Strongly considering a powerlifting meet

big in vegas · Mar 24, 2014

A buddy of mine is big into powerlifting and runs a lot of meets in my area (Ohio, WV, VA and PA). He asked me yesterday to consider doing the USPF Nationals meet in June since it is close to home in Pittsburgh. I've never considered doing a national meet like this, but after looking at some records and such I think I'm going to change my training to do this meet. I think I'm going to lift in the raw division. This is for a couple of reasons, first, I just don't have anyone around me anymore that can really help me with the bench shirt and all that entails. Secondly, I want to actually be able to say I can bench X amount and actually be able to lift that amount myself, no gear used, that way I don't have to hear anyone's bullshit about the gear doing all the work. I get sick of having to explain I benched this amount yet I can't do it in the gym without getting a shirt on.

So I figured I'd throw this out because I think I may be able to snag an American record or 2 in the raw division if I can really focus on training and eating. The last time I competed was in 09 and I wasn't nearly as strong as I am now so I think I can really impress myself.

Back then I competed in single ply, 181# class with a 501# squat, 314# bench and a 463# deadlift. Outside of the squat, I'm pretty sure I can hit all those right now without any gear.

With that said, the current American records in the 181# class are....463# squat, 325.2# bench, 512.6# deadlift and a 1300.7# total. I'm pretty confident I can get my deadlift up to around that record and I think I can also get the bench record.

This is my plan anyway and as of tomorrow I'll start getting a baseline of my lifts as of now to see where I'm at. I know my bench has fallen off, but it's coming back and I'll have nearly 2 full months of training for it so I should be back up into the 300 bench.

Millennial Monster · Mar 24, 2014

Sounds cool how much do you weigh right now? Do they piss test you?

Presser · Mar 24, 2014

raysd21 said:
Sounds cool how much do you weigh right now? Do they piss test you?

It use to be they would piss test the winners after the meets. But not sure how they do it now and no idea about this federation, as I powerlifter in the AAU which is no longer lol. And they wouldn't send you a letter or anything , you would just show up to the next meet and look at the paper taped to the wall with the competitors list and if next to your name it said "Please see Meet director" then you were toast lol, and they would tell you at the next meet that you pissed hot and you were banned lol,

fstr03svtcobra · Mar 24, 2014

I think it is fantastic that you want to do a meet!

But here's a couple things: The records you mentioned are JUST for USPF. Honestly, a 1300 lb total at 181 is pretty terrible so even if you did break that record, I wouldn't brag too much about it. The current 181 record with wraps is 1800 by Brantley Thornton and the record without wraps is 1705 set by Jamie Lewis. And there are about 10 guys who have totaled 1600+ just this year for 181 raw, without wraps. For larger organizations such as the SPF, a 1300lb total wouldn't even be the best total unless you competed in the 16-17 yo division at 181. In fact, you'd be 4th all time in the 18-19 yo division for SPF. I'm not saying your lifts are weak at all. In fact, you're stronger than 99% of the men in the world, but there are some strong motherfuckers that powerlift. It's really mind boggling how strong these guys are.

Now with that said and I've been an asshole, let me say this: Probably the best powerlifter in the world right now (or definitely top 5) did his first meet at 220 and totaled 1501. That's a shit total at 220. I definitely think you should do the meet, but don't be under the pretense that you are setting records. If anything, there's just never been a good 181 lifter that's competed raw in this organization.

So you have about 2-3 months to get ready. How are you setting up your training. Are you using gear (not the kind you put on your body, but the kind you put in your body haha)? USPF tests only at the discretion of the meet director fyi. Do you know how deep this fed wants squats? This is important. Also, do you have to cut weight and if so, are there 24 hour weigh ins in this fed?

If you haven't been doing strength training, you could possibly put 75+ lbs on your DL and squat before the meet and about 50lbs on the bench. If you use gear, even more.

I'll help with training in anyway I can. I'm still weak as shit, but I have deadlifted 650, sqatted 525, and paused benched 400+ all raw in the gym on no gear at under 200lbs.

Millennial Monster · Mar 24, 2014

I think it is fantastic that you want to do a meet! But.....

You just sunk his battleship bro!

big in vegas · Mar 24, 2014

fstr03svtcobra said:
I think it is fantastic that you want to do a meet!

