Some realizations and also In need of some advice after first meet

[sirlinx]

So I've recently gone to my first deadlifting meet and I'd like to share some thoughts as well as getting some advice if possible, any input is greatly appreciated as I don't have a powerlifting coach.

thoughts and concerns
-I cut weight to make 75kg. I was weighing around 76.5kg a week out before the meet. went in weighing 74.5 kg because I thought it was going to be a meet done by weight class but come to find out, everyone was competing together. There were only 9 of us (powerlifting is not that big here), so I guess that makes sense. They took down my date of birth and weighed me in, they said they'd use some sort of formula to figure out the winner. I got 4th place but after talking to some of the other contestants I found out that some of them were crossfitters, so I'm guessing my placement is not that great. I will never cut weight again though, I guess that was dumb. All the guys at the top were big, so I need to get big. I'm going to take this year to try to get to somewhere between 80 and 85kg.

-a week before the meet I tried to figure out my 1RM, so I went from empty bar to 170kg with 20kg increments, then I did 172kg, then tried 176kg and it went up smooth but then tried 180kg and failed. I was shaking trying to pull it before failing (something that happened in the meet as well), but I figured my 1RM was somewhere around 177 and 179kg.

-at the meet I also warmed up from empty bar to 170kg with 20kg increments, but I was basically the only one that did that. Some of the guys started warming up with 100kg and made big jumps. The guy that won, who weighed 96kg and pulled 280kg on his second attempt (he failed his third), warmed up with one set of 200kg.
Question, am I wasting energy doing smaller jumps or is that smart? I'm guessing you're going to save a lot of energy if you don't warm up as you'd at the gym. From my point of view I just didn't want to get injured and comeback two days later at the gym giving my 100%, but going forward if not warming up that much can give me an advantage during a meet I'd take that advantage.

-so my pulls were as follows, 174, 176 and 179kg. Some of the other guys were making 20kg jumps from attempt to attempt.
Question, is that a good strategy? I'm guessing that also saves energy for your other lifts and perhaps they were using their first attempts as warm-ups. All I was thinking about was not failing and making sure I'd lift all my attempts, some of them failed their third.

-179kg was a PR for me and I hit that at the meet in my third attempt, I was feeling pretty good with my performance just for hitting the PR. However, my body was shaking quite a bit as I tried 179kg.
Question, is this normal? No one else was shaking, all my other lifts went up smooth it was just the 179kg attempt that I shook. Could this be a weakness in my core or quads or lack of nutrition as I was trying to cut weight or is it something I need to work on?

I'm posting my third attempt to show what I mean (kinda moved the bar a bit when I went in for the big breath at the bottom, I understand that's a mistake and I will work on it). Also, any input regarding my technique is welcome, I never really filmed myself working out so this was the first time I'd see myself deadlifting.

from the side:
VID 20211205 WA0044 - YouTube

from the front:
VID 20211205 WA0048 - YouTube

[Mark Rippetoe]

Nothing in this post and nothing in the video indicates that you have read the books.

[sirlinx]

Nothing in this post and nothing in the video indicates that you have read the books.

I have both audio books and have listened to each more than once. Thanks for the great feedback as always.
starting strength.jpg
practical programming.jpg

[Mark Rippetoe]

I'm sure you'll get some higher quality feedback.

[Szymon]

1. Warmup has been coverd many, many times here. I think there are 2 articles on SS website on this subject. Read it. At the meet you do exactly the same routine as you would during training, because you are used to it. OR you do whatever the hell you want and whatever gets you best results.

2. There are many strategies for the meet. You can open safe and than go all in. You can go all in at attempt one or you can play your game according to what other competitors do.

3. Shaking happens at maximum weight. I think a have read something about it on Starting Strength website but I never cared that much about it so I don't remember.

4. Your deadlift form sucks. You did not understand any thing from the blue book.

[dalan]

Disclaimer - I didn't watch the video.

I think the biggest thing is maxing out the week before your meet, especially on the deadlift. Probably shouldn't have done that. Shaking isn't uncommon on a max pull.

[sirlinx]

1. Warmup has been coverd many, many times here. I think there are 2 articles on SS website on this subject. Read it. At the meet you do exactly the same routine as you would during training, because you are used to it. OR you do whatever the hell you want and whatever gets you best results.

2. There are many strategies for the meet. You can open safe and than go all in. You can go all in at attempt one or you can play your game according to what other competitors do.

3. Shaking happens at maximum weight. I think a have read something about it on Starting Strength website but I never cared that much about it so I don't remember.

4. Your deadlift form sucks. You did not understand any thing from the blue book.

thanks

Disclaimer - I didn't watch the video.

I think the biggest thing is maxing out the week before your meet, especially on the deadlift. Probably shouldn't have done that. Shaking isn't uncommon on a max pull.

yeah I just never tried out my 1RM before so I didn't want to go into the meet blind, but I did take days to rest afterwards, only doing one workout with light squats and presses three days before the meet.

[Bill Anders]

It's a bit late now, but a search on this website would have led you to Andy Baker's article from 2010 - Prepping for your First Powerlifting Meet. It was a huge help for me going into my first and only meet.

[dalan]

I understand but the week before isn't the time to test. To be honest, your attempt selection was really bad and you spent way too much energy in the warm up room. You got a PR so thats great but maybe you could have got a bigger PR with less warm ups and better attempt selection. It's all about getting experience. You'll do better next time. Just like you already learned not to cut weight. Save that for if/when you are in a meet that matters and you actually have a chance to win or break some kind of record. I learned that myself back when I was armwrestling. Live and learn.

[sirlinx]

It's a bit late now, but a search on this website would have led you to Andy Baker's article from 2010 - Prepping for your First Powerlifting Meet. It was a huge help for me going into my first and only meet.

not late at all, my first meet was only to get experience really and this article will help with future ones, I'm trying to improve as much as possible. thank you.

I understand but the week before isn't the time to test. To be honest, your attempt selection was really bad and you spent way too much energy in the warm up room. You got a PR so thats great but maybe you could have got a bigger PR with less warm ups and better attempt selection. It's all about getting experience. You'll do better next time. Just like you already learned not to cut weight. Save that for if/when you are in a meet that matters and you actually have a chance to win or break some kind of record. I learned that myself back when I was armwrestling. Live and learn.

for sure, I will do some mock meets this year and try to play around with the warming up and weight jumps, thank you for your tips, I will improve!