What I mean in general is that I maxed out on one of the Big 3 Lifts at least once a month since I started. Since I started squatting and dead lifting there has been some months where I hit 1RM Prs on each of the big lifts. For instance Jan 2019 I had done a 385 deadlift PR, 275lbs Squat PR,255lbs Bench PR,395 Deadlift PR,and finished the month off with a 285 Squat PR. That month alone I had maxed 5 times. Doing this did not cause me to burn out and 2 months later im lifting 40 lbs heavier in deadlift, 20lbs heavier in squat,and 10lbs heavier in bench.
I’m trying to be nice and see what 10 years of body building and a sub 300lbs deadlift look like.
You’re ruining it for me haha
I don’t think you are trying to be nice. It’s obvious that BBing does require moderate levels of strength to be successful.
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Those numbers are not doing pretty well for someone just starting out (3 meets in). You talk like you are a advanced lifter, about progressing slowly, but at this stage you should be moving much quicker.
I think you could make really fast progress if you can find out why you are not making progress. Look at things like food intake, sleep, programming.
Maybe hire a coach. I am saying this because you obviously care about lifting (you posted here, and you are competing in PLing). It sounds to me like you are doing something pretty wrong. Either that, or you have terrible potential for strength? I know you are small, but I know other 148 / 165 guys that are lifting 2X plus some over your total.
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My pr’s for the big three maybe small for you but they are pretty big for me. Everybody in powerlifting is different. Not everyone needs to lift extremely heavy and big. A 300 lb. deadlift may feel pretty light for you but for me it’s freakin’ heavy. Just do the lifts that you can do on a meet so you won’t bomb out, ya know? Too many lifters on meets bomb out 'cause their ego is so huge that they make their numbers so high. Lifters bomb out on meets 'cause they choose numbers they can’t even handle. Crazy. I don’t do that.
Yes, my numbers have been going up pretty quick 'cause I’ve been going to the gym 4 days a week on a consistent basis. Working really hard. I’m feeling stronger on the deadlift, squat and bench each week.
I can’t lift 500 lbs. on all three lifts yet but I do want to get there and taking my slow time and not getting too ahead of myself.
I’m planning to max out and test out my pr’s on the three lifts at the end of this month to see what my latest numbers are. I’m on the road to 200 lbs. for squat and bench.
My advice to you is, don’t criticize new powerlifters. Be proud of all lifters, even for the ones who just starting out. Everybody works hard even newbies in powerlifting.
I was not trying to criticize. Genuinely trying to help you out. I spent a long time trying to get bigger and stronger, but didn’t get nearly as far as I could have (doing bbing routines). Sometimes you need to hear that you need improvement.
What type of programming are you using? Maybe it is not at the right level for you. A beginner doing Westside style programming will not make nearly the progress of someone doing linear progression. An advanced lifter won’t handle linear progression very long, and would probably make faster progress doing something more advanced.
Were your meets really close together? I do 2 meets a year, so I’m basing my comments off of roughly 1.5 years progress.
Here’s what 10 years or a little over in the gym looks like. Look at this pic and then tell me I’m small again. lmao…
Is that what they call “grooming”?
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Uhh guys, don’t be dicks to Kevin.
Kevin - you’re doing good and making progress, keep at it. Sometimes we just don’t have the lift in us that day.
Keep trying dial in your technique.
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I feel like a lot of this could be some kind of mental block. Or you probably dont know how to strain. Just as an example my twin brothers lift. Ones maxes are ridiculously higher than the other. And its not capability. One can strain like hell and push through, the other gives up and ditches it when it gets tough. And actually its the smaller of the two that can lift more. I mean this kid at 11 pulled 315 at 148 in a 100% raw meet. Do max effort work more often. Something like 531 with jokers. See how that affects you. There’s no way your bench max is 150.
To answer your original question, I have missed lifts in a meet that I have done in the gym.
For my strength training, I start off light/high reps and go heavier every set/fewer reps. Usually go 5 sets on the three lifts: bench, squat and deadlift. Kind of like pyramid style of training.
The meets weren’t close together at all. I won’t do too many meets myself and will probably do only two or three meets a year.
I feel I’m doing pretty damn good and earned respect from other lifters at all three meets. I’ve had many tell me “Great job”, a lot of people gave me fist bumps and handshakes. All that stuff. I’ve gotten three white lights in most of my lifts. Only missed a few of them.
In powerlifting, when you’re just starting out… it’s okay to go in and start off small. Go in a little easy and make way your way up to the bigger numbers. I’m just not gonna rush and take my time.
Honestly, I do need improvement in my numbers but you always want to improve yourself by bringing up your numbers each time you step in the gym by staying consistent with training.
In powerlifting, you just need to do what’s best for you and not compare yourself to others lifting. Powerlifting is about concentrating on yourself and not worry about what others are doing.
Powerlifters miss lifts all the time and like some say here, “we’ve all had bad days on the platform”. It happens. You either got it or you don’t.
It’s good you are focused on getting better. Many gym goers just never improve.
Work on that squat though. It is not normal to bench more than you squat, and have your dead be close to 2X the squat. I squat roughly the same as I pull (squat with wraps).
Honestly, if you keep at it you could see big gains. You could add tons to that squat with a bit of work.
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Yes it’s ok to start small. But domt use it as an excuse not to push what you’re actually capable of.
In fairness, I can’t imagine any other way this would unfold. I don’t think you’re going to find anyone at a powerlifting meet telling other competitors “bad job” or “you suck” or not giving fist bumps. They’re very supportive environments.
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I mean if Its just a social thing or hobby that’s one thing. But to me anything i do i want to be the best at. I go balls deep in everything I do. My job. Fat girls. Wrestling back in the day. boxing. And now powerlifting. I may never be the best at those things but i go at it as hard as possible. So I feel like you dont know how to really push your limits. Yes everyone at power meets tell you ya did great. They do that to everyone that’s not an asshole. But you should know in your mind that you couldn’t have gotten another 5 pounds. That you left it all on the platform.
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I read this like it was a telegraph and was convinced your job was wrestling and boxing fat girls.
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Strength levels can fluctuate on a daily bases by a considerable amount, especially for less experienced lifters who aren’t as neurologically efficient as advanced guys. Add that to the fact that at a meet, you lift to a fixed schedule and much more rigid conditions as compared to the gym, and it’s not at all surprising that you can end up missing lifts on the platform that you hit easily in the gym. Just keep in mind that the gym and the platform are two different animals and it’s not super meaningful to try and compare one to the other.
Also, similar to what @T3hPwnisher said, setting PRs on single rep lifts in the gym isn’t very helpful. At your stage, I would spend more time increasing your 3 and 5 rep max weight. If those are increasing, your 1RM is increasing too.
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His post is about missed lifts on the platform. If he’s missing lifts, he’s probably pushing himself.
Not entirely what i meant. I mean he’s grabbimg the bar. It feels heavy and he gives up on it instead of straining through.