Hello, I was wondering for your guys opinion on a couple of things
- I usually train around 3:30 everyday, but the meet that I will be competing in starts at 9. Previously I tried to train one morning and could barley lift 75% of my 1rm. Should I change it up before the meet to start training in the morning to get used to doing so?
- I am planning on competing raw, 181’s. Currently I weigh 176.5. I wasn’t sure that in the 14 weeks that I have left I should try to stay at this weight exactly so I can eat breakfast before the meet, and so I so I do not have to cut before. Or while training for strength should I continue being in a caloric surplus.
- What do you guys think that I should eat prior to teh meet and during. Gatorade, trail mix, etc.
Thanks for your input
I take it its two hour weigh ins and not 24 hour weigh in? Is this your first meet? Are you going to be there alone or with a team?
This is one of the best articles I’ve seen about making weight:
http://www.elitefts.com/documents/making_weight.htm
Also, you want to make sure you bring lots of high calorie/high carb food with with you on meet day, and make sure you have a variety because you never know how you are going to feel. I like to have a stack of PB&J sandwiches on hand, a few candy bars like snickers (these are good toward the end of the day when you need a boost), pop-tarts, and other crap I usually wouldn’t eat except during a meet. My last meet after weigh ins I went and got a giant omelette dripping with cheese and a huge stack of pancakes after weigh ins and then ate PB&j’ sandwiches the rest of the day, and this seemed to work well for me. You need energy foods that won’t make you sick to your stomach and you need to assess what those foods might be for you.
It is generally unnecessary to train in the morning. You will have to get up early, weigh in, eat, warm-up and the general level of excitement wakes you up, the other stuff is in your head.
You are 176 so I would suggest you gain 1/2 lb a week for about 10 weeks or so, so you weigh in right at 181 or close to it. Most lifters find they lose a pound or two from nerves due to the meet the week before. Make sure you are weighing yourself in naked in the morning on an accurate scale to get a good sense of what your weight truly is. Most people lose 2-3 lbs overnight so if you go to bed at 182 or 183 you will likely be fine after you pee and poop in the morning. If you can weigh in early, great.
Good luck with it
I suggest not concerning yourself in the slightest with how much you weigh and just focus on the next few months getting strong as shit and SFW on meet day. Seriously, if you weigh in at 183, so what? Are you about to break world records in the 181? Total elite? If not, then what does it matter? Beating a bunch of other guys who for wahtever reason want to get skinnier before lifting weights doesn’t make any sense to me. Lift at whatever weight you are at and get your first total, then go and beat that the next time.
As for food, I eat a ton of junk in the horus leading up to the meet. Most people here disagree with me, and I suppose it depends on what you’re used to, but my meet staples include a steak dinner the night before, a big ass breakfast the day of, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches int he hours leading up to it straight night before (if you aren’t eating the whole loaf, you aren’t trying), box of oreos, gallon of milk, and surge workoutfuel.
Like you, I hate lifting in the morning since I usally work out around 9 pm. Take a good stimulant (make sure its a legal one for your federation) imemdiately upon waking and get down to business. Tim is right that the adrenaline from the meet will probably perk you up, but never hurts to have a bit of assistance.