My first PL comp at Crystal Palace 20th October

**hailtotheking** · 28-09-2007 11:51 AM

Well, i took the plunge and got my BAWLA membership, and signed up for this at the same time! Hoping my broken finger will have healed enough for me to deadlift (my strongest lift) - i've been megadosing on glucosamine ,chondroitin, and cissus, and the swelling and mobility has improved a helluva lot since i broke it. I'm 76kg at the mo, and want to go in at the 75kg category. So thats not too bad.

I'm looking for a few pointers from competetive lifters:

EQUIPMENT:
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i have never used equipment before - i dont even own a singlet! I have been advised not to bother going in equiped this time and just compete for experience this time around. Does anyone have any advice about a singlet i should buy? I'm going to use the same wrestling boots i've been training in for a while now.

NUTRITION:
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I feel quite confident about this one. I've been on the Anabolic Diet for a while now, so i'm used to training in a carb-depleted state. I can normally fully carb up in a day using WHOLESOME, LOW GI CARBS. So i reckon i could therefore also fully carb up in a few hours using some high GI carbs like jelly babies, WMS, maltodextrin, and a little low GI carbs (e.g. fine oats, fruit smoothie) and some K-R-ALA to stabilise my blood sugar. My plan is to weight in carb-depleted, and then immediately begin carbing up. Obviously, i want to avoid too many bulky, fibrous foods so i dont sh*t myself during the comp

.

Whats the deal with stimulants and nootropics in these comps?

TRAINING AND RECOVERY:
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With the comp only 20 days away, obviously i cant mess around too much here. I'm just wondering what i should do between now and then. I understand that heavy deadlifting should be stopped about 10 days before the comp, squatting 7 days before, and benching about 5 days before (taken from an article called "Cycle, Peak, Taper, Dominate" by Jack Reape) for full CNS recovery for these movements. I'm thinking of going "balls-to-the-wall" next week in all 3 lifts, then doing some moderate-easy squatting and benching early part of the following week, followed by some light sports massage (i wont be seeing my usual therapist, Dr Evil as i call him, for this one), and active recovery (stretching, mobility, and high-volume low-resistance band work).

If anyone has any tips on how i can modify or improve this, please let me know

**James Copping** · 28-09-2007 12:26 PM

Well I'm going to say no more heavy deads. Still pull "heavy" but make sure they are fast. Next time I do a meet for example, I plan to pull 300x3 24days out, then I will go for 250x3 17days out FAST and 275x3 fast 10 days out.

Squats I would make the last heavy one 10-8 days out. Last heavy bench 14-10 days out but do a DE session 7 days out.

As for diet, dont try to lose weight, if you;re 76kg i'd just stick to 82.5's.

Curt · 28-09-2007 12:28 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by James Copping

Well I'm going to say no more heavy deads. Still pull "heavy" but make sure they are fast. Next time I do a meet for example, I plan to pull 300x3 24days out, then I will go for 250x3 17days out FAST and 275x3 fast 10 days out.

Squats I would make the last heavy one 10-8 days out. Last heavy bench 14-10 days out but do a DE session 7 days out.

As for diet, dont try to lose weight, if you;re 76kg i'd just stick to 82.5's.

yea defo stick to the 82.5s and gain weight and strength for it.

**hailtotheking** · 28-09-2007 01:11 PM

Cheers for the advice meaty. I havent deadlifted in weeks since i broke my finger, but i reckon i could start pulling next week. So you reckon keep it light?

My concern with going in at 82.5kg is that i would be at the bottom of the weight group, and i'm nowhere near strong enough to compete against the 82.5kg guys. I reckon i can easily lose 1 kg without it affecting my strength (just cut my fat intake a little). However, if it seems too much of a struggle, i'll go in at 82.5kg.

Whats allowed in terms of stimulants and nootropics on the day?

What singlet would you recommend? I was looking at the basic Inzer one that Andy Bolton sells.

**James Copping** · 28-09-2007 01:23 PM

Yeah, the one andy sells is fine mate, get a medium.

If you haven't pulled in a while 2 heavy sessions should be ok, just to get the technique right.

You cant have ephedrine, but I think nootropics are fine. I am not 100% sure though so double check everything you use against the list of banned substances.

**ADER** · 28-09-2007 01:59 PM

If you want to drop a Kilo that shouldn't be too difficult, but if you intend to put on weight over the next few weeks and then drop some just before the comp' that's going to be more difficult.

Attached it is quite interesting re making weight - Leo used to lift (Oly style) for GB and he was always v good at making weight I seem to recall - Having been surprised on a number of occassions when he dropped down into my weight class at some competitions including buggering up my hopes of a gold on one occassion at the British student champs - B*****d.

http://www.qwa.org/articles/wloss.asp

**hailtotheking** · 28-09-2007 05:18 PM

Jim - I emailed Andy at lunchtime. Fingers crossed he gets back to me sharpish and i cn buy the singlet and get it delivered before its too late. I'll just use some caffiene with my usual nootropics formula - nothing dodgy in that, but i will check the banned list. Got a link to it?

ADER - I intend to just shift this kilogram over the next 20 days. TBH, i weighed in at the end of the day, when im naturally at my heaviest after eating all day, so i reckon a morning weigh in will put me at a kilogram lighter anyway. Those recommendations are ok, except i follow a high fat, low carb diet

I also refuse to follow the dehydration and starvation methods they suggest the day before weighing in. I will cut my carbs back to the original 30g i was on when i first started the diet, and reduce my fat intake a bit.

**hailtotheking** · 01-10-2007 01:36 PM

James, do you still train with Andy regularly? He still hasnt got back to me regarding that singlet, and i'm running outta time before my comp ( i would actually like to do a few practice lifts in it as well before the comp). If you see him , i dont suppose you could ask him to email me back. If hes not interested, not to worry, i'll just use Pullum Sport or someone similar to get one.

Curt · 01-10-2007 01:47 PM

what comp are you competing in?

can you give me some links to it please.

i am interested in this.

Curt · 01-10-2007 01:48 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by hailtotheking

Jim - I emailed Andy at lunchtime. Fingers crossed he gets back to me sharpish and i cn buy the singlet and get it delivered before its too late. I'll just use some caffiene with my usual nootropics formula - nothing dodgy in that, but i will check the banned list. Got a link to it?

ADER - I intend to just shift this kilogram over the next 20 days. TBH, i weighed in at the end of the day, when im naturally at my heaviest after eating all day, so i reckon a morning weigh in will put me at a kilogram lighter anyway. Those recommendations are ok, except i follow a high fat, low carb diet

I also refuse to follow the dehydration and starvation methods they suggest the day before weighing in. I will cut my carbs back to the original 30g i was on when i first started the diet, and reduce my fat intake a bit.

when your there eat alot of chocolate