First Meet March 1

So my first meet is March 1st, pretty nervous about this. Any advice on how to get ready, this is my first time in a shirt and suit and I have only been using the shirt and suit for about 2 sessions, however I’m already getting good carryover and I should be able to touch in the shirt by the day of the meet. I’m competing 181, any advice?

Goal Total - 1175

Deadlift raw - 425lbs
Bench raw - 285lbs
Squat raw(weakest link) - 315lbs

I’m hoping that with the gear, wraps etc…I’ll be able to push those numbers up to 1175 total. So far in the shirt I’ve hit 365lbs for a triple off 3 boards, haven’t touched yet. I have a Titan F6, and a Titan Centurion. I’m going to use the centurion when I deadlift as well. I’m going to open up raw on all lifts. I lift with a university powerlifting team. Any advice on what to do the day before the meet, week before, the day of, whatever…anything to help me get bigger numbers is appreciated guys. The reason my goal is 1175, thats the number to qualify for nationals and I’m pretty sure all my teammates are going to and I don’t want to be the odd man out. I feel I can do it.

my suggestion would be to do the entire meet raw. This is only my opinion, but I think you should be a lot stronger than you are before getting into equipment.

It seems to be a more recent occurance where people are jumping right into equipment becuase of the immidiate weight increases. put your time in at getting stronger and then slowly work into equipment.

[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
my suggestion would be to do the entire meet raw. This is only my opinion, but I think you should be a lot stronger than you are before getting into equipment.

It seems to be a more recent occurance where people are jumping right into equipment becuase of the immidiate weight increases. put your time in at getting stronger and then slowly work into equipment.

[/quote]

I would have rather done that trust me…but my team picks the meets and this one is single ply usapl states. I already bought the gear so I figure whats the point of going raw when everyone else is going to be using gear? Hopefully the next meet will be 100% raw meet.

[quote]facko wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
my suggestion would be to do the entire meet raw. This is only my opinion, but I think you should be a lot stronger than you are before getting into equipment.

It seems to be a more recent occurance where people are jumping right into equipment becuase of the immidiate weight increases. put your time in at getting stronger and then slowly work into equipment.

I would have rather done that trust me…but my team picks the meets and this one is single ply usapl states. I already bought the gear so I figure whats the point of going raw when everyone else is going to be using gear? Hopefully the next meet will be 100% raw meet. [/quote]

competing should be all about what you want. you can compete in an equipped meet without equipment. don’t worry what others are doing. you could go in and set some raw baseline numbers to build upon.

USAPL has a raw division, don’t they?

[quote]Steel Nation wrote:
USAPL has a raw division, don’t they?[/quote]

I’m sure they do…the team I’m on uses single ply though…the division we compete in…collegiate…allows single ply. To be honest though, I’m of above average strength, and I plan to use gear in the future anyway, so I don’t see the problem with getting gear early and becoming aware of how it works and getting practice in. Also…I feel there is a benefit with training in gear aside from the fact that I want to compete geared in the future. It’s the same principle as reverse bands in a sense, or chains…you are overloading when you where a shirt or suit…you are using weight you wouldn’t have done otherwise…it has carryover to raw lifts. I see your point of not using gear at the meet…but for me to get a head start at training in gear and learning gear, I don’t see anything wrong with that. My question though didn’t focus on whether or not to use gear the day of the meet…it was about what you more experienced guys do in preparation for the meet, like a week before, a day before…etc…Thanks for the input though, I do understand where you are coming from.

[quote]Steel Nation wrote:
USAPL has a raw division, don’t they?[/quote]

They have started recognizing raw lifts as separate from equipped lifts, but not all meets will have separate divisions.

I second what Marauder said about working with gear. I think it is important to have a fundamental understanding of the sport and form before you complicate things.

The week before a meet, I’m generally manipulating water and desperately trying to make weight. I would not suggest that you do this for your first meet! I do some light cardio and light weights, but I don’t stress myself out at all.

Make sure you’re training with meet commands and go deep enough.

[quote]pushmepullme wrote:
Steel Nation wrote:
USAPL has a raw division, don’t they?

They have started recognizing raw lifts as separate from equipped lifts, but not all meets will have separate divisions.

I second what Marauder said about working with gear. I think it is important to have a fundamental understanding of the sport and form before you complicate things.

The week before a meet, I’m generally manipulating water and desperately trying to make weight. I would not suggest that you do this for your first meet! I do some light cardio and light weights, but I don’t stress myself out at all.

Make sure you’re training with meet commands and go deep enough.[/quote]

Thats the thing…I’m a narrow style squatter like IPF usapl style. I wear olympic shoes when I squat…and get deep. We always train with commands like that and make sure we get deep. Also, all of these numbers are applicable at 165lbs ,as I’ve cut weight to 165lbs and had the same numbers, I decided it was easier to gain strength though at 181, my best bench as been exactly 300, but I don’t count that as my max bench since I have only been able to perform that twice, and 285-295 just about always unless im truly overtrained. The point I’m trying to make is…I plan to always use gear just about, why wouldn’t it make sense for me to always use gear then if I want to be an equipped lifter. The longer I spend in equipment the better I get at it and I also get stronger in it.

Have you touched in the shirt yet? have you hit depth in the suit? I’d use that as an indication whether you should compete raw or not. I did my first meet raw, but if i had gear i would have used it, and probably bombed. I agree in principle with getting stronger without gear.

I would still be competing raw if i wasn’t in my last year as a junior, and to be competitive against other gear whores i need to become one :slight_smile: I’d say wear the gear only if you’re sure you’ll total. Taking the third attempt at the opening weight sucks.

May i also suggest not deadlifting in the centurion? i’ve seen it done, it takes a lot of skill in a tight suit. Unless you know you get something out of it save yourself some bruises.

[quote]tmcg86 wrote:
Have you touched in the shirt yet? have you hit depth in the suit? I’d use that as an indication whether you should compete raw or not. I did my first meet raw, but if i had gear i would have used it, and probably bombed. I agree in principle with getting stronger without gear.

I would still be competing raw if i wasn’t in my last year as a junior, and to be competitive against other gear whores i need to become one :slight_smile: I’d say wear the gear only if you’re sure you’ll total. Taking the third attempt at the opening weight sucks.

May i also suggest not deadlifting in the centurion? i’ve seen it done, it takes a lot of skill in a tight suit. Unless you know you get something out of it save yourself some bruises. [/quote]

Ok basically I’m not going to use the suit…I may use the shirt on my final attempt for bench…but other than that I’m going to do everything else raw. I can’t hit depth or barely get the suit on for that matter right now so fuck it. Also…practiced openers and realized I have alot more in me raw than 315 for squat…possibly 20-30 more lbs…maybe more during the excitement of the meet. I’m going to open with 315 for squat as I can get a triple with it. I’m going to open with 315 squat, 250 bench, and 365 deadlift and hopefully if all goes well by the third attempt I can get up to 345-365lb squat raw, 450 deadlift raw, and 350-365 bench shirted.

That sounds much more reasonable. Good luck.