First Meet Video

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

had my first meet this past weekend, it was quite the experience and I had a lot of fun. I didnt hit all my lifts, but I went 5 for 9 so atleast I went over .500. I had a a lot of first meet jitters and nervousness, check out me constantly shaking my legs haha. I have to consume something else than coffee next time, it just makes me anxious and jittery.

For squat this was my first time squatting without a mirror, so I was happy to hit depth on all attempts! Bench press I was the most aggravated at. My second attempt, I started benching before the command and I just gave up on the lift. Third attempt I did the same weight, 295, which I’ve hit a million times in the gym no problem. I got it off my chest easy and was confident I was going to hit it, but my wrists collapsed, I’ve never had that happen before, you can see my right wrist lose stability. I guess I’ll have to invest in some wrist wraps, because I definitely do not want to drop that weight on me in the gym. For deadlift, holy hell I was exhausted by the time these came around. 2nd attempt 440 went up easy and felt smooth, but when I put it down I was completely drained and dead. 3rd attempt I really wanted to hit 475, just broke it off the floor, I had no energy left in me. Probably could of hit 450 or 460, but oh well. I can’t wait for my next meet, I’ll have much more preparation next time, and I’ve gotten my feet wet so hopefully I won’t be as nervous.

feedback/critique is much appreciated! thankss

2

Any reason why you are walking back in a mono lift? It may be that you were told to, but not sure. All movement after unracking saps energy. If you don’t need to walk out, don’t walk out. If you have to walk out, make it a 3 step, don’t shuffle about.

You have a fairly wide stance. In your final squat your knees came in. You gotta push your knees out aggressively as you come out of the hole and “spread the floor” with your feet. This will give you a sold base to push up.

In the bench your wrists are cocked to buggery. You may be better trying a closer grip. That will set your wrists more in line with your arm/hand placement. Yes, it will increase the bar travel a touch but it will also allow you to use your back and triceps more efficiently. Something to fiddle with in the gym. If you decide to move your grip in, do that for a few workouts so that you get used to it before settling on a new grip.

Yes, wrist wraps will help a lot with wrist stability, but a more aligned grip will help even more.

Missing commands is a very common newbie mistake. Even more experienced guys do that on occasion. If you have a spotter, have them call the commands for you every rep. If not, call them out yourself, or at least recite them in your mind as you lift.

Feeling wasted after bench is normal. You need something to give you a bit of a buzz as you warm up for deads.

Your foot stance looks too wide in the deeds. If you bring them in a bit, your hands can come in as well, reducing the bar travel distance. Without thinking about it, get up now and take a couple of steps the jump up and touch the ceiling, or try to. Where your feet are when you take off is your power stance. Your body automatically places your feet in the optimal position. Don’t think about your feet, just do it and let your subconcious set the width. Use that width and have your hands come in so they are just barely outside your legs. I’m pretty tall and my hand position is about 1cm in from the edge of the knurl.

You have walked the walk. You are now a competitor, much more than 90% of your gym bros. If you tweak the above things you will do much better next time. Its a journey. Have fun.

3

It is VERY tough to squat going from a mirror to judge depth to no mirror in the gym, let alone a meet. Congrats on the meet!

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[quote]Triceptaurus wrote:
Any reason why you are walking back in a mono lift?
In the bench your wrists are cocked to buggery. You may be better trying a closer grip. That will set your wrists more in line with your arm/hand placement. Yes, it will increase the bar travel a touch but it will also allow you to use your back and triceps more efficiently. Something to fiddle with in the gym. If you decide to move your grip in, do that for a few workouts so that you get used to it before settling on a new grip.
Your foot stance looks too wide in the deeds. If you bring them in a bit, your hands can come in as well, reducing the bar travel distance. Without thinking about it, get up now and take a couple of steps the jump up and touch the ceiling, or try to. Where your feet are when you take off is your power stance. Your body automatically places your feet in the optimal position. Don’t think about your feet, just do it and let your subconcious set the width. Use that width and have your hands come in so they are just barely outside your legs. I’m pretty tall and my hand position is about 1cm in from the edge of the knurl.
[/quote]

I’ve never seen or used a monolift before, the meet director said if you usually walk out, walk out. It is something I’ll have to work on, I couldn’t get comfortable enough utiliizing the mono in warm ups so I continued walking out for the lifts.

After watching the video over and over I noticed my wrists all crooked too, holy hell haha. Bench grip width is something I’ve been experimenting with for awhile, I can’t seem to find my sweet spot.

I’ll give the deadlift stance set up a try, thats my favorite lift! At my gym(and whatever bar I use) I usually set up with my shins where the smooth meets the knurling, but this bar was different so my stance was widened a bit, Thanks for the advice! much appreciated! I had a great time at the meet, it was a good learning experience.

[quote]chobbs wrote:
It is VERY tough to squat going from a mirror to judge depth to no mirror in the gym, let alone a meet. Congrats on the meet![/quote]

That was probably the hardest part of the day, I knew I could hit the weights with proper depth, but it was hard actually juding without a mirror, watching the vid i think I went a little too low, but I’m glad I was able to hit depth without a mirror for the first time. Thanks!

