Powerlifting Discussion: How Often Should You Compete?
Once you cross the finish line from "lifter" to "athlete," the experience of the platform becomes addicting. It’s an itch you can’t scratch, a craving you can’t get control over, a deep, burning hunger for more. More PRs, more grueling, gritty preps in the process of reaching bigger and bigger goals, more of those moments you can’t forget, embedded forever. Something inside your heart chases that direction: you feel called by a voice you can’t ignore- you may not know the exact steps, but the destination is clear: forward. You’ve caught the bug, and gradually your priorities shift to align with your newfound passion. You dream of that future day, the chance to compete again, and all that it entails. When you’ve fallen in love with Powerlifting, with meet day itself, you want to keep pursuing it. This aspect of the sport is a beautiful and special one, taking its athletes to achieve more than they can comprehend. The heartfelt intensity can lead to counterproductive, unintelligent & impulsive athletic decisions, the frequency of competing (potentially) being one of them. The number of meets you do should be a well-thought-out, conscious choice that strategically pushes you toward the next step in your career. So, how often should you step on the platform? While the answer is individualized, I’ve outlined a few guidelines to help lead you on the best path for yourself as a lifter.
Determine the goals of each meet & plan accordingly
A primary aid in determining how often to compete is to establish goals for each meet. Of course, the objective in every competition is always to lift more weight, but is there a deeper reasoning behind your decision:
-Is one of your meets the first time out there, with the goal to go out and do it?
-Are you trying to use a meet to qualify for Nationals?
-Is your next meet another opportunity to increase your total and reflect your accomplishments as an athlete?
Avoid signing up for a meet “just to sign up,” without any thought of your headspace, how the timeline works with your schedule, how much time you have to prep for it, etc. After all, building for a meet requires a lot from you, and if you can’t fully apply yourself to the process, it won’t be worth it.
If your goal with a meet is to qualify for a higher level one, there may be a different timeline entailed. In this case, the decision as to “when” becomes relatively easy- do a meet that allows you to hit the total needed for your bigger one.
Otherwise, essential questions to ask when deciding to sign up for a particular competition include:
-Am I feeling mentally ready to compete? Does the thought of prep excite and motivate me, or discourage and stress me out?
-Am I physically in a proper state to increase my training intensity? Do I have other injuries/needs to be addressed first?
-Do I have adequate time to prep for this (12+ weeks), and have I been training consistently leading up?
-Does this meet prep align with my schedule: will I be able to commit and prioritize my workouts, nutrition, etc.? Do I have vacations, a stressful work season, or other engagements that interfere?
-Am I willing to put my all into my training: managing the small variables and setting boundaries to ensure my success?
-Do I feel confident in having a successful day, that I’ll progress in some way and leave feeling rewarded?
Notice how these questions are not “do I have x total?” or “will I PR my total by at least 100 lbs?” Those statements are irrelevant and only provide a barrier to competing, ultimately hindering your experience.
However, if you answered yes to the above considerations, signing up for the meet you’ve got in mind may be a good option. Competitions should align with your goals, schedule, the season of life, and overall well-being. Meet prep demands the best from you- and if your priorities are elsewhere, you’ll minimize what you can gain from the pursuit.
If your body’s broken, you’re about to go on a huge trip, or it’s an impulsive, short-term decision, now is not the time to prep. Be honest with yourself and have a conversation with your coach.
2. How much time do you need to build for each?
Powerlifting is a long-game sport. The goal is to add meaningful improvement to your lifts each time you compete, not simply go out there and repeat the same numbers every month or two. Because of this fact, building for a meet takes time.
Meet prep itself lasts for about twelve weeks. That means that, at most, you’d be doing around three meets per year. Dedicating adequate time to building your strength is the only way to achieve numbers you’re proud of; to have something to show for when you step onto the platform.
Outside of prep season, you may have different needs as a lifter. Maybe after a meet, you require more time to build motivation or have weaknesses to address- hypertrophy, technical proficiency, work capacity, etc., that require specific attention during your off-season.
