First Meet Tips: What to Know & Expect
So you signed up for your first Powerlifting meet. What an exciting decision.
This sport is truly for anyone, and Ironside firmly believes that everyone should experience that spotlight on the platform at least once.
Your first meet is always a memorable one- and can be a very successful day, with the right help, guidance, and preparation along the way. It’s just the beginning of what’s to come- because, let’s face it, very few end up being “one and done.”
However, there’s also stress and anticipation around this event, so we want to help mitigate that. When you’re thoroughly ready and know what to do going in, your day will go much smoother. That’s what we’re all looking for.
8 Tips To Remember-
Have a handler/coach to help you out.
A coach/handler is beneficial for you, even if you’ve got ten meets under your belt.
For your first one? It’s essential.
On meet day, your job is to focus on your performance; that's it. Worrying about attempts, eating schedules, warm-ups, loading plates, etc., will all impact your performance and negatively affect you as an athlete. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have someone else in your corner.
Your handler can help ground you in times of anxiety, fear, doubt, and insecurity.
They’re there to hype you up or be a safe space to listen-whatever you may need.
Having someone else choose your attempts gives you an objective, outside perspective- setting you up for success.
Many athletes forget to eat, don’t time their food properly, or don’t know how to warm up, so another human is a saving grace in that case.
Having your coach as a handler is a great option, but if they aren’t able to make it, choose a close friend or training partner that you trust. Ensure that whoever is helping knows what they’re doing and how to best support you. Communicate with your handler, that’s the only way to get what you need.
2. Get everything prepared for weigh-ins & gear checks.
Go through a mini check-list the night before weigh-ins to ensure you have all you need. Here’s a list of everything required at gear-check (as a raw Powerlifter):
-Your opening attempts, in kilos
-Shoes you’ll be wearing on the platform
-Deadlift socks (up to shin length)
-An approved belt (gear is optional for your first meet, but many will choose to wear it. USPA-approved list: https://www.uspa.net/info/2022-approved-gear-list/)
-Approved knee sleeves
-Approved wrist wraps
-Singlet
-T-shirt you wear under your singlet
-Underwear
These are the essentials, but beyond that, the following items can be helpful:
-Anti-inflammatory, such as Advil (in case you get a headache)
-Earbuds, to listen to music between attempts
-Clothes to go over your singlet: jacket, sweatpants, etc
-A small towel to wipe the bottoms of your shoes in case the floor is slippery (because of baby powder)
-Chalk- in case there are a lot of lifters using the chalk provided at once
-Baby powder- for deadlifts
-Water Bottle
-Caffeinated beverage
Create a list for yourself to ensure you don’t forget anything.
3. Pack plenty of food- carbs, snacks, etc. Eat more than you typically would.
We did an article on Meet-Day Nutrition here (https://www.ironsidetraining.com/blog/meet-day-nutrition-101), but briefly:
On meet day, the goal is to eat as much as you can tolerate. Do NOT introduce new foods, as this will upset your stomach and can decrease performance. Instead, stick to what you know. Emphasize quick-digesting, low-fat, low-fiber carb sources such as white rice, bread, bagels, crackers, bananas, dried fruit, pasta, juice, etc. Bring plenty of snacks, eat between lifts, and continue grazing all day.
Include some foods with protein to help with satiety & recovery, but your focus should primarily be on carbs. Keep fats low.
Don’t go crazy on the caffeine- you’ll become an anxious wreck, but slightly more than your typical intake is okay.
Stay hydrated, bring your water with you in between attempts, after lifts, etc.
Have your handler remind you to eat if you’re someone who tends to forget in stressful situations.
Adequate fuel can make or break your attempts. Don’t let food be the reason you miss a lift.
4. Rest in preparation.
The week leading up to the meet, rest must be a priority. Not only are your lifts, volume, and intensity lower (you’re essentially on a large deload), but outside of the gym, spend less time being active, too.
Don’t play outside sports or even go for long walks, starting 5-7 days out. Stay off your feet as much as possible. Intentionally sit and lie down more than you usually would.
