3 Tips to Prepare for Your First Powerlifting Competition

People exercise for different reasons. Some want to enjoy a better-looking body, while others do so to improve their health. Regardless, there's always a reason behind someone's efforts to exercise. However, some take it to a whole new level: training for competitions. Whether it be Olympic lifting, powerlifting, and the like, serious gym-goers put the extra effort and time into honing their craft, not only improving their physique and strength but also preparing their skills for such competitions.

That being said, if you've recently taken an interest in powerlifting competitions, you might be wondering what you can do to prepare for the event thoroughly. Luckily for you, we've compiled some tips you can follow to do exactly that:

1. Look For Competitions

One of the first things you should be doing if you are interested in powerlifting competitions is to look for a competition to join. Preferably, opt for a local competition. This way, it is easier for you to reach. Plus, since it's smaller, the environment is generally much friendlier and open than a professional competition, which is perfect for getting you started and familiarizing yourself with what powerlifting competitions are all about. In fact, this kind of friendly aura might interest you in long-term competitions, motivating you to ready yourself up for the big leagues.

2 Start Training for the Event

Once you've identified a local competition you want to join, now's the time to start training. Particular to powerlifting, your focus will be on the bench press, the squat, and the deadlift. These will be the core lifts you will need to demonstrate, and if you were to fail a lift or use the wrong form when lifting, you would quickly be eliminated from the competition. Of course, if you succeed, then you will earn points for how well you did the core lifts. 

On that note, don't forget to train other things like grip strength, breathing, and form. All of these factors will impact your performance, and the better you are at all of these, the better you will be overall as a powerlifter.

3. Keep Food and Recovery Consistent

A big part of being able to train well is to eat and recover properly. These two are a vital part of any exercise, especially when you are preparing for a competition. No matter how hard you train, you must always eat right and rest enough. This allows the body to stay fueled throughout the exercise and recover quickly once you're done training. 

With that said, don't be afraid to opt for things like supplements and a post-workout shake. These extras can provide the body with the essential amino acids and proteins to recover better. Also, to recover faster, you can opt for things like a massage tool or even an ice bath. It'll get your muscles healed quicker, getting you back into training faster.

Conclusion 

You can do a handful of other things to better prepare yourself for the competition, such as investing in good training gear to enhance your training efforts. Regardless, all of the above tips are essential in ensuring you are ready for a competition, that you can perform at your best, and be proud of what you've achieved. Now, if there is one more tip we can give you before we end this article, it is to remind you not to worry. Don't stress yourself out for the competition. This is your first meet, and it's okay to feel a little nervous. Understand that this will also be many other people's first time! Just enjoy the moment, and even if you don't like powerlifting in the end, you can still say that you've given it a go!

Award Winning Fitness is a team of experienced and certified coaches in Texas offering premium fitness and bodybuilding training in their private gyms and online. If you require powerlifting competition training from the experts, reach out to us today!