But here's a couple things: The records you mentioned are JUST for USPF. Honestly, a 1300 lb total at 181 is pretty terrible so even if you did break that record, I wouldn't brag too much about it. The current 181 record with wraps is 1800 by Brantley Thornton and the record without wraps is 1705 set by Jamie Lewis. And there are about 10 guys who have totaled 1600+ just this year for 181 raw, without wraps. For larger organizations such as the SPF, a 1300lb total wouldn't even be the best total unless you competed in the 16-17 yo division at 181. In fact, you'd be 4th all time in the 18-19 yo division for SPF. I'm not saying your lifts are weak at all. In fact, you're stronger than 99% of the men in the world, but there are some strong motherfuckers that powerlift. It's really mind boggling how strong these guys are.

Now with that said and I've been an asshole, let me say this: Probably the best powerlifter in the world right now (or definitely top 5) did his first meet at 220 and totaled 1501. That's a shit total at 220. I definitely think you should do the meet, but don't be under the pretense that you are setting records. If anything, there's just never been a good 181 lifter that's competed raw in this organization.

So you have about 2-3 months to get ready. How are you setting up your training. Are you using gear (not the kind you put on your body, but the kind you put in your body haha)? USPF tests only at the discretion of the meet director fyi. Do you know how deep this fed wants squats? This is important. Also, do you have to cut weight and if so, are there 24 hour weigh ins in this fed?

If you haven't been doing strength training, you could possibly put 75+ lbs on your DL and squat before the meet and about 50lbs on the bench. If you use gear, even more.

I'll help with training in anyway I can. I'm still weak as shit, but I have deadlifted 650, sqatted 525, and paused benched 400+ all raw in the gym on no gear at under 200lbs.

Until I believe 2 years ago the USPF never had a raw division so that's why the records are low right now. I know it's not a big total by any means, but it's something to shoot for. I'm not even sure if I'll make it into that weight class or if I'll stay at 165. I haven't weighed myself recently so I don't know where I'm at. I know I'm light though.

As for training, I haven't changed anything yet, but I'll go back to the style of training I did when I last competed. A lot of board work on bench to focus on lock outs and pin presses for strength off the bottom. But with only 2 months to train, I'm not sure how much head way I'll be able to make. I just want to do it and see where I'm at.

As far as gear goes, I'm only taking 100mg of tpp eod right now along with mc igf, ghrp, cjc. I probably won't have much time to really get into a cycle that'll add much strength right now, but i can get some drol to throw into the mix for now to help out.

More or less if I do this I'll use this as a place to start. I know I'm better at power lifting than bodybuilding. I hate to just jump into a meet just to do it and it be the biggest meet of that federation, but I'm not going to let that hinder my decision if I choose to do it or not. As long as I know I can put up respectable numbers I will do it.

- - - Updated - - -

And as far as drug testing goes, I won't get drug tested in this federation. That's why I chose to stick with USPF and not usapl or any of the "natural" federations. I've never known of anyone to get tested in the uspf, but that doesn't mean they won't or don't do it. With this being nationals maybe it's different though

fstr03svtcobra · Mar 29, 2014

Hey brother how is the meet training going?

How are you setting up to peak?

Presser · Mar 30, 2014

fstr03svtcobra said:
Hey brother how is the meet training going?

How are you setting up to peak?

he just broke his little pinky finger and tendon tore off, so i doubt he is still doing this, but i could be wrong and their might be some hair on those nuts after all lol

big in vegas · Apr 4, 2014

I'm still training, but doing any kind of heavy weight is near impossible for the simple fact that I can't fully grip it. I have been using a suicide grip on bench so I wouldn't trust that grip with too much weight and there's pretty much no way I can deadlift with this stupid splint on my finger. I have my appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday and if he says the break is healed then I may try to go balls to the wall from that point. Even if he says I need surgery to repair the tendon, but the break is healed, it's on. Any damage I do to that tendon can be repaired while he's in there anyway. The only bad thing is that if I do need surgery, I'm not sure if I'd be able to train at all. I am not too sure I really want to be in a gym with all the bacteria and germs with an incision in my hand of all places. We shall see, but for now I'm still training, but I'm not really able to go heavy so it's not looking good for this meet.

Presser · Apr 4, 2014

yeah i train with an open hand and don't grip the bar on bench, but I'm pretty sure they make you grip the bar in powerlifting meets, at least thats how it was when i did powerlfiting meets, and i hated wrapping my fingers around the bar! I like having an open palm when benching

Strongly considering a powerlifting meet

big in vegas

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