This will allow your peak to work its magic and put you in a primed state for top performance on the day that matters.
5. Don’t cut unless you absolutely need to.
One of the most common pieces of first-meet advice is “Don’t cut weight.” And it holds true for the majority of people.
Your first meet is a chance to get your toes wet, see if Powerlifting is what you want to pursue, and experience training for a competitive event. You get to witness how you hold up & perform on an official platform.
Cutting weight can be dangerous and can drastically impact your strength. Plus, it only adds to the stress of this new experience. So, for most people, DO NOT cut weight. It’s not worth it and could leave you dissatisfied and frustrated.
The only exception to the rule is:
-if you’re within 4% of your desired weight class; and,
-are very close to qualifying for a National/World level meet (or would break a National/World record).
In these cases, weight cutting may be justified- if done safely and with the guidance of a knowledgeable coach/professional.
Most athletes aren’t breaking records or qualifying for Nationals on day 1, so the statement holds: Don’t cut for your first meet.
If you kill your platform debut and want a taste of what’s next, it may be a viable option for meets in the future. Remember- this is just the beginning of your Powerlifting career.
6. Visualize the night before, and approach the bar with confidence.
Especially for your first meet, psychology is everything.
You can be as physically prepared as possible - this is a day you’ve likely trained for weeks and months; but if there’s a wave of fear or uncertainty, it can break your lifts.
Keep this in mind, and use it to your advantage.
The night before meet day, take a few minutes to visualize your lifts.
See yourself walking up to the bar-
How the weight feels in your hands,
The cues going through your head,
Achieving a successful lockout.
See it. Repeat whatever words resonate with you - “That’s my bar,” “I have that weight,” “I’m attacking it,” etc.
Manifesting what you’ve worked for can lock in those goals you've been striving toward.
Before you walk up to the bar for each attempt, stare that bar down. Find your head. What helps you most? Anger, hype, focus, quiet- whatever it is, spend time getting into that zone. Channel it through each lift.
When you unrack the bar, keep that mental state, and bring all of the focus onto yourself. Don’t go for the lift until you feel completely confident you have it. Then, go for it- and don’t delay the process too much. You’ll psych yourself out. Don´t give up without a good fight!
Your lifts in the gym are practice for finding that state. Whatever has brought you success in the past, tap into it on meet day.
Feeling nervous? Use it to your advantage. Nerves add to the adrenaline. Use that feeling for excitement and energy.
When you approach your lifts with intention, you’re far more likely to nail ‘em and end with a day you’re proud of.
The first squat attempt is often the most nerve-wracking, as it's the first lift of the day. Ensure that this number is set very light and conservative, a weight you could hit under any condition. Once you’re on the board, you’ll feel much better going into the rest of the day.
7. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Have fun.
Remember, this is your first meet. You have no idea how you perform on an official platform, so don’t set your expectations too high.
There are many factors out of your control on comp day- the timing of the meet, your rest periods, equipment used, your recovery, etc.- so your body will decide your performance on that day.
Have a “backup plan” if you’re not feeling your best.
You may not hit huge PRs, and that’s NORMAL- even matching your Gym PRs to competition standards is a win.
The goal is to get out there, not bomb out, and have a good time. If you go in with little expectations, just hoping to do that- you’ll end the day as a victory, no doubt.
The first meet is data for the future, simply take whatever the day gives you and use it to build on down the road.
8. Focus on yourself as a lifter, not anyone else.
Lifting alongside advanced lifters can be intimidating, even discouraging. At meets, you’re surrounded by athletes of ALL levels, and there may be people in your category who are stronger than you.
However, the beautiful thing about Powerlifting is that it’s primarily an individual sport. Yes, you’re competing against those around you, but truly, it’s about what YOU’RE capable of.
You know where you started. You know how far you’ve come. Hell, you’re becoming an official athlete- and that shows something.
Make friends and encourage those you interact with. Prioritize your performance. Compare yourself to who you were at the beginning of meet prep, not an athlete who’s got 3 years on you and has a bigger deadlift. Use those people as examples of what you can achieve if you keep working.