Factor this into your competing schedule. Don’t do meets more often than every three months, period, and prioritize your non-meet-prep training, too.
Especially if you’re a more advanced athlete, it will take even longer to hit PRs, so spending more time between meets is a good idea.
As a beginner, your rate of progress is faster: you're more likely to hit PRs each time but may need a long off-season for other reasons.
The goal is not to do as many meets as you can fit in but rather to progress in some stretch of the imagination each time- which requires months of work leading up. Bear this in mind, and avoid rushing through preps or attempting to speed up the process. That’s how you end up discouraged by a lackluster performance.
3. Prioritizing off-season and recovery
“Off-season.” It’s a time that is dreaded by some and loved by others. Determine which category you fall into on this topic- it can help guide your actions.
Whether you love focusing on non-SBD-specific goals or can’t wait to jump back into another meet prep, ultimately, prioritizing some training blocks for variety & recovery ensures longevity. Doing meet prep after meet prep in a row with no end in sight is how you break- mentally or physically, breed staleness and leave this sport after a brief career.
The intensity and specificity characterized during meet prep are not sustainable for extended, prolonged periods. And while you may see yourself as an anomaly, the truth is, you are not a "special butterfly"- and even if you crave the intensity & train intelligently, you won't maximize yourself as an athlete by avoiding off-season.
Off-season- when done well- re-builds your foundation to improve your performance in the long run.
An intelligent off-season can include:
-Focusing on secondary lifts (Front Squats, High Bar, Legolas Bench presses, overhead work, opposite-stance deadlifts, etc., or even other modalities) to add a new stimulus, improve weak points, and prevent staleness
-Allowing more flexibility with general lifestyle: less rigid nutrition, more social events, etc.
-Dedicated time on hypertrophy work, so you can build the muscles that will get stronger during meet season
-A chance for your brain & body to recover after the demands of a successful prep
-An opportunity to pursue other forms of movement that you enjoy (to a higher degree than during prep)
As a Powerlifter, developing secondary, less-specific, yet still important aspects of your base will ultimately: make you stronger in the long run. These modalities include hypertrophy, work capacity, strength in non-competition movements, etc. Meet prep doesn’t allow you to bring up these qualities because of the specificity requirements. If you’re always peaking, you’re devoid of the opportunity to dedicate training to "getting jacked" in any significant way. Structuring your training this way (heavy SBD 24/7) will eventually limit your growth- the opposite of our end goal.
On the topic of frequency, I would say that taking at least 2-3 months per year in off-season is a good range. Of course, this depends on how many meets you’re doing and your individual needs, but more on that later.
4. Preventing burnout
An under-discussed aspect with the question of meet frequency is burnout. It’s an experience we all want to avoid- and one we are all at risk for as athletes.
When the motivation ceases to a halt,
When you find yourself dragging through each workout,
Wanting to be anywhere except for the gym,
Dreading the thought of competing,
When it all feels like too much,
An exhausting, consuming load that you can't lift,
The fatigue you can’t seem to break past-
That’s burnout.
It typically will occur at some point in your career- to varying degrees, but there are ways to help ensure it doesn’t last, derailing you for months and years, souring your love for the sport. This topic shall be explored further, but concerning competition frequency, too many meets too often can drastically increase your risk of burning out.
As mentioned above ad nauseam, meet prep demands a great deal of intensity and consistency. This practice can be enticing and motivating- watching your efforts pay off each week and excitement growing as the day approaches closer. Yet, when done without a break or recovery, cumulative fatigue can weigh you down.
On the physical component, your body is under more stress, you’re lifting greater loads, and there’s more pressure to perform. Recovering from these more extreme periods- not by avoiding training, but by decreasing some of that intensity, allows you to feel refreshed when the next prep comes up.
But on the mental aspect, meet prep can be exhausting. You say no to more social events, your life is less flexible, and your schedule is more restricted. You’re under this pressure to always reach for your best, the knowledge that the day is creeping up on you, and all your heart desires are those goals you’ve manifested. There’s less room for other activities you enjoy.
It’s a beautiful and life-changing process, yet it’s not a sustainable way to live.
