No, no minimum for qualifiers.
No, no minimum for qualifiers.
D
Deleted member 26533
Guest
No minimums mate. Usually listed as qualifiers on the schedule.
Helping out at a competition today. Feels good to be around it all again after covid.
Good on you sir. Saying this for the benefit of others (as I know you know) but comps really only work as a result of people like @Titus helping out and letting the lifters focus solely on what they are there for, to lift! Hope you enjoyed the day.
Lewberry pie
Striker
Emma and kalle are as sound as a pound, I've had a little bollocking off her once but she was right what she said cause I was dropping too early on squat before she gave the down command.Decent little intro here:
Guide to Powerlifting & Gyms – British Powerlifting Union and Amateur British Powerlifting Union
britishpowerliftingunion.co.uk
To give my point of view:
First of all, choose a federation. I went (A)BPU after a recommendation on here. I haven't regretted that, I've had nothing but support from them. Plus, you're lifting side by side with lads on gear but at least it's all very open - i.e. you're lifting alongside them but not competing directly with them, which I understand may be the case in other federations. And there's no contest really (to put it into context, the difference between the ABPU and BPU British records for my current category is c.100kg - nearly 20%!).
Not sure where you're based but their closest comp is Rotherham (which is ok for me as I'm based between Northallerton and Bedale). That would be Feb next year. I believe the IPF may have events in the north east, but others can verify that, or you can give it a Google.
The rest of this post will be based on my experiences with the BPU.
Then there's the weigh in. Sometime between 24 and 2 (for local shows, national and international is day before only) hours before the start it does what it says on the tin - you fill in what you're going to do (bench only, deadlift only or full power [all three]), strip down to your underwear and get weighed. For the BPU you can move up (or down!) a weight category compared to what you registered with on the day - so if you miss weight it's not game over.
Then onto comp day. You will be split into 'flights'. This is a section of up to 20 lifters who will lift together. For context, in my first comp I was in a one flight competition of 13 - we started at ten and were done and dusted by three. At the Euros there were four flights on my day, my squat started at 11.15 and first deadlift was at six, long old day!
Early doors you get measured for squat rack and bench heights.
At weigh in, you also submit your openers - your first lifts. Make these conservative - as if you fail you can only re-try, not go backwards. The lifters are then ranked going from lowest opening weight to highest, and lift on that order (referred to as 'rising bar'). Everyone has their turn at their first squat. They load the bar, shout 'bar loaded' and then you have a minute to start your lift.
Immediately after your first lift you submit your second attempt (you have one minute from completing the lift to submit your second attempt).
After all lifters have completed their first lift the bar 'resets' - as in, it goes back to the lowest weight on the second turn. So, you may switch positions on the second turn if your lift is higher than someone who lifted after you on the first go.
After your second lift, you move on to your third attempt.
That happens, in the same cycle, for squat, bench and deadlift. Your highest lift on each discipline counts towards your total - e.g. if you successfully lifted 130kg, 140kg and then failed 150kg on squat you would have a total of 140kg after squat.
Your total determines your positioning within the competition. In both of my competitions thus far I've been the only lifter in my category.
If, for some reason, you fail all three lifts within one discipline (you don't get any successful lifts, as I very nearly did at the Euros) you have 'bombed' - and don't achieve a total.
At the end, subject to not bombing, you get a medal, everyone cheers, and they pick out the best lifters on the day for a special award.
Three things that have been massively important to me:
1. Read the rule book - it sets out the criteria you'll be judged against and they *hate* people saying 'I didn't know' if it's there in black and white in the rules.
2. Ask questions - I did ahead of my first comp and saved myself some potentially embarrassing pitfalls - be confident enough to ask stupid questions ahead of the day, rather than put yourself at risk of scrambling on the day - everyone would rather you asked in advance, especially if you're new.
3. Get a handler - this is someone with a bit of experience who will look after you on the day. It is a potentially overwhelming experience the first time you compete - having someone there to tell you 'you need to be over there now' or 'you'll be up in about three minutes' or 'you're looking dehydrated, drink something' - is invaluable. Thankfully I had a friend of the family who knew a bit who was able to come to my first comp. For my second, the lad who was meant to be looking after me broke a bone and couldn't make it, but thankfully a couple of teams took me under their wing. If you don't know anyone who could handle you email the federation and explain the situation and I'm sure they'll find someone - powerlifters want people to love and enjoy powerlifting, so will look after you.
