Finally decided on my first meet!

[jdoisjohnny]

So short notice I decided to compete in a meet 62days from now and I have some questions for experienced powerlifters who have peaked for meets.

Okay, question one I am in the middle of a training phase of the juggernaut method and I know everyone peaks differently, but i'm only in the first half of the program and haven't handled anything about 80% of my "working max" i know some of the strongest guys don't work with more than that till their meets my psychologically I would like to handle a little more weight before I compete. I also have gathered that most back off 2-3 weeks before their meet and don't handle much weight before. Correct me if i'm wrong. I would just like to know if I should continue on with my program and then just go compete since it is my first time or should I do something to peak. Tell me how you guys peak?

Question two I'm between weight classes i'm about 205-210 I want to compete at 198, but it would be easier to just go up to 220 and not worry about making weight? I would do really well at 198 if I could maintain my strength while getting down there or again is this something that I shouldnt worry about at my first meet?

over all I just want to hear about your guys experiences i'm very excited and nervous and want to do my best, but not sure how to since I don't even know what it will be like

 

[maxwkw]

Since its your first meet I would take your planned openers about a week out from your meet then rest until meet day.

Your opener should be something you've hit for 3 even on a bad day.

As far as weight goes, if you're kind of out of shape just clean up your diet a bit and see what happens.

I would not recommend trying to consciously cut weight or do any kind of water manipulation for your first meet.


Good luck.

 

[jdoisjohnny]

Thank you, I emailed the guy and I found out it's a push pull even I wanted to squat too, but I guess i'll just do this one for now. Also I was curious how warm ups are done. Do you guys usually work up to the weight you're going to bench squat or deadlift? Would I act as if normal like during a normal max effort training day where I do stretches and mobility work before I lift?

 

[Powerbuilder]

Thank you, I emailed the guy and I found out it's a push pull even I wanted to squat too, but I guess i'll just do this one for now. Also I was curious how warm ups are done. Do you guys usually work up to the weight you're going to bench squat or deadlift? Would I act as if normal like during a normal max effort training day where I do stretches and mobility work before I lift?

I'd warm up exactly how you always warm up and go through how you go through anytime you work up to a PR. For example on bench press if you normally go 135 225 275 315 365 405 do exactly that at the meet. My advice for choosing your lifts is open with the heaviest weight that you consistently always hit with no problem. For example if 365 is heavy but you literally hit it every single bench workout open with that. For your second lift i'd go with a number that's close to your max that you've done recently hopefully more than once. For your third lift i'd go with a number that you can probably hit if all of the stars align.

 

[metromuscle]

Yeah listen to these guys. You wanna open with a weight youre confident with so you'll stay in the meet and not bomb out. But never let bombing out discourage you, it happens to all of us at one time or another and is part of the whole learning experience.