Taking some rest between meets allows you to spend more of your time on other hobbies, regaining a sense of “balance” in your life- so your brain doesn’t spiral down a path of insanity. Again, it all comes back to the idea of longevity: time off allows you to stay in the game and continue achieving in your future. You cannot continue the most extreme bouts of strength and energy forever- there’s a limit, and if you try and force it, you’ll find it. Burnout doesn’t make you “weak” or less of an athlete, it’s an instinctual warning sign meant to keep you healthy and well. If you can get ahead of it, you’ll feel clear and restored when it is time to compete again.
For this reason, doing fewer meets per year may be in your best interest. The amount is up to you as an individual- everyone has a different tolerable limit, and listening to that will help you succeed.
5. Possible Meet Frequencies
With all of that said, what may an intelligent competing frequency ensue?
I would say that most people benefit from falling in the range of 1-3. There are many factors here- such as experience level, goals, phase of life, schedule, mental limit, nutrition, etc., but let’s look at each option.
-One meet per year: This may be a good option if there’s just one big meet that interests you for the year, let's say you only want to do Nationals. Or, maybe your schedule can only align with a single competition.
Maybe you don’t get the itch to compete very regularly. Only doing one meet decreases your chance of burnout from competing.
Maybe you’re brand-new to the sport and solely want to sign up for your first meet to do the damn thing.
Maybe you’re more advanced and want plenty of time to prepare for your next time on the platform.
Assess your season ahead to determine if this makes sense for you.
-Two meets per year: This frequency is a sweet spot for many athletes. 2 competitions/per year give you plenty of time to prepare for each and adequate time off in-between to help avoid burnout and encourage variety. You’re spending about half of the year prepping and half of it not- potentially a favorable balance, depending on you as an athlete. You may be able to dedicate more intensity to each prep, feeling refreshed when each one arises. This option also allows you to do multiple levels of meets, a local one and a bigger one, etc., depending on your goals. This competing schedule can work for athletes of all levels- based on other variables.
-Three meets per year: For those who love competing, seek more platform experience, and have distinct goals for each meet, doing three meets may make sense. At this rate, you’re spending about 36-40 weeks prepping, giving you at least 12 weeks off-season, which can certainly work- although it is a lot! Especially for newer athletes, you’re able to watch yourself improve constantly. You get the validation and affirmation of reflecting your hard work consistently, with meaningful goals. It’s easier to tell if you’re making progress. You receive plenty of opportunities to experience the platform and feel confident in a competition setting. You’re provided the opportunity to do local and/or higher-level meets in that timeframe. Of course, this frequency comes with a greater risk of burnout, less flexibility with your schedule, and less time to build for each- so there are trade offs- but also benefits depending on the individual.
A significant factor in the number of meets you do is how much you enjoy competing. Some athletes love being on the platform, prep is exciting and motivating, and that tangible goal keeps them going. Others don’t feel the desire as often and enjoy their time spent building, craving more variety and flexibility. Obviously, the former will do better with a greater frequency and vice versa. I cannot tell you exactly how many meets to sign up for, but these basic principles provide some guidelines. This should be a conversation with your coach to determine what path is best for you. And keep in mind that your decision is never set-in-stone. You may decide that you need extra time off after your first one of the year, or an enticing option may arise, leading you to do an additional one. Be open to changes along your journey.
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Once you do your first meet, you fall in love with the sport. Your priorities shift, your heart is connected, and you desire more. Competing is exciting- it transforms your mentality from “exerciser” to “athlete,” and the opportunity to reflect that entire process is rewarding. A common arising question in this evolution is how often one should compete. While the answer is individualized, many factors are at play, including mental well-being, life schedule, burnout, physical condition, long-term goals, recovery, etc. With reflection on your situation as an athlete, you can help determine the best course of action. Off-season and recovery are important- but some lifters will require more or less than others. The overarching goal of Powerlifting is longevity: it’s the only way to sustain progress in this sport, and your decisions will ultimately determine your likelihood of that. Make the choices you’ll thank yourself for down the road: that bring you steps closer to your ultimate ambitions.