Please feel free to ask any questions - and perhaps at least one of @Titus , @Charmless Man or @Lewberry pie could add anything I've missed that they've found important or chip in with any other considerations?
Both sound like kalle has picked me up more than once when I've failed a squat he virtually lifted me up with the weight, he's also not bad for the odd verbal cues when your about to unrack the bar without bracing properly, they're good people.
Anyone who wants a coach I would recommend Titus he's coached me before has as much knowledge as the main well known coaches out there and I've done pretty well even after we stopped working together because I learned a lot from him.
I've not really started coaching just struggle for time but I do occasionally do 1-1 sessions as one offs when I can make a bit of time but I don't charge anything.
Class mate I'll have to keep an eye on this thread I've not been on much lately.
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Joe Public
Striker
Didn’t go heavy today, so no pb for me. Changed things up a bit and used the normal bar instead of trap bar, which is very different. Took me a while to get it right and only got up to just over 100kg for 8, but pleased with it. Did some other stuff that I haven’t done before to work some different places.
time for a holiday, I’m very ready for it.
time for a holiday, I’m very ready for it.
I'm sure the gym has been mentioned on here before, and I thought this may be of interest to some:
This guy is my coach's coach, coming over from Canada.
It's too rich for me, having just taken on a coach, but sure it'll be a great event.
This guy is my coach's coach, coming over from Canada.
It's too rich for me, having just taken on a coach, but sure it'll be a great event.
Have a great holiday mate, you've earned it!Didn’t go heavy today, so no pb for me. Changed things up a bit and used the normal bar instead of trap bar, which is very different. Took me a while to get it right and only got up to just over 100kg for 8, but pleased with it. Did some other stuff that I haven’t done before to work some different places.
time for a holiday, I’m very ready for it.
davoak
Striker
This threads got me watching a lot of youtube and Instagram videos again. Tried squatting low bar for the first time ever today what a difference feel like I'm using all my legs squatted 100kg for five can see myself getting into this see what my recovery is like. Any recommendations for a newbie dead lift? Video wise. I normally just do the trap bar one bit fancy pulling some decent weight before xmas
Lewberry pie
Striker
There's loads of good stuff, there's a bloke calls himself deadlift panda (no idea why) and his videos are decent, stronglifts have a good few cues, it all depends what part of deadlift you struggle with.
I worked with a lad who's had a hip replacement and knee rebuild and the best thing he ever did was start his pull from a seated position which eventually meant he could do it without the chair.
davoak
Striker
Have a look at that cheers Im a blank canvas barely ever done a conventional dead lift
This video has been posted a few times on this thread. I for one found it massively beneficial, and I know others have too:
davoak
Striker
Will be having a bit play about with this the next few days, cheers. Like his videos a lot
Also that panda bloke little stick man thing has resonated with me gana be hoying some logs about at the sawmills tonight
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Deleted User 11453
Striker
Where are you off to mate?Didn’t go heavy today, so no pb for me. Changed things up a bit and used the normal bar instead of trap bar, which is very different. Took me a while to get it right and only got up to just over 100kg for 8, but pleased with it. Did some other stuff that I haven’t done before to work some different places.
time for a holiday, I’m very ready for it.
Joe Public
Striker
Am in Zante now.
Deleted User 11453
Striker
Have fun, it’s red hot here m8.
D
Deleted member 26533
Guest
Chris Duffin and Alexander Bromley do good videos on bracing, which I think is actually a very important thing to understand before watching the more specific dos and do nots around form.
Two of the most common deadlift mistakes I'd say I see are people starting with the bar quite a distance away from their shin and also trying to squat the weight off the floor, commonly seen with a quite a degree of forward knee shift (as opposed to more vertical shins)
davoak
Striker
Will look into these before I start properly next week cheers
Hucknalls Fluffer
Central Defender
Pulled a 205kg deadlift at 80kg b/w which is a new 1rep max this week despite very little training of that lift for some time. I’ve been running a back squat programme for a few weeks and I’m wondering if that’s carried over a little in terms of overall strength.
Nice work fella, keep at it!
Joe Public
Striker
Class that, was it with Olympic or trap bar?
Hucknalls Fluffer
Central Defender
Olympic, the gym I’m at doesn’t have a trap bar. I was absolutely knackered afterwards!
