calling all powerlifters

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

So I’m doing a powerlifting meet next weekend and am trying to figure out my openers and then where to go from there. My last meet (December 2002) was my first meet using equipment and only my second meet ever. So I’m looking for some improvement just from getting a little more comfortable in the meet setting as well as the strength gains I’ve made over the last couple of months. Below is what I’m tentatively planning on doing - any comments/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Squat - last meet I hit 480 solidly, felt like I was good for about 500 but didn’t get a shot at it as 480 was my third lift. This meet I was thinking of openning at 460, then going to 500 and then trying 515+ depending on how 500 felt. I should also note that when I’ve done a type of box squat on ME day I’ve been getting about 20# prs.

Bench - last meet I hit 350, struggled with it so that’s about where my max was I think. This meet I was planning on opening at 330, going to 360 and then maybe 370 depending on the second attempt. I’ve been getting 10-15# prs on bench ME days.

Deadlift - last meet I hit 530, really don’t know if I had more in me. I’ve gotta admit I’m pretty lost on what to do here. I’ve never missed a deadlift since I switched to sumo so I don’t know if I should just put a ton of weight on there and go for broke on the third attempt. Was thinking of going 500, 545, and then 570+ or maybe 580+. Thoughts?

Sorry for the length of the post.

2

I would open at 480 on the squat and then go to 500 or a little more on your second depending on how 480 felt. Then go for broke. Open with an easy opener on the bench and then go for a pr on your second try. Then go for broke. Same on deadlift.

3

make sure you get your opners and go from there. if you are inexperienced, the pressure from a meet may halp you lift more or it might not. how much weight are you cutting? the more weight you lose, the more thgat it affect your lifts. I’ve opened at about 575 on the squat and dl, jump up 30 lbs on the second and go for whatever i can on the last. i’ve seen some people try making pr’s on their 2nd attempts and not get them where they could have made smaller jumps and made progress. good luck.

4

You hit on what I’m a bit worried about - making big jumps in weight between attempts. The problem is that everybody says openners should be a weight you can do for three reps and then your second attempt should be a small pr with the third being go for broke. The problem with that is it seems to lead to a big jump in weight between the first and second lift. So I guess one could fix the problem by either openning heavier or by only going for a pr on the third attempt. I think I’m going to go with openning a little heavier, maybe with a weight I know I can get but not one that I can do three reps with.