5

First off congrats on your first meet, you did well!

I plan on doing an RPS meet in Jersey if/when healthy in the summer of 2014, How was it, from what I have heard its a good fed and generally a good atmosphere.

I also used to walk out my squats even if I was in a monolift, like you I never had access to one and felt better setting up as if I was in my usual cage. My last meet however I made a point not to walkout, I still set up comfortably and must admit the energy expenditure walking out my squat did help me somewhat. I would work on grinding reps, also working out of the hole with pause squats and pins squats which has helped me alot. One cue I like to tell myself when I find myself GMing the squat or the bar starts rolling up my back is to drive my elbows under the bar, it forces your back to realign itself and makes it easier to get out of the hole.

I agree with Triceptaurus with regards to the bench, I find closer grip with my pinkies on the rings allowed for the most comfortable set up, and felt the most powerful, possibly because triceps are a strength of mine.

Your pull looked good too, I wonder if you should try a closer stance, I find that a just inside shoulder width stance allowed me to load up the hammies and stay tighter.

congrats once again.

6

[quote]Triceptaurus wrote:
Any reason why you are walking back in a mono lift? It may be that you were told to, but not sure. All movement after unracking saps energy. If you don’t need to walk out, don’t walk out. If you have to walk out, make it a 3 step, don’t shuffle about.[/quote]
Eh I would disagree with this. I have trained all my squats out of a rack and walked them out. For me, having walked out thousands of squats, going to a meet and doing something different would completely mess me up. I can’t get my stance correct just picking it out of the mono. As a raw lifter, I’ve never really experienced the energy drain from walking something out. That’s not the hard part. The only hard part is the hole.

7

Hi Arc,

Congrats on your first meet. We all learn the hard way how meets are a different animal from gym lifts.
I’m competing RPS Newark in January. If you’ll be there let me know.

Also, if you want me to help you with technique in person send me a private message. I live near northern NJ and am happy to help new lifters.

8

[quote]Triceptaurus wrote:
Any reason why you are walking back in a mono lift? It may be that you were told to, but not sure. All movement after unracking saps energy. If you don’t need to walk out, don’t walk out. If you have to walk out, make it a 3 step, don’t shuffle about.

You have a fairly wide stance. In your final squat your knees came in. You gotta push your knees out aggressively as you come out of the hole and “spread the floor” with your feet. This will give you a sold base to push up.

In the bench your wrists are cocked to buggery. You may be better trying a closer grip. That will set your wrists more in line with your arm/hand placement. Yes, it will increase the bar travel a touch but it will also allow you to use your back and triceps more efficiently. Something to fiddle with in the gym. If you decide to move your grip in, do that for a few workouts so that you get used to it before settling on a new grip.

Yes, wrist wraps will help a lot with wrist stability, but a more aligned grip will help even more.

Missing commands is a very common newbie mistake. Even more experienced guys do that on occasion. If you have a spotter, have them call the commands for you every rep. If not, call them out yourself, or at least recite them in your mind as you lift.

Feeling wasted after bench is normal. You need something to give you a bit of a buzz as you warm up for deads.

Your foot stance looks too wide in the deeds. If you bring them in a bit, your hands can come in as well, reducing the bar travel distance. Without thinking about it, get up now and take a couple of steps the jump up and touch the ceiling, or try to. Where your feet are when you take off is your power stance. Your body automatically places your feet in the optimal position. Don’t think about your feet, just do it and let your subconcious set the width. Use that width and have your hands come in so they are just barely outside your legs. I’m pretty tall and my hand position is about 1cm in from the edge of the knurl.

You have walked the walk. You are now a competitor, much more than 90% of your gym bros. If you tweak the above things you will do much better next time. Its a journey. Have fun. [/quote]

Some great advice here.

OP - good job in getting in a meet. Now tweak and get stronger!

9

MattyXL- although I can’t compare RPS to other feds yet, I had a great time at their meet. I thought it was well organized, and was a pretty good atmosphere. I thought all the judging(depth and etc) was pretty spot on and fair, I didn’t see any bad calls from what I watched. Also a lot of the equipment was brand new! The mono was brand new, the squat bar was brand new(holy knurling), they are also getting a new deadlift bar soon, facesaver on the bench. Everyone I spoke to likes the fed a lot, I will definitely do another RPS meet.

Squat I really want to improve on, it’s my weakest lift, I just hate them. I’ll definitely practice a lot more with pause squats coming out the hole, I only have access to a squat rack though, no power rack. Thanks for the comment and advice!

Hara- I live in southern new jersey across from philadelphia, I have family in bergen and morris counties though. I’m not going to compete in the newark event, I want a few more months of practice to get technique down better and build up some strength, I’m planning on my next meet in hopefully february or march. Thanks for the comment and advice, I’ll let you know when I’m up in north jersey for a training session or a meet!