbar and hit 275 parallel or lower (filmed it). Now I’m getting some kickass knee sleeves (this sport gets expensive), but that’s okay. I kinda like the fancy equipment. haha. I gotta do pause bench press for the 1st time ever this week so I know what I can do. I hope it’s not wayyy less than what I normally do. I’m a total ectomorph so I figure it’s better to stay my weight or lower for this meet.

#7

So, yeah obviously you need to move up several weightclasses, but there’s no point in doing that now 3 weeks out from a meet, it’s just going to be either fat or water weight and needlessly drop your wilks score, which you might not care about now, but you’re going to want to look back on later in your lifting career to see how much farther you’ve truly come. You might as well just compete 165 at this point (I assume 165 is either a weightclass if not within a couple lbs of one in whatever fed you’re competing in)

So you’re plan is to load on creatine but not gain any weight… why? Creatine won’t make your 1rm stronger, but it will increase work capacity – which won’t do much for you considering you’re doing 9 singles at most on the day of the comp.

Why in all holy fuck would you hit numbers 10-40lbs higher in the gym than you plan on hitting in competition 2 weeks out? If you can hit those numbers, why not do it in competition? And if you can’t hit those numbers, why would you fry your nerves attempting them this close to a meet? How does that benefit you?

1 week out you should be resting. Technique work with a bar at most. Especially if you plan on frying your nerves 2 weeks out, you’re going to need all the rest you can get.

Not that it means much now, but 7% is about 2x as lean as you’ll want to be for a powerlifting competition. Some guys can pull off lifting at sub 10% without it hurting their numbers, but w/e I guess you’ll find out for yourself come competition day.

Look, I’m not trying to stress you out before your first meet because ultimately your first meet is just about getting the experience under your belt, but to be brutally honest nothing about your prep here makes a bit of sense.

#8

Hey Ry, thx for your reply. Since I’ve never been in a meet before, I want my openers to be “easy.” I’ve also never done a pause rep on bench in my life, so I gotta know what I can do b4 the big day. My recovery is crazy fast so I don’t worry about frying my CNS. Other than creatine, I don’t know how else to increase my strength in such a short time (oh, it’s drug tested. lol). I have noticed a 10 pound jump in my bench max every time I’ve taken it, so that’s why.

I wish I had a 3 week workout plan for this. I’ve settled on MON. worked Squat to 275, WED. Work pause bench to 215-225. FRI. Work Deadlift to 365. Light cardio TUES. & THURS.

NEXT WEEK: SAME schedule, but find my true MAX in each lift.

WEEK BEFORE: Light weight training till Wednesday. Off till meet Saturday.

I’m built for volume and for heavy lifting, and I’ve never followed a powerlifting program, but I would like to. Normally, I stick to MON. heavy chest/tri TUES. volume Back/bi/shoulders WED. Legs THURS. Volume, repeat chest, FRI. Heavy, repeat back w/ deadlift.

#9

Creatine doesn’t work like that it’s in your head you lifted more because of the placebo effect

#10

Creatine won’t do it, because that’s not really what it does. You’re unlikely to get stronger in three weeks. Pushing to do that risks injury. Focus on knowing the calls and figure out a plan for your attempts.

#11

Like i said eating a bucket load of food makes you stronger see Get Bloated for big lifts section below. If you are truly an ‘ectomorph’ then even better: it will not go to fat and only do good things for you…

Also as you seem a bit clueless read a a bunch of articles by that guy Dave Tate (a legend in powerlifting btw)especially his Iron evolution series