You will notice that the items that are discussed
below do not include the most obvious considerations that should be taken with
you to your meet, such as snacks, power belt or wrist wraps.
Instead, this list includes a few items that
may not typically be considered when preparing for a powerlifting meet. To be sure, these items will certainly come
in handy for a lifter spending a day at a powerlifting competition.
It’s important to remember that nothing should be left to
chance on the day of the meet. Planning
for travel, traffic, and headaches at the site of the competition must be
optimized. Most lifters have their diet
and competition workout program down to a science.
But many are caught off guard for failing to
consider some of the smallest details when planning for a power lifting competition.
Folding Chair
Some venues that host power lifting competitions have plenty
of seating for competitors and spectators.
However, I have attended more than a few meets where some lifters had
nowhere to sit between flights.
Under
these circumstances, competitors have to sit on the floor or on some make-shift
chair, usually containing miscellaneous pieces of gym equipment. This is not ideal and may lead to fatigue and
frustration while waiting to lift.
The easiest remedy is to bring a folding chair or lawn chair
to the meet. These chairs are fairly
inexpensive and are relatively compact, making travel with them easy.
By carrying your own chair with you to a
power lifting competition, you will never have to worry about having a place to
sit down. Just the peace of mind knowing
that you won’t be sitting on the floor is enough to prevent unnecessary mental
stress.
The Quik Chair Heavy Duty 1/4 Ton Capacity Folding Chair is perfect for this purpose. It is wide and sturdy, which is important for us super heavyweights. Tape Measure
One of the most frustrating problems that can occur at a power
lifting meet is attempting a lift when the rack is not set at the appropriate
height.
Meet directors and judges
usually allow lifters to determine the proper rack setting prior to lifting,
but this often requires eye-balling the rack and guessing where the rack should
be set.
By determining your preferred rack height prior to the day
of the competition and bringing your own tape measure to precisely select your
rack setting, you eliminate the possibility of missing a lift due to incorrect rack
height.
You probably are most
comfortable squatting or bench pressing at a specific rack setting in your
personal gym or weight room. However,
due to variations in power racks and competition racks, it is best to measure
your ideal rack height ahead of time.
When it is time to select your preferred rack height on the day of the competition, all you need to do is place your tape measure against the rack and ask that the rack be set at the closest setting to your desired height.
Cash
It’s always best to have a few extra dollars with you when
you are at your competition venue.
There
may be a registration fee or federation dues that are unexpected. Also, T-shirts and other souvenirs are often
on sale. It’s always nice to have a
piece of memorabilia from your meet.
Having some extra cash also allows you some flexibility in
case the meet runs longer than expected and you don’t have enough food or
drinking water to last the rest of the day.
With some extra money, you can always hit a vending machine and purchase
some peanuts or some other low glycemic food product.
Extra Singlet or Shorts
Have you ever ripped your shorts or powerlifting singlet when going deep
in the hole while squatting? I sure have
and I don’t think I’ve met a competitive power lifter who hasn’t.
The last thing you want to happen is to rip
your singlet or shorts on your squat opener and have to walk around the rest of
the day with your cheeks hanging out.
How about diarrhea?
Have you ever pooped your pants during a heavy set of squats or
deadlifts? That is a little less common
than splitting your shorts, but it happens.
Some folks get the squirts when they get nervous on the day of a power
lifting competition. It’s best to be
prepared by having an extra powerlfting singlet or pair of shorts with you.
Get your powerlifting singlet at my Amazon affiliate link here.
Get your powerlifting singlet at my Amazon affiliate link here.
Antidiarrheal
See the above recommendation. If your stomach is feeling a little queasy
and you sense a bout of diarrhea may be coming on prior to your power lifting
meet, take an antidiarrheal. It may save
you some embarrassment and a missed lift.
While the above list is not exhaustive by any means, I have
found that the items discussed are some of the most valuable things to have
available at a power lifting meet.
However, they are often the most overlooked by many otherwise
experienced lifters.
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