# Strong Enough to Not Look Dumb?



## TeddyBear (Oct 28, 2020)

I’m considering signing up for my first powerlifting meet in Early March 2021.

I don’t plan on winning or placing, but I don’t want to be at the very bottom. Basically I’d like to be close to the middle of the pack, just not the bottom 10%.

I have time to train and practice, between now and then, so this is my baseline with some room for improvement between now and then.

stats: 29, 207lbs, 5’10
Overhead (not a main lift, I know): 3x190
bench: 3x250
squat: 3x385
deadlift: 5x405


----------



## SFGiants (Oct 28, 2020)

Just get in the books, show up, compete without bombing out and get numbers in the books to work towards beating next time.

Find people who can train you for it and prepare you for a meet.


----------



## BrotherIron (Oct 28, 2020)

Don't worry about are you ready... Sign up, train for it, and give it hell.


----------



## tinymk (Oct 28, 2020)

No worries brother. It’s your first meet, just train hard, smart and go in and have a good time..

familiarize yourself with, whatever powerlifting federations it is, rule book. Each fed can have slightly different rules, so have a general understanding on what is expected of you will be a bonus. 

Keep us posted on your progress and how the meet goes for you.   
Tiny


----------



## Jin (Oct 28, 2020)

You just got immediate answers from some of the best and there was total consensus. 

Now, go sign up for a meet.


----------



## TeddyBear (Oct 28, 2020)

Thanks guys!
Thats the plan.

USPL has their site down until the weekend for maintainence but after it’s back up I’ll pull the trigger and grind until showtime.

My gym is a powerlifting gym and will be the site of the meet, so I have that advantage going for me.


----------



## Sicwun88 (Oct 28, 2020)

Good luck!
Always have to mindset of winning!


----------



## CJ (Oct 28, 2020)

Do it!!!!!!!!!

From what I've heard, PL meets are very friendly, most everyone is super helpful. 

My nephew did one once, similar situation as you, said everyone there was awesome. He had an incredibly positive experience.


----------



## Robdjents (Oct 28, 2020)

I'm doing my first one in December. My numbers are ass but im getting stronger training for it. Id suggest going for a 9 for 9 amd not worrying about max weight..best of luck!


----------



## snake (Oct 28, 2020)

With those numbers, at that BW and that time to train you'll be in the thick of it. Heed Tiny's words, stay healthy and open light like SFG implied. Keep us posted!


----------



## Joliver (Oct 28, 2020)

If I'm being honest, and I rarely am, bombing out is the only embarrassing thing that could happen. Just don't do that.


----------



## IHI (Oct 28, 2020)

Good luck!! Get to watch a very good friend i motivated to get back into the gym (he’s freak strong by nature) possibly break the senior record for our state next April- pumped for anyone willing to try tge stage


----------



## TeddyBear (Jan 13, 2021)

I have like 6 weeks left.

I’m now at 195lbs (down 15lbs) and have hit this week:
245 Bench (down 5lbs)
390 Squat (same)
455 Deadlift (up 25lbs)


----------



## DieYoungStrong (Jan 13, 2021)

Joliver said:


> If I'm being honest, and I rarely am, bombing out is the only embarrassing thing that could happen. Just don't do that.



You're not a real powerlifter if you've never bombed out or had to withdraw from a meet.

Not sure if I'm being honest, sarcastic, or just trying to make myself feel better...

And dted - just go get on the platform, make your lifts and get in the books. Good luck.


----------



## Tiny (Feb 18, 2021)

I'm just here to cheer


----------



## Gadawg (Feb 19, 2021)




----------



## Jin (Feb 19, 2021)

Gadawg said:


>



what type of black magic is this?


----------



## SFGiants (Feb 19, 2021)

Wonder how the meet went?


----------



## Tiny (Feb 19, 2021)

Jin said:


> what type of black magic is this?




He made 10 char his b!tch


----------



## TeddyBear (Feb 19, 2021)

Meets on Saturday.
my lifts are all lower this past week.
So I’m hoping they bounce back and it was just stress.


----------



## SFGiants (Feb 19, 2021)

dted23 said:


> Meets on Saturday.
> my lifts are all lower this past week.
> So I’m hoping they bounce back and it was just stress.



It happens, I hope you took the week off from prep?

We feel weaker the last weeks, deload a week coming in fresh and real strong.

You'll be fine either way, you only need 1 of each lift to make it into the books.


----------



## The Tater (Feb 20, 2021)

Good luck dted. Let us know how you do and just relax going into it.