Your lifts are your victories. You built them yourself- no one can give them to you or take them away. Celebrate that. That’s what it’s all about: being better than you were when you first started, and the platform is a vessel to highlight that.
How the day is laid out-
Many lifters have no idea how things will go until they arrive. My recommendation is to watch a couple of YouTube videos of “Powerlifting Meet Vlogs,” or better yet, go see one in-person- so you have an idea of what it looks like. But briefly, here’s how the day goes:
Warm-ups-
Squat warm-ups generally start about 20 minutes before the competition begins. Warm-up rooms are often chaotic, with 10-15 lifters trying to share 2-4 racks.
Have a warm-up sheet with you, ensure that your handler knows your warm-ups, and have them load your plates + give you commands. Stick to a set plan, and you’ll be okay.
Find people to share a rack with, work as a team, and do your best to get through your warm-ups. As long as you get some practice reps in, you’ll be fine.
2. Openers, seconds, third attempts
As you probably know, the order of the lifts is Squat, Bench, Deadlift.
You perform all of your three squat attempts first, there’s a break in the day before your three bench attempts, and the same for Deadlifts.
Your openers (first attempts) are required at weigh-ins, and they’re numbers that you test before meet day. Make sure to open LIGHT. These should be numbers you could TRIPLE on your worst day. Do not let your ego get ahold of you here.
On the day of, your second and third attempts are selected after completing your prior lifts. Choose these numbers based on how your body is feeling the day of. Your handler/coach should have a drafted plan of attempts written out, including a “Plan A” (stretch goals) and “Plan B" (safe).
Third attempts are where you get a chance to push, maybe go for a new PR if it's there. Make sure you choose weights that are challenging but you feel confident in. The goal is not to fail all of your lifts. For your first meet, it’s better to go on the conservative side.
Each attempt must increase by a minimum of 2.5kg (or ~5 lbs), and if you miss a lift, you cannot lower it for your following attempt. Always keep that in mind.
3. Flights
Most local meets have a capacity of about 40-60 lifters. So, to make the day more efficient, this number is broken up into 3-4 groups, called “Flights.”
Each flight contains about 10-15 lifters who compete in a rotation, starting with the lightest weight squat, up to the heaviest weight, then repeating for following attempts.
Know what flight you’re in, so you can time your warm-ups accordingly (and be by the platform when you need to). Generally speaking, start warming up about 20 minutes before your flight starts. After yours is over, you’ll likely have a lot of downtime, so get plenty of rest, relaxation, and food.
4. Rules
With it being an official competition and everything, there’s more at stake, and part of that is judges and rules.
Read your rulebook before your first meet, or at least talk to your coach & lifters who know the rules. If you train to comp standard in prep, you’re far more likely to have a successful meet.
I’m not going to go over all of the rules, but briefly, there are three judges for each lift:
-A head judge, giving you commands for each lift (“Squat” and “Rack” for squat, “Start,” “Press,” “Rack,” for bench, and “Down” for Deadlift),
-Two side judges- checking squat depth, your butt staying in contact for bench press, your knees locked out for deadlifts, etc.
For a legal lift, you must have 2 or 3 out of 3 white lights for each attempt. You can easily miss a rep because of a rack command or fault in technique, so be prepared for that.
Before squats start, your meet director will go over the rules of the day, so you know what to be focusing on.
Judging can add a lot of pressure to the day - but fear not- if you know what judges are looking for, you can bring the intention to your lifts to make them. Choose weights you can hit TO standard, not ones you can muscle up. After all, if it doesn’t count on the platform, it doesn’t count.
That first meet-it’s always an exciting day, one you’ll never forget. Registering is the first step. After that, there’s a lot of learning and growth to be made. It can be a nerve-wracking experience, but if you know what to expect going in and have some guidance to help you, guarantee you'll end it a successful day.
Don't take on too much pressure, you're just gaining experience. Focus on your performance and reflect on your progress as an athlete. It’s simply data, and even getting on the board is a win. Have fun, and go kill that platform debut!
