Stubborngrl's Powerlifting Journey

[stubborngrl]

Ah, truly a fellow countryman...um...countrywoman...uh...countryperson....um...drinker. There we go.

LOL...I am pretty sure it is not a good thing to be bragging of our ethnic cultural alcholisim

This specific meet is IPA, which is one of the more popular around here. Westside Barbell (of Westside fame) is 15 minutes from me, so geared competitions are the most popular locally. I have always trained raw as I didn't have firm plans to compete, so my biggest issue right now is learning the equipment. For the next month and a half, I will be working in the gear to learn the different grooves and also work to identify opening weights. For a first meet, I'm mainly concerned with hitting the opening weight, so I'll be conservative there. I'd like to get to a 1700 total, which should be reachable just based on my raw lifts and add a few pounds with the supportive gear. My best raw lifts would give me around a 1600 total. Something like a 600+ squat, ~500 bench, 550+ deadlift in gear should be feasible. But I'll be happy with a first meet in which I hit the opener for all 3 lifts, even if that means a lower total, as I just want a baseline to work to improve for the next one.

On your spot, just tell them to not touch the bar unless it's going back down or stuck for x number of seconds. You shouldn't be doing any crazy weights with that rep scheme, so hopefully it's a slower speed going down that you can maintain if you lose it rather than crashing onto your chest and stapling to the bench. And if that happens, honestly the weight isn't crazy heavy anyways , so I don't think it would hurt too bad, although I'm sure 100 lbs of bar weight feels very differently on your chest than mine

you lucky *******!!!!!! that's awsome westside barbell is so close (yes, jealous)
I thought the lifts were supposed to go as follows???

first attempt-something you can do in your sleep
second attempt-a PR or 5/10 lbs over
third attempt-all out, heavy as possible????

LOL, ya getting pinned down by 95 lbs won't be too bad...just embaressing...

I am still debating about places here in Canada...one meet is tested, one is now..I am natural, but doubt highly there are many 50 kg girls out there who are on the juice..lol...

 

[DLDave]

LOL...I am pretty sure it is not a good thing to be bragging of our ethnic cultural alcholisim


you lucky *******!!!!!! that's awsome westside barbell is so close (yes, jealous)
I thought the lifts were supposed to go as follows???

first attempt-something you can do in your sleep
second attempt-a PR or 5/10 lbs over
third attempt-all out, heavy as possible????

LOL, ya getting pinned down by 95 lbs won't be too bad...just embaressing...

I am still debating about places here in Canada...one meet is tested, one is now..I am natural, but doubt highly there are many 50 kg girls out there who are on the juice..lol...

Yes, Westside is an impressive, hardcore place. I've been there a few times, unfortunately not strong enough (or crazy enough) to train there regularly. Louie is a pretty nice guy, definitely knows his stuff, and is more than happy to talk on the phone if you ever run into things you're unsure about.

You've got it right for the lifts, at least for us beginners. The more experienced guys may have a different take on it. That opener still might be a bit tricky for those of us new to gear, as a misgroove is going to be difficult no matter the weight, and you still need to use fairly heavy weight in order to touch in a bench shirt or get depth in a squat suit.

For you first meet, I wouldn't put a lot of thought into it. Find something that meets the rules you like, allows the gear you want to use, and is a date that you can work towards. Don't worry so much about the competition for your first one.

 

[the other half]

good to have you here.
good luck on the new adventure.

are you trying to put a lot of mass on, or just going for the strength?

 

[stubborngrl]

Yes, Westside is an impressive, hardcore place. I've been there a few times, unfortunately not strong enough (or crazy enough) to train there regularly. Louie is a pretty nice guy, definitely knows his stuff, and is more than happy to talk on the phone if you ever run into things you're unsure about.

You've got it right for the lifts, at least for us beginners. The more experienced guys may have a different take on it. That opener still might be a bit tricky for those of us new to gear, as a misgroove is going to be difficult no matter the weight, and you still need to use fairly heavy weight in order to touch in a bench shirt or get depth in a squat suit.

For you first meet, I wouldn't put a lot of thought into it. Find something that meets the rules you like, allows the gear you want to use, and is a date that you can work towards. Don't worry so much about the competition for your first one.

All the "gear" talk slightly confuses me, I have no idea what a bench shirt looks like, nevermind how it works...I don;t even use chalk, so I am pretty ignorant of the gear that some people use...

people keep telling me the meet is about expereince, but i really can't help it that i am overally competitive, and want to win

I should go and see one, I am pretty sure I do not know enough about the "signals" yet, and need to learn that as well....

good to have you here.
good luck on the new adventure.

are you trying to put a lot of mass on, or just going for the strength?

thanks for the welcome

I am just going for strength, in fact I have a tendency to lose weight when on a heavy lifting program, and I think I have enough mass right now

(when I started lifting i was 98 lbs, 26% bodyfat, now I am 113 lbs at a lower bf then when I started-about 18% or so) I am one of those girls whose delts make her look silly in a dress

 

[DLDave]

In that case, you'll want a meet run by a federation that is either raw, has a raw division, or will let you compete raw. I'm not familiar with what they have in Canada, but you can probably find some more info here (Powerlifting by State & Province | Powerlifting Watch) or at Canadian Powerlifting Union.

