Competing in a powerlifting or Olympic weightlifting competition is a great way to test your strength and ability. But it's also an opportunity for personal growth, camaraderie and sense of community, and setting and achieving goals. Here are some reasons why you should compete:
Personal growth. The process of preparing for your first competition can be challenging but rewarding; it will help you learn about yourself as an athlete by pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. You'll learn what works best for you when it comes to training, nutrition, and recovery so that next time around (and there will be a next time!) things will run smoother than ever before.
Camaraderie/Sense of Community: Strength competitions bring together people from all walks of life who share one common interest: lifting heavy weights. Whether they're athletes or spectators alike everyone gets along because we all have one thing in common - love for the iron. In addition there's usually plenty going on after weigh-ins such as food trucks or vendors selling merchandise related specifically towards strength sports which makes these events fun places where everyone comes together regardless of whether or not they're competitors themselves.
Training for a Competition
Training for a competition is a lot like training for any other sport. You want to build strength and endurance, choose appropriate programming, practice proper form and technique, and make sure you're fueling properly. Be sure you are familiar with the rules of performance within your selected federation so that you put up good lifts on meet day.
Choosing the Right Meet
You should research the different competitions that are available and decide which one is right for you. The first thing to consider is entry fees, then location, federation criteria, and rules and regulations.
You want to find out how much it costs to enter the competition so that you can budget accordingly. You also want to know if there will be any additional fees such as travel costs or hotel accommodations on top of your registration fee before signing up for anything.
Equipment and Gear
Equipment and gear are the most important things to consider when preparing for your first competition. You'll need to make sure that you have the approved clothing and footwear, along with belts, knee sleeves/wraps, wrist wraps singlet, etc.
Competing in the Meet
Each lifting federation has a handbook that outlines the rules of performance for each lift. Read the handbook so that you know exactly how your lifts need to be performed in order for the referees to accept them as a good lifts. Stay focused but remember that competitions are supposed to be FUN!
We do not recommend cutting weight for your first meet. It's an additional stress during the weeks or months leading up to the competition that is not necessary for your first experience.
Post-Competition Reflection
You may have had some successes at this competition--you might have set personal records (PRs) in some lifts or hit new goals that were previously out of reach for you. If so, celebrate those successes! You should also think about what went well during training leading up to the competition and how those things could be applied in future competitions. On the other hand, if things didn't go as planned during this competition or even during training leading up to it (and sometimes even when everything seems perfect), don't beat yourself up over it too much--it happens! Instead of focusing on what went wrong, focus instead on what lessons can be learned from these experiences so that you are more successful at your next meet.