how do you train for a meet even when you’re not “in meet prep?”
Meet prep. It brings out the most intentional, dedicated, focused versions of ourselves. When competition is around the corner, you prioritize everything you can around that event. Nutrition is stricter, curfew is stricter, and outings are fewer. You do everything in your power to make that day one you’re proud of.
But aside from those final weeks of prep, how's the rest of your training? Do you go from zero to 100 in a matter of weeks?
Do you only embrace your inner athlete when you’ve got a meet coming up?
Is the rest of your time spent working out here and there, with little focus or drive?
What sparked this discussion was a beautifully written post by Jordan Wong (@wongstwong on IG-who you should absolutely follow) that read, “People treat powerlifting meets like they treated high school tests- they wait until last minute to “get serious.” Don’t be surprised when you don’t hit your competition goals when you only take your training seriously the last 8-10 weeks before a meet.” This sentiment is prevalent in Powerlifting- it can become a vicious cycle for many athletes.
How do you prevent this from becoming your reality? How can you prioritize your platform goals even when you’re months out from a meet?
Let’s explore this topic below.
Maintain the athlete mentality.
While your goals and priorities will shift throughout your career, when you have a desire to improve, your Athlete Brain is always present.
This means that even when you aren’t actively prepping for a meet, you’re still a Powerlifter. You still do a lot of the athlete stuff, and you’re training, not exercising.
It can be difficult to feel this way when meet day is months away. Motivation may be down, intensity is lower, and you may feel burnt out.
Upholding the standard takes a level of discipline; not just going through the motions- but executing with intention.
Here are some ways to reasonably do so:
A) Prioritizing & Scheduling training sessions-
Do you only show up consistently when it’s a training day you’re excited for, when you're maxing out, etc.?
You’re selling yourself short and costing months of progress.
The easy fix? Follow your damn program even when it’s not your favorite.
We can’t peak heavy singles all the time, and the reality is that rep work allows you to hit those PRs in the first place.
Ask your coach to include a couple of exercises you enjoy, which can help you look forward to your lifting sessions. But sometimes, it’s just honest work, which leads to exciting reps in the long run.
Your training sessions should be part of your calendar, just like any other obligations. You maintain consistency because it’s what you do. If frequency or intensity has to go down (as your program should align with your life)- consistency remains the same.
B) Maintain proper nutrition/sleep habits.
Do the stuff you do when you’re focused on performance.
Odds are when you want to PR in the gym, aspects of your life revolve around that.
While you may not be cutting for a meet, maybe enjoying more meals out, and have more of a social life during off-season, continue doing healthy human stuff, like:
-Eating some produce
-Prioritizing protein, especially around your workout
-Staying hydrated
-Letting your body recover
-Sleeping as much as you can each night
These habits should remain in your day-to-day life, no matter how close or far you are from a meet. A little goes a long way: simply having some structure, and doing things that make you feel good, will make you far more likely to have quality training sessions.
These two tips can help you stay feeling like an athlete, smashing goals in the gym during all phases of training.
2. Prioritize your volume blocks just as much as lower reps.
When you’re further out from a meet, specificity is lower, reps are higher, and you’ll generally be incorporating some hypertrophy/work capacity stuff.
This training style is admittedly far less exciting, and it can be difficult to see the carryover when you’re not performing the exact requirements of your sport.
However, let me tell you, volume is just as important.
Volume sets the foundation for the singles you hit in the future.
Higher rep work builds:
-muscle mass- and a larger muscle will improve strength (a muscle with a greater cross-sectional area has the potential to produce more force). While Bodybuilding stuff isn’t always fun, when you’re hitting heavy weights months down the road, you’ll be shocked at how much stronger you feel.
-work capacity- if you want to do more cool shit in the future, you must be prepared for it! Increasing your body’s capabilities will allow you to stay healthy and continue building down the road.
-Technique: With volume, you have to stay focused on your form for longer, and you’ve got more reps to practice doing so.
-Connective tissue strength: Volume is more effective at building tendon/ligament strength, which is vital to longevity. If you want to PR your lifts at your next meet, you must be healthy enough to do so!
