I am still pumped from my experiences at Nationals and thought I would share some of my recent reflections. As a 'newbie' to this sport my intention is to highlight what has worked for me in my first two competitions (GPC WA State Titles, GPC Nationals) so that others in a similar situation can learn from my numerous rookie mistakes. The list that follows is by no means exhaustive and I will add to this over time but for now:
1. You must be consistent: Training for competitions is not about the big sessions and smashing PB's it is about the consistent application of your training. Consistency in this context means not missing a session and hitting your planned reps each session. In fact I remember a coach providing a great analogy, he suggested that training is like building a house, you arrive at the job each day (training), stick to the plan, hammer nails etc and after a year you have a house. This last 6 weeks between States and Nationals has been the most consistent focused training ever and it resulted in a 30kg PB total.
2. Team is everything: More than anyone I prefer to train alone. I work long hours and sometimes find it hard to commit to group training times. However training for Nationals reinforced the power of a strong team. So many times when doubt was gnawing at me prior to a big lift a teammate would get in my face and push me to a PB. In fact on my final bench at Nats I was pushing a 7.5kg PB and I remember hearing a huge shout as I tried to push through the sticking point. I got that lift and the PB and when I reviewed the video it showed the source of that shout was Paul Rucci my coach coming back towards the bench and screaming at me to push through. You simply can't buy support like that.
3. Video everything: Videoing each work set in training and at competitions has provided me invaluable immediate feedback on my form and positioning. Without doing this it is far too easy to fall into bad practices and potentially reinforce a poor movement pattern. Videoing also allows you to seek out advice from coaches who may not be present when you lift. Bottom line, everyone has a camera phone so there is no excuse.
4. Get your form right: Observing experienced lifters it's clear that their form on each rep is consistent. Whereas for much of my training each rep is like a snowflake: every damn one is unique. Therefore a good lifter focuses on his cues and driving from the same point each time while newbies like me waste energy over-thinking positioning etc. Therefore spend time understanding the proper movement pattern particularly in regard to your genetics. For example I have long femurs which dictates a more specific movement pattern in the squat i.e. more forward lean. Therefore it would be silly of me to try an overly narrow stance. Bottom line understand the movement lock it in and make it subconscious, then reinforce with verbal cues.
5. Preserve your Energy backstage: It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of backstage at a competition particularly at a comp like GPC Nationals with so much amazing equipment and so many lifters. Think about finding a quiet space and keep that energy for your attempts. Oh and keep an eye on the flight as some lifters get caught up and miss their call or have to rush to the platform.
6. Think about meet day nutrition: I spent some time on this for Nationals. At States I overdid the fluids particularly Gatorade type drinks and paid the price spending a shit load of time in the toilet as well as having an energy dip as those simple carbs flooded my system. For Nationals I had a very small breakfast with limited carbs (plenty in the tank from loading after weigh in the day before) and took in a small amount of carbs during the day along with a normal loading of water. Consequently I had a for more even energy level throughout the day and spent more time on the platform less on the porcelain.
7. Write shit down: If you are serious about improving as a lifter then write stuff down, analyse it then use what is relevant. It stuns me how many guys say they want to improve but leave it to guess work to remember the feedback and specific cues they received from coaches and/or more experienced lifters.
8. Bloody enjoy it: Given all the preparation and bustle of the day it is easy to forget to stop and enjoy the moment. I can tell you that there is nothing sweeter than being on that platform you against the bar hitting a PB with the crowd, your peers and fellow lifters all yelling and screaming for you. Pat yourself on the back given you are doing something that 90% of gym goers never work hard enough to achieve.
On a final note if I compare my lifting last year before I competed and my lifting now that I have two competitions under my belt there is simply no comparison. We are competitive animals and competition galvanizes your training effort and gives it a purpose. So get on the platform with GPC and have as much fun as I did.
I will close with a couple of pics of the PTC Perth team....
Multicultural PTC Perth team, Darwin (world record deadlift), Ando and Yianni...gif the powerlifting doesnt work out we could all open a food hall!
All smiles after my event...not sure what Daz is smilling about he was in the 100kg class so still had to lift the next day!
Stay Strong
Thomo
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