I am Currently 4 Weeks Out from USAPL Cbus Lifting Co. Spring Classic
One of the biggest mistakes lifters make at a meet (particularly beginners) is poor management of stress throughout the day. Most competitions last at least 6-8 hours, with many going beyond that. You have to be at peak performance for 9 different lift attempts at (or near) your maximum strength level, and as you can imagine, this can take a toll throughout a long day.
Combine the physical stress of lifting with the emotional stress of competing, performance anxiety, possible physiological affects of a weight cut, and other unforseen factors; and mismanagement of stress can lead to burnout and a poor meet performance.
I've written about stress response in-depth in my mental health article series, but basically you have 2 directions the "needle" of your stress meter can go: Sympathetic (fight or flight), or Parasympathetic (rest and digest). Think of Sympathetic as pressing the gas pedal to the floor (adrenaline is released, body goes full-go, etc), and Parasympathetic is letting off the gas pedal (body relaxes, stress levels are reduced). If you let yourself sit in a Sympathetic state the entire meet day (potentially 8+ hours), you will burn out and won't be able to finish the day strong to your full potential.
It's perfectly normal to find yourself nervous and on edge during a meet, but too often I see lifters sitting in between attempts with their fists clenched, blaring music in their headphones, and taking shallow breaths while tapping their feet uncontrollably. All of these are sympathetic-dominant activities, that if you do them for 8 hours, you will burn yourself out and risk poor performance.
That sympathetic, "go-time" side of the nervous system is absolutely necessary for your lifts on the platform, but the key is to switch out of sympathetic as soon as you leave the platform. If you can become more parasympathetic-dominant in between attempts and throughout the day when you aren't lifting, you will save precious mental and physical energy for when it counts most, under the bar.
Here are 3 simple but effective ways to stay parasympathetic throughout the meet day:
- Turn down the Five Finger Death Punch - Save the pump-up music for when you're approaching your lifts, and if you choose to listen to any music throughout the rest of the day, keep it to something that will keep you calm.
- BREATHE - taking diaphragmatic breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth (timing these over 7+ seconds can be effective as well), is scientifically proven to switch the body to parasympathetic-dominant.
- Surround yourself with the right people - Bring a handler or training partners that can think objectively, take extra stress off your plate, and keep you focused when things don't go as planned.
...Remember when it comes down to it; believe in yourself, trust the work you've put in, and embrace the challenge of meet day!
Competitively - My last competition was the UPA Winter Rack Attack on December 17th (competed raw at 220lbs). It was my second meet back transitioning to competing raw, and my goal entering next year is to qualify for a larger raw competition (whether it be at the Arnold or elsewhere).
I'm currently the Fitness Director at Ohio University as well as Event Coordinator for EliteFTS. I'm also involved in coaching and public speaking on topics relating to powerlifting, coaching, education, student development, and mental health.
For Coaching & Programming Questions, feel free to contact me at joeschillero@gmail.com
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