Volume has a host of benefits to you as a lifter, even if it's not instant gratification. As an athlete, you have to trust that the work you’re doing now will grant success down the road. Sometimes we have to do stuff we hate, it’s part of the sport. As cliche as it sounds, only doing the things you love won’t help you grow. It’s the discomfort & struggle that makes this all worth it, anyways.
When you’re in a higher rep/less specific block, prioritize it just as you would a block of SBD singles/triples. Ask yourself: what are your typical habits when you’re trying to PR?
Taking your recovery seriously?
Setting ambitious goals for yourself?
Showing up consistently even when you don’t feel like it?
Do the same when you’re in a volume phase.
-Another HUGE help is to chase rep PRs. Get your mind out of a shortsighted view of “progress.” “Progress” is not just adding 5 lbs to your deadlift 1RM.
It’s repping your 3RM for sets of 6.
Hitting a higher weight in a different variation.
Adding 5 lbs to your volume front squats each week.
Adopt this mindset when you’re training higher rep ranges- chase the numbers but in a different light. Get excited to add more reps to your lifts. It can seriously ignite your fire and motivation- and you'll get stronger, too.
3. Set concrete goals for yourself.
Determine progress that excites you and aligns with a less specific training style outside meet prep.
This could look like:
-Hitting rep PRs, as mentioned before
-Rehabbing old injuries, moving with less pain
-Incorporating more Strongman/Olympic lifts
-Taking a few Hypertrophy/Powerbuilding-blocks
-Setting # goals for your High Bar Squat, Legolas Bench Press, Opposite Stance Deadlift, Front Squat, Overhead press (other lifting variations)
-Incorporating more cardio
Etc.
Then, determine what your long-term goals are for your meets to come. That way, you can have two visions that align with one another in different timeframes.
Outside meet prep, personal records should still be the goal. While these numbers may not be as exciting as a grindy RPE 9.9 3rd attempt Deadlift, you’re still an athlete, and the thought of chasing something unleashes that.
Hitting any form of PRs, knowing your training is going somewhere, feels good. It motivates you. It keeps you in the gym even when you don’t want to be. And it allows you to hit platform PRs in months to come.
The body needs variety: exactly why we can’t train the same way year-round. SBD Singles 24/7 leads to staleness. Incorporating fresh variations and building them can both provide a new stimulus; and build up your weaknesses.
If your High Bar is going up, you know your Low Bar will, too.
View your goals with this mindset: you’ll thank yourself later for the work you’re doing now. And chasing both short-term and long-term markers will keep you hungry for more.
4. Put a Meet On Your Calendar, plan meets in advance.
When you’ve got a meet date set, you subconsciously work harder. It’s just how it goes. Even those who wouldn’t classify themselves as “competitive” can’t help but unleash this insatiable determination when there's an official calendar date.
Your meets should have an “after plan,” or at least some semblance of one. Otherwise, you’ll be left with zero direction when the day's over, far more likely to quit/take too long of a break/lose momentum. Define your vision in the sport, and work backward to build a plan with your coach.
Want to qualify for Nationals next year?
Try a new weight class?
Gain more platform experience?
Your meets should be scheduled based on what you’re chasing.
That way, when you step off the platform, you’ll know where you’re heading. And once that’s defined, it’s going to be a hell of a lot harder to quit.
When you know Nationals next year is the goal, you’ll show up to your sessions even when it’s sets of 10 & you hate rep work. It will be “by any means necessary.” “No” won’t be an answer anymore.
Vs., if you’re left after a meet feeling aimless, no idea what you’re doing, you might make it to the gym 2x/week and do random shit here and there, then get frustrated you aren’t making progress.
Even when it’s months out, you'll know what you're working toward, which guides your actions.
This sentiment isn’t to say you can’t have an off-season & lower-intensity training blocks, but if you simply have an idea of what you want next, forward progress will be inevitable.
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When you’re not specifically prepping for a meet, training can be less motivating, rewarding, and fun. This fact can make it feel impossible to stay focused and committed. When you feel bored and aimless, you’re far less likely to hit quality sessions in the gym. Yet, this wasted time can take away from future progress. Training doesn’t have to be balls-to-the-wall intense, super exciting, where all your focus is, 24/7. But, maintaining some semblance of structure and goal-setting will allow you to keep chasing, building the foundation for meets to come. Even when you’re not in meet prep, you’re still an athlete, so train like it- even if that looks slightly different.
