Thinking about competing

[Reddragon44]

I am considering joining my college's powerlifting team. The workouts I structure on my own have been enough to give me huge gains lately, so I am holding off for awhile. Nationals are coming up in April I hear, and I am wondering where my lifts stand compared to the competition and if they are good enough to qualify for nationals or state level championships. I am 5'9, 180 pounds. Bench 345, Squat not sure but I am comfortable working out with 385 3 sets of 8, Deadlift can do a set of 6 with 405 before my grip gives. So probably in the high 400s or maybe 500 for Squat and mid 400s for dead. I am also 19 years old and a freshman in college. I will be starting bulking pretty soon and I hope to shoot up to 200ish, but I could probably lose 2 pounds to go to the 198 class. My lifts will have increased a ton too, I hope. I was 155 4 months ago with a 250 deadlift, 275 squat, and 225 bench. If this 2nd bulking phase follows the same pattern, then...

Anyway are these enough to be competitive?

 

[wnt2bBeast]

ive yet to do my first meet..most likely later this year..but everyone keeps telling me it doesnt matter what you lift everyone is cheering for you..

if you have the ooportunity to join your schools PL team i would definitely do it..training and being coached by a group of PL will only help you and add to your total..enjoy it go for it!!!!

 

[Scotsman]

If competing is something you want to do then don't worry about your weights. The experience is invaluable and will help you more than you can imagine in your lifting. Don't get caught up with worrying if you are strong enough to win or not. My first bench contest the guys I went with all thought we had a good shot at winning, then two national record holders showed up out of the blue and crushed the competition.

Moral is compete against yourself for yourself.

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[Chambewy20]

You will gain a 100 times more knowledge and experience by just getting in there and doing it than any other way. You can sit there, post questions, read threads and articles and never gain the knowledge you will gain by just doing your first meet.

Pay attention to everyone cause everyone does it different. People squat slower, faster, closer, wider, deeper, higher, bench with a huge arch, no arch, pull conventional, sumo, double overahand, over-under, get all fired up after sniffing some ammonia or just walk up there like they just got done taking a shit.

You'll find out what works for you, maybe only for now, but you will at least get a glimpse of how the other freaks lift.

...that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[pwrlftrscott]

I am considering joining my college's powerlifting team. The workouts I structure on my own have been enough to give me huge gains lately, so I am holding off for awhile. Nationals are coming up in April I hear, and I am wondering where my lifts stand compared to the competition and if they are good enough to qualify for nationals or state level championships. I am 5'9, 180 pounds. Bench 345, Squat not sure but I am comfortable working out with 385 3 sets of 8, Deadlift can do a set of 6 with 405 before my grip gives. So probably in the high 400s or maybe 500 for Squat and mid 400s for dead. I am also 19 years old and a freshman in college. I will be starting bulking pretty soon and I hope to shoot up to 200ish, but I could probably lose 2 pounds to go to the 198 class. My lifts will have increased a ton too, I hope. I was 155 4 months ago with a 250 deadlift, 275 squat, and 225 bench. If this 2nd bulking phase follows the same pattern, then...

Anyway are these enough to be competitive?

yes, they are good numbers for a 181 junior, will be very competitive on the local or state level, get in there and compete, you will learn more in 1 meet about p/l than you can read online or in mags in a year. if guys know your new to the spot they will go out of thier way to help you.

 

[Devastation]

join the team

 

[Parabellum]

Just do it.
The only numbers that matter are your numbers. It's between you and the bar, that's it.

 

[Quadsweeps Sister]

Just do it.
The only numbers that matter are your numbers. It's between you and the bar, that's it.

Great advice...just do it.

It is between you and the bar...and for some people there is a lot more [space] between us and the bar! Have a great time!

 

[Parabellum]

I was always comparing numbers and thinking that I'm not strong enough. Then after 5 yrs, yeah 5 yrs I said fuck it. I just started getting into powwerlifting and everyone I talked to always said the same thing. Basically It's between me and the bar.

I used to look at the stats for my bodyweight and I was way off. I was discouraged. But eventually I realised that it was not about other people stats. It was about setting personal records (PR). The more and more I set PR's the better and stronger I felt.

I entered my 1st ever bench press comp around 9/03, raw to boot. Man I trained hard, but I made a lot of mistales. I decided to diet down. Everyone said donlt diet just do the meet. But I was focused on other peoples numbers. I was around 260 ish and my best lift was 365. (it's in my log somewhere or on the boars, I'm not plart so I can't search that far back) I remeber warming up in the back. I actaully worked uop to 365 in my warm up, probably not a good idea. The Y offered prises forteh 1st and 2nd place. I can on 3rd. THIRD!!!! WOW I was siked. I found out that there was another raw meet a few months away. I decided not to diet for it and just train hard. I can in 1st place!!!! WOW. That was 11/03.

Everyone here is here to help you out. That's what we do. You will find that the powerlifting community will always offer advice and try and help you out. I've never seen a group of strangers so willing to share their knowledge.

Speaking about strangers I was shocked at how the crowd, ref's, andspotter encourage you.

So all in all, compete you will not regret it.

 

[Parabellum]

Where are you from?