Powerlifting meets are a time for you to show off WHAT you are capable of after a training cycle.
Are you going to come in and dominate the competition? Maybe you are looking to set some PR's and have a good time.
Whatever the case, there are thousands of Google results that will give you a pre-meet checklist (including ours right HERE), but not many are willing to do the work of giving you questions to ask before a meet.
Here are a few things we think you should ask yourself before you dive headlong into a meet.
Table of Contents:
- Am I healthy enough to last all of meet prep?
- What powerlifting goals am I looking to hit?
- Am I strong enough to even make this worth while?
- Is my training plan going to let me improve properly?
- What is my stress level looking like?
- Am I actually excited to compete on meet day?
Am I healthy enough to last all of meet prep?
This is probably the first question you should ask yourself, not only before a meet, but before an intense training cycle as well.
If you aren't healthy, your injuries and nagging are going to hold you back from success more than anything else. If you aren't going to be able to train at full-throttle for a meet (this varies from person to person) then you may not be able to build up the confidence needed to put up a total on the platform.
One important thing to keep in mind when it comes to powerlifting is the term healthy. As a powerlifter, the deeper you get into prep, the more sore and banged up you may tend to be. As much as we don't want to say that's to be expected... expect it.
However, if you have a torn muscle, sprained ankle or something serious like that, please for the love of all that is holy, address that injury BEFORE you get into meet prep.
What powerlifting goals am I looking to hit?
Your goals on meet day are your guideposts when it comes to meet prep. Without those goals, lifters can find themselves feeling lost, demotivated or even a little worried about the outcome.
Goals aren't just relegated to your total (though that does help) on the platform. It can be as simple, as mentioned before, as just having fun on meet day.
It doesn't matter what your experience level is, you should have some semblance of a goal. If you don't have one, get one.
Am I strong enough to even make this worth while?
The simple answer for this is yes, you ARE 100% strong enough to make powerlifting meets worth while.
Your strength level going into a meet doesn't matter as long as you are looking to improve on what you did before. Either by increasing your total, going 9/9 or just having a good time.
Strength is relative when it comes to powerlifting. If you are strong enough to step on the platform, you are strong enough to compete.
Is my training plan going to let me improve properly?
If you don't have a plan, get one. It's that simple.
If you've never competed before, you can go with a basic plan from a quick Google search or ask around and see what is a good fit.
If you have done this before, break out the good old training routines from the past and ask; What went right and what went wrong with the last peaking cycle?
The other quick way to do this may cost a bit of money, but hiring a coach is a huge step in the right direction to get better and could heavily benefit you here.
What is my stress level looking like?
Stress is a major cause of mental and physical fatigue and should be properly addressed in any meet prep plan that you have waiting for you.
Your life shouldn't take a back seat to your training so if you have a ton of stress coming from the meet, this is a crucial part to examine.
Your support system is important if you want to succeed. Whether that comes from your significant other, training partners, coaches, friends or more, you should have people that you can depend on to share the experience with.
If you are stressed, there is nothing wrong with pulling out from the meet for your mental health, because there will always be another meet, but there won't be another you.
Am I excited to compete?
When it comes to powerlifting, if you aren't excited, what's the point.
Going through the motions puts stress on you and those around you, puts you at risk for injury and so much more.
At the end of the day, you should be having fun when you step on the platform, no matter what you think could pop up through the day.
Final Thoughts:
If you can answer these questions honestly and full of confidence, you will be setting up your meet day experience to be that much better.
Because at the end of it all, powerlifting should be fun and enjoyable. The platform shouldn't cause you pain, stress or injury. You are your most valuable asset, treat yourself like it.
FOLLOW THEIR JOURNEY
If you are looking to follow and learn from some amazing people and powerlifters follow the links below or read thisarticle for some great stories. Or if you are looking for programming, you can find one of our free programs here or you can reach out to one of our team members to see how to take your training to the next level.
- Max Hall
- Payton Cowan
- Brandon Dudley
- Brian Morehouse
- Cydney Bushue - Insta and TikTok
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