And honestly, for someone new to powerlifting, raw is probably the right move anyways as the gear is fairly expensive so you'll want to be sure you're into this before spending that money. And some people choose to compete exclusively raw anyways. And a word of advice, invest in some chalk or liquid chalk for those deadlifts, easy way to increase the weight.


And delts under a dress might look funny to another woman who has no delts, but not to a guy (unless the guy also has no delts).

 

[stubborngrl]

In that case, you'll want a meet run by a federation that is either raw, has a raw division, or will let you compete raw. I'm not familiar with what they have in Canada, but you can probably find some more info here (Powerlifting by State & Province | Powerlifting Watch) or at Canadian Powerlifting Union.

And honestly, for someone new to powerlifting, raw is probably the right move anyways as the gear is fairly expensive so you'll want to be sure you're into this before spending that money. And some people choose to compete exclusively raw anyways. And a word of advice, invest in some chalk or liquid chalk for those deadlifts, easy way to increase the weight.

I was planning to go through the CPU, but they have no listings for shows in my area near the end of the year..the other show in May I want to do ..is not tested (drugs) and not raw,,,but..I have checked the regional records, and there are NO 50 kj girls currently even competing (last record was from 2003, I think), so I wonder does it matter raw vs gear in that case???

p.s) thanks for that info I am quickly learning that pl'ers are a whole lot more helpful then fitness girls, lol

 

[Triple Threat]

if anyone has ever been to a PL meet, it would be great to hear about your experiences/reactions to it..thanks.

I haven't, but there are many good articles here. Some of them deal with getting ready for a meet and competing at one.

 

[DLDave]

so I wonder does it matter raw vs gear in that case???

It really probably wouldn't matter regardless, but if you're the only one in the division it really won't matter at all since you'd probably be the only one that cared that your weight-class competition had an advantage with gear.

 

[the other half]

In that case, you'll want a meet run by a federation that is either raw, has a raw division, or will let you compete raw. I'm not familiar with what they have in Canada, but you can probably find some more info here (Powerlifting by State & Province | Powerlifting Watch) or at Canadian Powerlifting Union.

And honestly, for someone new to powerlifting, raw is probably the right move anyways as the gear is fairly expensive so you'll want to be sure you're into this before spending that money. And some people choose to compete exclusively raw anyways. And a word of advice, invest in some chalk or liquid chalk for those deadlifts, easy way to increase the weight.


And delts under a dress might look funny to another woman who has no delts, but not to a guy (unless the guy also has no delts).

i agree 100%, the only soft spots i want to feel are suppost to be soft.

 

[stubborngrl]

I haven't, but there are many good articles here. Some of them deal with getting ready for a meet and competing at one.

thanks so much, looks like i have some reading to do

It really probably wouldn't matter regardless, but if you're the only one in the division it really won't matter at all since you'd probably be the only one that cared that your weight-class competition had an advantage with gear.

no, at my level, and my size I am proberly lucky enough not to have alot of competition (dammit)

[/B]

i agree 100%, the only soft spots i want to feel are suppost to be soft.

LOL....well, I am not sure the majority of men (or women) feel that way...

 

[Pylon]

LOL...I am pretty sure it is not a good thing to be bragging of our ethnic cultural alcholisim

View attachment 24744

 

[Pylon]

And delts under a dress might look funny to another woman who has no delts, but not to a guy (unless the guy also has no delts).

Amen!!!

 

[stubborngrl]

Week 5-Me Bench

Wide Grip Bench
warm up-1x6 (45 lbs), 1x6 (65 lbs)
***it was here my wrist started bothering me***

changed to reg grip bench-3x3 (95 lbs) no spotter..wrist still bugging me despite change

2x6 (85 lbs) wrist pretty fried, so i stopped.....will explain later.

Unassisted Dips
1x10, 1x8, 1x7 (little bit of wrist issue, I normally do them weighted)

Side Raises
3x10 (15 lbs)

DB Rows
3x10 (40 lbs)

20 minutes bike.

Well, I have a minor injury that apperently is further aggrevated by wide grip bench. While prepping for my fitness show last year, I had to "re-learn" gymnastics (after a 12 year hiatus) and, as time went on, and I practiced flips and such on hardwood floors, my wrist (left) started becoming a pain in the bum. Basically, it is a latent injury that normally does not bug me too much.
I wrap it when lifting, and normally does not hurt too much, but wide grip bench is definitly something I want to avoid at this point...shame, becasue I think I could have used the lift to my advantage....

...had a nice compliment from a bb girl at my gym who was trying to convince me to continue fitness competing..she said I had a great physique, and from a another girl this is a nice complaiment...I expect lots of this from competitor freinds at the gym,(telling me to keep competing fitness) who think I should ride the success of my first show/first place win, and keep at it....The idea of it fills me with fear..

I would rather face a big heavy ass bar and a room full of men who dwarf me rather then apply pro-tan again, and look forward to a tsb of peanut butter...lol..great respect for the girls who compete!

 

[stubborngrl]

View attachment 24744

LOL....
I think I missed the irish alcholic gene...

Amen!!!

at least some men have taste