T Nation

PL Meet Pre-Week

Powerlifting
#1

I have my first PL meet next week (10/29).

I’m wondering how I should approach diet/training for this week. My gym (it is a small lifting gym) told me to not touch weights for a week and just rest. I’m a little bit uncomfortable with that, but decided to listen and won’t hit the gym for the week.

Thoughts/experience on what to do the week before the meet? Would love to hear anyone’s advice and opinions.

If you want to read my mind trying to work itself around the planning, read below.

I figured it would be better to do light sets (50-60% 1RM) and keep training a little. I feel like anytime I have taken a week or two weeks off my first day of training is always rough. Admittedly, I may have not eaten or slept optimally during those times and that could have influenced it, but I still am feeling a little uncomfortable with lifting abstinence for a week.

I’m trying to enter into the 74kg class. Today and a couple days ago I weighed exactly 74kg in the gym. I’m trying for 150kg on the squat, 97.5kg bench, and 140+kg deadlift (yes my DL licks pig balls). Nothing elite wise, but not bad for belt-only 73-74kg at 178 cm (5’11).

I DO have weights and a barbell in my room so I could lift in my off time. The past couple weeks I’ve also started doing lots of push ups and pull ups, so I’ve considered just doing many of those throughout the day (without taking myself to failure or fatiguing myself) and maybe doing some light jogging or walking for exercising my legs.

Diet wise, I’m pretty confident in hitting my class so I’m not too worried about cutting. I did read about drinking two gallons of water everyday, then 12 hours before weigh-in cut the water and you should be lighter. I would like some extra-insurance for the weigh-in, but I want it to be effective and safe (little risk of losing strength). If anyone has some advice for this I’d also appreciate it.

Thanks if you’ve read all my nonsense! I’m just pretty much pumped up for this. I had a REALLY good day in the gym today and just can’t wait to destroy that barbell a week later.

#2

I’d go with your gut and train light mid week. Keep it short. If I’m competing Saturday, on Wednesday I’ll just squat 135 for a few triples and bench 95 for the same. That’s it. It’s not training so much as greasing the groove.

What meet are you doing? Based on your weight class, it’s not in the US.

#3

There are a lot of ways to do this. Smaller and newer lifters can do more training the week of the meet; larger, stronger, and more experienced lifters need more time off although I don’t think a full week is ideal in most cases.

If you lift on Sat I would do this

Mon or Tues(The day you usually squat): Squat and perform the same warm-ups that you will for the meet. Work up to your opener (which should be very conservative, 85-87.5% of your goal third or 127.5-130 kg in your case) or work up to last warm-up before your opener. Done with the squat, do one or two more assistance exercises for your legs (the same ones you have been doing) essentially all at warm-up intensity to stay loose. I don’t think any deads are necessary.

Mon/Tues (The day you usually bench): Bench and perform the same warm-ups that you will for the meet. Work up to opener or last warm-up before the opener (85kg). Do one or two more assistance exercises, essentially follow the same guidelines as the squat.

Wed - nothing or a light walk to stay loose

Thur/Fri - nothing, walk is okay if you have to lose weight (You will likely worry off a pound or two).

Skip doing push-ups and the like, stick with just the training above, no sports or impromptu strength contests or anything like that.

Sat - Kick ass

FYI for numbers using 87.5% of 3rd for your opener, 95% of 3rd for your second, and 100% of 3rd for your third attempt works very well.

My team has a meet on the same date and we are using this method, have used this method many times and of the stuff I have tried it seems to work the best. Good luck with it.

#4

Just an FYI, his weight class is IPF so he could very well be anywhere in the world!

Also, listen to Tim! Definitely open super easy! 87.5% is a good choice. Then 2nd should be something tough but if you are well rested (as you should be), then it will go up. Then for the third I usually go by feel from the second and aim for something that I think there will be a 75% chance I have it in me. My 0.02.

#5

[quote]arramzy wrote:
Just an FYI, his weight class is IPF so he could very well be anywhere in the world!

Also, listen to Tim! Definitely open super easy! 87.5% is a good choice. Then 2nd should be something tough but if you are well rested (as you should be), then it will go up. Then for the third I usually go by feel from the second and aim for something that I think there will be a 75% chance I have it in me. My 0.02.[/quote]

I was actually wondering if he’s from around here. We have a meet coming up next weekend (and this weekend). No doubt there’s a crap ton of meets coming up. I just knew for sure he isn’t U.S.

#6

He could be in the US ouroboro… The USAPL uses these weight classes… 74, 83, 93, 105, 120, 120+

#7

[quote]arramzy wrote:
He could be in the US ouroboro… The USAPL uses these weight classes… 74, 83, 93, 105, 120, 120+[/quote]

Unless they’ve made a recent switch, they were sticking to the old ones 48, 52. 60, 67.5 etc.

#8

Haha, far off! I’m in Japan actually.

Today for squats I did 140kg and 150kg in that order. I managed to get the 150 (it was a really good squat too) so I’m thinking about going for that order. It’s not like I’m going to place or anything, so I’d rather try for the 150 soon with energy in the tank opposed to doing 140 and 145 and 150 (or 130, 145, 150). Honestly, I’m not decided for sure yet – I’m going to warm up to 130kg on the day and see how my body is feeling.

Thanks for the advice. I will bust out the weights in my room and do some warm-up sets.

#9

[quote]ouroboro_s wrote:

[quote]arramzy wrote:
He could be in the US ouroboro… The USAPL uses these weight classes… 74, 83, 93, 105, 120, 120+[/quote]

Unless they’ve made a recent switch, they were sticking to the old ones 48, 52. 60, 67.5 etc.[/quote]

oh my mistake. Just really odd to me that an IPF affiliate would not be following the IPF rules? Anyways, thanks for letting me know man!