11 Days. 15 Pounds

[Gary Gibson]

Ok, y'all. Don't get mad at me.

I've absolutely ruined my squat and pull this cycle, but my bench has been zooming up. Tonight I benched 235 x5, x5, x4. My knees are still on the mend from all the crazy squatting I did so I'm avoiding squats entirely, but I did pull tonight. 465x1 which was damned hard and also 40 lbs below my last meet best.

I'm already signed up for my meet on July 11. I just wanted to put up a higher bench number in my weight class and was willing to do a token squat, but had hoped to pull closer to what I did last time. Looks like that's not going to happen.

Looking at my body and amazed at how much stronger I haven't gotten despite the extra bodyweight I now have. I have a little bit of a gut that I wouldn't mind if it meant I was getting stronger.

So I'm thinking of trying to lose 15 lbs to compete in the 165 come July 11. Honestly I don't think it would hurt my squat and pull any. They'd still suck, but I'd rather put up those numbers as a 165-er than a 181-er. Of course, that sort of bodyweight drop would probably kill my bench.

It's extreme and crazy, but honestly I don't have anything to lose. I'm going to suck at this meet whether I squat 400 at 181 or 380 at 165. I'd like to hold onto most of my BP gains, however. I need to start all over after this meet and after I get back from my business trip. Start on a quick novice progression with light squats, this time doing it by the book.

I expect a lot of rebukes for this. I'd also like some advice on losing dropping a weight class in a week and a half. Thanks.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

BAD BAD BAD Choice, Gary. I cut some weight prior to a meet about a year ago and it KILLED my bench. I dropped about 20 lbs in the course of 30 days, with a big chunk of that weight lost in the last half of that 30 day period. I missed my opener of 365, whereas a few weeks prior I had hit that same weight for 5 sets of doubles with a pause.

Benches always suffer most when cutting weight. Not only does your leverage change directly around your joints (loss of sarcomeric diameter, and decreased ability to store water and glycogen), but you generally add an inch or more to your ROM.

I train athletes and non-athletes alike, and have observed this trend with EVERYBODY.

I have lost over 50 lbs in the course of the last year or so and my bench is about where it was at that higher bodyweight.....BUT.....I have been going at a rate of 1 lb or less per week, so my strength was able to keep pace with the weight loss. Simply not doable with a weight cut as severe as you are proposing.

[Gary Gibson]

Andy, thanks so much for the advice. Consider it heeded.

I know full well that the bench suffers the most from weight loss. It's the one lift I really want to do well on this meet and here I am thinking about dropping an entire weight class. It's just that my squat and deadlift strength has not been keeping up with my move to the 181 and now those lifts have dropped and it's freaking me out. Heck, I wouldn't be so freaked out if my squat were still burned out, but I could pull over 500.

[OITW]

qualuudes, Gary. valium. take something to shut your hyperactive mind down. yoga. Gwynn, hit him with that yoga stick.

It's like you've got a "good idea" fairy wired on coke running around inside your cranium. Good idea fairies need rest, too.

[Jason B]

In the same post you acknowledge that the bodyweight drop would kill your bench and you state that you want to keep your bench gains? You have to prioritize.

I agree with KSC, keep the weight on. Powerlifting is the ultimate sport where you compete against yourself. If you're hitting PRs, who gives a shit where you place in a class? Unless you have a chance for some serious prize money or some records or championships, just weigh what you weigh and be strong. And don't trophy chase, that's gay.

[chevyguy3]

You already stated that you know your lifts at this meet are going to suck. With that in mind, you should just keep the weight on and focus on continuing to build strength for your future meets. You won't make much overall progress if you keep cutting yourself back down and throwing away recent hard earned gains.

[TrackJunkie]

I imagine you'd be lucky to hit a 2500 Cal/day deficit even on some crazy crash diet, which would give 27500 Cal under maintenance total, which is about 9 lbs. Are the other six pounds coming from water weight? Oh! I know! Liposuction!

[gzt]

We need a stick. We will write on it, "You are not a 75kg lifter!" We will beat you with it every damn time you bring up the 75kg class unless you are saying something along the lines of, "Man, remember how I used to be crazy and lift in the 75kg class? That was crazy. I'm glad I weigh 90kg now."

[beast]

I don't know if it would be viable ie if you have paid up front ect, but maybe you could skip the meet in its entirety, take next week light and then spend the next four months on the texas method, microloading the bench ect and then enter a meet.

[toddmr]

I have seen no better evidence of the benefits of weight training to the peace of mind of the trainee than what happens when a lifter is unable to train. they mentally chase their tails into places best left unexplored.