----------



## Jin (Feb 20, 2021)

I’m dumb enough to look strong.


----------



## TeddyBear (Feb 20, 2021)

Jin, yeah man, I’m committed to it.
worried about the outcomes if I get called out.

I fully expect to be the bottom of the leaderboard, which is fine. I just won’t be able to handle forfeiting if the situation arises.

It was a bad idea to run anything last year and sign up, knowing my system wouldn’t clear.

This while February my lifts have been lagging:
Bench 225
Squat 370
Dead 450

Jan was better.

Im trying to eat this week, and deload a little.


----------



## SFGiants (Feb 20, 2021)

dted23 said:


> Jin, yeah man, I’m committed to it.
> worried about the outcomes if I get called out.
> 
> I fully expect to be the bottom of the leaderboard, which is fine. I just won’t be able to handle forfeiting if the situation arises.
> ...



Let me put things in perspective for you.

There was women that were pound for pound outlifting me my 1st meet, women like Laura Phelps were no joke.

It takes time in this sport, years!


----------



## MrInsensitive (Feb 20, 2021)

You’ve got our full support my friend. Let us know how it goes, good luck!


----------



## ATLRigger (Feb 20, 2021)

Do great today !!


----------



## Ped X (Feb 20, 2021)

Have a good time at the meet!


----------



## TeddyBear (Feb 20, 2021)

It’s next Saturday. The 27th. But thanks guys.


----------



## ATLRigger (Feb 20, 2021)

Which federation?


----------



## Joliver (Feb 20, 2021)

SFGiants said:


> Let me put things in perspective for you.
> 
> There was women that were pound for pound outlifting me my 1st meet, women like Laura Phelps were no joke.
> 
> It takes time in this sport, years!



And anyone comparing themselves to Laura, after she went 11x body weight, would be a hand full of suck. I don't care how many years...or surgeries you put into it. Lulz


----------



## SFGiants (Feb 20, 2021)

Nobody is judging people in powerlifting, it takes guts to get under a bar in front of others on a platform. No matter the weight on the bar it takes courage and guts.


----------



## snake (Feb 20, 2021)

dted23 said:


> worried about the outcomes if I get called out.
> 
> I fully expect to be the bottom of the leaderboard, which is fine. I just won’t be able to handle forfeiting if the situation arises.
> 
> It was a bad idea to run anything last year and sign up, knowing my system wouldn’t clear.



I'm a little lost on this. Could you explain what you mean? Called out? Forfeit what?


----------



## TeddyBear (Feb 20, 2021)

snake said:


> I'm a little lost on this. Could you explain what you mean? Called out? Forfeit what?



I ran a cycle last year: Nand.
Its random drug test.

I signed up as a way to stay off, stay clean.

But then realized Nand would still show even 5 months later.


----------



## snake (Feb 21, 2021)

dted23 said:


> I ran a cycle last year: Nand.
> Its random drug test.
> 
> I signed up as a way to stay off, stay clean.
> ...



Got ya my man. I didn't want to cast any stone thinking you were a guy trying to beat the system. That long ago, any benefits are long gone out the door.


----------



## Badleroybrown (Feb 21, 2021)

dted23 said:


> Jin, yeah man, I’m committed to it.
> worried about the outcomes if I get called out.
> 
> I fully expect to be the bottom of the leaderboard, which is fine. I just won’t be able to handle forfeiting if the situation arises.
> ...



When you put your starting number in make sure it is something you know you have made in a training session. What will not make you a happy man is to come out to heavy and miss it. Once you set a number  you have to make it . You can always go up but could never come back down. So if you know you pulled a 405 deadlift in training pull your first at 405 then on your second you can go up from there. If you try and pull your second at 430 and miss it at least your 405 still stays. Also remember this. Once you pull your first and make it your confidence will jump thru the roof for your second and third attempts. Your adrenaline is so fired up when you make your first and you see all the people watching. Nothing like it. People cheer for you. Not only is powerlifting a completion against yourself and others it is also a great atmosphere cause wether you miss it or hit it people will still cheer for you and make you feel good. And by the end of the meet it becomes like a friendly family atmosphere.. last one I did I had my wife and kids with me . We spent 10 hrs hanging out and watching the fun... 
Good Luck Brother.....


----------



## SFGiants (Feb 21, 2021)

Rule of Thumb

1st attempt you can triple in the gym
2nd attempt you can double in the gym 
3rd attempt is all out

All out on all attempts is not smart

You should never be hitting the PR you want on the platform in the gym but be within 10 to 20 pounds of it or so


----------



## SFGiants (Feb 21, 2021)

Am example,

If you get 490 all day in the gym on the squat but keep missing 500 because it's your meet target and you keep tying to see if you can get it you have set your mind up for failure knowing you keep missing it.

