What to Know for Your First Powerlifting Meet

Why Powerlift?

In the 21st century, strength sports have steadily risen in popularity - powerlifting being one of them. The CrossFit Games, Worlds Strongest Man, and Powerlifting have all received national attention and have been featured on the likes of ESPN. Today, whether you’re training at a commercial or private gym, you’re almost bound to run into somebody who has or is planning to compete in a strength sport. The best part about these strength sports is that it brings people of all and any backgrounds together and unites them in the camaraderie of competition. Powerlifting is the sport of performing the squat, bench, and deadlift for max weight. Those who are gym rats willingly dedicating their time to lifting, and enjoy it, would love powerlifting. At the end of the day, it’s just people coming together and lifting weights to get stronger; what’s not to love about that? If you spend more time in the gym than the average individual, love getting stronger, and want to join a fun community then powerlifting is perfect for you.

It’s never too early to compete

Oftentimes what holds back athletes from doing a powerlifting meet is themselves. In the world of social media and instant gratification, more and more people hold themselves in comparison to the upper echelon of strength athletes and convince themselves they are not strong enough to compete. When it comes to your first powerlifting meet, step number 1 is just signing up and getting yourself to commit to doing it no matter what your current gym numbers are. If you have interest, it’s imperative to just start somewhere instead of waiting to deadlift 700 pounds to compete.

Signing up for a meet

In signing up for a meet, there are several things to consider. In picking your first meet it’s wise to pick one local to you, in your home state. Traveling vast distances to compete should not be a worry to you for your first ever powerlifting meet. The most popular federations are the USPA and USAPL, the former offers non-drug tested and drug tested options while the latter is a drug tested federation so take that into account if it affects you. When you sign up for a meet you’ll have to choose a weight class, age class, and the competition you’re doing (raw, raw with wraps, or equipped).

Training for the meet

It’s very common for powerlifters to have a coach who handles their programming/training leading into the meet, but it’s not absolutely essential. There are many free programs available all over the internet if coaching is unavailable or unaffordable for you. There are many ways to prepare for a meet but having a peaking cycle in training followed by a taper is essential; a peak slowly ramps up your strength while building up fatigue and then the taper prior to the meet is used to recover so your maximum strength is available on meet day. Also when training it’s important to implement the commands closer to meet day. For the squat, you must steady the weight once you unrack it to get the “squat” command and then must show control when you complete the rep to get the “rack” command. For bench, you must wait for the “start” command after unracking to begin the lift and then must wait for the following “rack” command to rack the weight. The deadlift is the easiest, you just pick it up off the ground until the head judge says “down” where you then gently lower the weight to the ground signaling that you have control of the barbell. 

The Rules of the Federation 

There are several differences between powerlifting federations such as what equipment is used and what rules are followed. No matter the federation you select to compete in, it’s imperative to find the rules and follow them both in training and on meet day. A common difference between rules of the federation includes the barbells used; USAPL only uses a Power Bar, while USPA utilizes a squat bar, power bar, and deadlift bar for each lift. 

Equipment

There are a couple of essentials to have on meet day. If you are competing in a USAPL/USPA raw meet then you will need a singlet, knee sleeves, a belt, and wrist wraps (optional). Of course, this is not all absolutely essential but is important for performance and getting the most out of your lifts. 

Lifting on Meet Day!

Keep in mind, it’s a long day of lifting and you have 9 total lifts to complete, 3 each with squat, bench, and deadlift. Take your time warming up so you don’t warm up too early and don’t rush yourself before your first attempt. It’s also important not to do too much or go too heavy in the warmup room, conserve your energy and strength for the platform where it counts!

Bring Food!

Meets can take a long time and it’s not very wise to go without calories when you’re set on lifting top weight with long breaks in between. It’s very common to see food in the warmup room, oftentimes with athletes trying to get enough food in for energy after weigh-ins. Common things seen in powerlifting meets include electrolyte drinks like Pedialyte, fast-acting carbs like candy, and even normal meals like chicken and rice with lots of salt to replenish sodium. 

Have Someone With You

I recommend bringing a gym buddy (or coach) with you to your first meet, whether they’re competing as well or not. It’s important to have some company in case of nerves as well as someone to help you in the warmup room decide your selections and put weight on the bar for your warmups. 

Aim for a 9/9 more than impossible numbers

For your very first meet, I recommend shooting for a 9/9 day meaning you don’t miss any lifts. While PRs are important and expected regardless, I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the competition and pick wise attempts instead of loading up a 50 pound PR for your second and third attempts. In picking your selections for a first timer I like to pick the opener with a weight the athlete can comfortably perform for 3 reps, so around 90% of their training max. For the second attempt, you can begin moving closer to your max, typically around the 95% range, and then your third attempt matching your PR or improving your PR.

 Have fun, make friends, and enjoy the experience!

Remember to just have fun!  Don’t take your first meet too seriously and don’t beat yourself up if you mess up. Think of it as a learning experience and something to enjoy rather than something to crush yourself over. Powerlifting is truly a fun and enjoyable sport and getting to compete with like-minded individuals set on lifting heavy weights is enthralling!

By Aakesh Fleckinger