When you used your modified warrior diet to prep for a powerlifting meet did you make adjustments to a normal diet as you got closer? How do you approach the day of the meet with food and supplements as I am expecting a long day? Thanks!
From DBS
DBS,
That is a great question and the topic is something that needs careful consideration, especially when it comes to making weight and ensuring performance is high on meet day.
We’ll operate under the assumption that you are within 10 pounds of your target weight class. Using my last meet as an example, I was anywhere from 248-252 pounds one week out from the meet. I kept my normal modified warrior diet setup as it was until the Thursday before the meet (I was lifting on Saturday at the 2010 Lexen Xtreme Pro/Am).
Thursday night for my evening feast, I cut my carbs in half from what they were. This took me down to 150g of carbs in my evening feeding. Protein and fats were kept as is, which was 400g protein daily and fats 100g daily.
Friday I kept protein and fats the same again, however carbs were completely eliminated. With the reduced carbs Thursday and the elimination Friday, my Friday evening weigh-in before utilizing hot baths and showers was 246. Two hot baths later I decided to go to bed weighing 244. I knew with overnight natural weight loss I was going to be just fine. I woke up in the morning at 242 pounds on the dot and wanted to be doubly sure I weighed in under 242, so I hit a few more hot baths before weigh-ins and my official weigh in was 238. I was really pleased with this and it was off to Waffle House! I had the usual fare someone would have. Waffles, pancakes, ham and cheese omelets, hash browns...all the good healthy stuff! From there, it was back to easily digestible foods like protein shakes, Gatorade, waxy maize, etc.
If you are 15-20 pounds above your target weight class, I would suggest limiting your carb intake a few days earlier and also eliminating carbs from your diet two days prior to the meet instead of one day earlier as I did since I was relatively close to the target weigh-in.
Don’t worry about cutting back your carbs and suffering strength loss, you’ll fill back up in no time after your weigh-in. Besides, maximal force production doesn’t primarily rely on glycogen anyways.
As far as supplementation for the meet goes, I used a few basic supplements.
Creatine monohydrate was used at 5g per dose. Each dose is taken approximately 30 minutes before squating, benching or deadlifting.
L-tyrosine: This is a potent neuro transmitter. Tyrosine Hydroxylase is the rate-limiting enzyme involved in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter dopamine. Additionally, in the adrenal medulla, tyrosine is converted into the catecholamine hormones norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and epinephrine (adrenaline).
Dosage was 3g taken approximately 30 minutes before the opener of each lift.
Glycerol: Great for filling your muscles out, hydration and performance.
Use 1 tbsp, 3 times throughout the day.
Trueprotein’s Burn: A great stimulant (or fat burner).
Took 3 capsules twice during the day.
Citrulline Malate: A great supp with many benefits, namely phospocreatine and ATP recovery increase and reduction in ammonia and lactic acid. Each of those is wonderful for athletic performance.
My dose was 2g twice during the day.
That really covered it for supplementation during the meet. Make sure you have plenty of easily digestible food to eat or drink like I mentioned above. The supplements are optional, however I definitely feel they were beneficial to me.
I finished the meet with best lifts of 550/475/605 for a 1630 total, raw at 238 pounds. I'm aiming to top this total in my upcoming meet on May 14. I will certainly be using a very similar protocol.