If 500 is the goal 485 or 490 is were you stop in the gym unless it is too easy and your goal now is higher then 500.


----------



## TeddyBear (Feb 22, 2021)

Plans: 950 (hit all within past 2 weeks)
Round 1: 
Bench: 200
Squat: 350
Deadlift: 400


Round 2: 1045 (all hit in past 3 weeks)
Bench: 225
Squat: 375
Deadlift: 445


Round 3: 1115
Bench: 250 (current PR)
Squat: 390 (previously hit PR)
Deadlift: 475 (10+ PR)


----------



## SFGiants (Feb 22, 2021)

930 was my 1st total

About 4 months in of starting up on powerlifting.

It gave me a reason to work hard


----------



## BrotherIron (Feb 22, 2021)

Like so many have said, rest this week.  I like to use visualization as a tool.  See yourself walking up, making the lift, etc.  

Good luck, give it your all, and remember... have fun.  Take it serious, but remember why you're there.  Lifting for us is where we find ourselves, lose ourselves... don't just chase numbers and try to earn trophies.


----------



## TeddyBear (Feb 27, 2021)

Fam drama this week made everything exhausting.
Took three days off, for mental health and physical rest.
Tomorrow’s the day.


----------



## TeddyBear (Mar 3, 2021)

Did it.
Success.
I wanted in LBs B: 250 S: 390 and D: 475
I got B: 237.5, I missed a cue and lost a lift as a result I would have nailed. Could have prob hit an all time PR of 260 if I had been brave.

S: 390. Everyone there, myself included, believed I could have passed this current PR for 395-405 because it was VERY smooth.

D: I was gassed by the end of the long meet. I got 400. I failed my second two lifts.

But success was getting on the books, showing up, trying something new, agreeing to give it a try by signing up for my second meet. Gonna grind. Behave: aim for time under tension, be patient and not test 1-reps over and over. Rest between sets more. Warm up and stretch.

Im gonna hit 1200 lbs.


----------



## Jin (Mar 3, 2021)

Congrats man. That’s great.


----------



## tinymk (Mar 3, 2021)

Good for you brother! You made a plan, trained and executed under stress.  Hats off to you buddy


----------



## ATLRigger (Mar 3, 2021)

Good work.   Can i ask what cue you missed ? I don’t know much about these rules so I’m curious.


----------



## TeddyBear (Mar 3, 2021)

ATLRigger said:


> Good work.   Can i ask what cue you missed ? I don’t know much about these rules so I’m curious.



Bench commands are:
Start?: begin lowering bar
Bench; wait until bar has settled in hole
Rack: rack

I couldn’t hear the ref the first time, the second two tries my spotter yelled the commands for me.

Problem was I couldn’t hear the command, started lowering bar (then thought, oh, wait for the command) and raised the bar a tad. Spotter repeated “do it man” and then I did the rest of the lift easy. That hesitation counted as failure unfortunately, I was on cue, but couldn’t tell due to the loudness of it all.


----------



## ToolSteel (Mar 3, 2021)

it is somewhat rare in real life to beat your best gym deadlift on the platform IME. Sure you see people PR on IG but that's the highlight reel. You simply have a lot of energy sucked out of you by the end of the day. 

Nice work man. Glad you took the advice form the beginning of the thread and just jumped in.


----------



## Big Worm (Mar 23, 2021)

Keep at it. It only goes up.


----------



## TeddyBear (Mar 23, 2021)

Big Worm said:


> Keep at it. It only goes up.


Thanks.
Yeah, I was *thisclose* to a 405 squat last week. Today I hit 395 (up 5lbs from meet) without the spotter at all, and decided rather than pushing harder to instead hit reps at lower weights for more time under tension.

Just my poor bench has remained stagnant and weak.


----------



## BrotherIron (Mar 23, 2021)

A lot of people don't realize what it's like to take all 3 and go max effort for them in 1 day.  When you split the lifts up to a day each, you're fresh and can create more power. 

Congrats on getting on the platform and pushing yourself.


----------



## DieYoungStrong (Mar 23, 2021)

Congrats on getting into the books.

Anyone who beats a gym deadlift PR in a full power meet is either a cyborg like Ed Coan, or they were holding back on the other lifts.

My gym deadlift PR is 75lbs north of my meet PR.


----------

