I love to attend local powerlifting meets to see all the familiar faces. I enjoy the good vibes of people cheering each other on in the pursuit of getting stronger and personal improvement.
When I was refereeing at last month’s USAPL Georgia Spring Open, I noticed several competitors who had just competed the month before at the Georgia state meet. And once again last weekend at the USAPL Atlanta Women’s Open, several lifters were competing for the second or third time this year.
Now I am all about the DO YOU part of life, and how often you decide to compete is a personal decision. If you want to take the platform every month, GO FOR IT.
But I want you to consider something…
If you are constantly prepping, tapering and peaking for competition, and maxing out on your lifts every month, then when are you actually getting stronger?
There should be some periodization to your training, and if you don’t know what that means, I recommend you hire a coach.
Make a plan for the year
Pick a few competitions you want to do, and prioritize those to pick your TOP PRIORITY competition. Then make a plan to train for those competitions. Your plan should have hypertrophy, strength and peaking phases, as well as frequent deloads.
Don’t burn out
Being new to powerlifting can be very exciting, but it is also easy to burn out.
A few years ago I owned a gym and was competing at powerlifting on the national level, and I pushed myself right into adrenal fatigue, thyroid storm and exhaustion. I did five meets in 14 months, and that was too much for me. Other lifters can compete more often and it doesn’t affect them.
Being new to powerlifting can be very exciting, but it is also easy to burn out.
A few years ago I owned a gym and was competing at powerlifting on the national level, and I pushed myself right into adrenal fatigue, thyroid storm and exhaustion. I did five meets in 14 months, and that was too much for me. Other lifters can compete more often and it doesn’t affect them.
Just don’t pull a Jessie Spano (or Lis Smash) and compete yourself into exhaustion.
Give back AND enjoy the community
If you are just TOO addicted to the powerlifting world and you can’t stand to miss a competition, have you considered volunteering at one?
The USA Powerlifting world runs on volunteers donating their time to give back to the sport. I recommend you consider doing the same.
Look back at that plan you make for the year, and pick a few events to volunteer at. Seeing the sport from a different perspective will teach you a lot and you may just learn something to help you at your next competition.
Or, if you believe in powerlifting karma, maybe you’ll add a few pounds to each lift and volunteering can actual help with getting stronger?!?
Just ask a few recent Best Lifter award winners from the USAPL Georgia state meet – Dicy Saylor and Alicia Webb… BOTH USAPL VOLUNTEERS!
I’m just saying. It’s a pretty big coincidence*
To everyone who donated your time and resources last weekend at the USAPL Atlanta Women’s Open, and to all USAPL volunteers and volunteers in general, thank you.
Check out the list of upcoming USAPL Georgia events here: https://sites.google.com/site/usaplgeorgia/upcomingevents
In strength,
Lis Saunders
USAPL volunteer
East Atlanta Kids Club volunteer
IG @LisSmash
*PS – it’s not a coincidence. Those women BUST THEIR HEINIES and train really hard. But they are not only awesome lifters. They’re also awesome volunteers.
