BECOMING A METAL MILITIA WARRIOR
COMPETING
This is what you train for. Competing is the ultimate test where you prove yourself on the platform under strict rules in front of qualified judges and an audience. Competing is your time to shine. Your time to prove to the world and to prove to yourself that you can do what you set out to do and more.
Experience teaches us how best to prepare for a meet, what to do during the meet and what to do after the meet to get our best results.
MEET PREPARATION
- Plan your food and drink and prepare it.
- Lay out all your gear for the meet.
- Have back up gear in case of gear ripping or not fitting.
- If you are curtting weight be prepared to reduce your openers by 10 percent unless you have done this before and found that your strength didn't suffer. Also, make that your weight cut involves cutting water and not carbohydrates. Water can be replaced in 24 hours, but electrolytes require 36 hours. Don't get surprised on the platform.
- Practice your eating menu on heavy squat or bench days and find out what you can eat for maximum performance. Some lifters will eat a lot or eat normally the day before and eat very little the morning of the meet. Don't do what some lifters do when they stuff their face the night before with high salt foods. You will not feel good the next day on the platform. Practice your eating during training.
AT THE MEET
- What to bring with you.
- Your handler should be trained and what they should do.
- When to eat and drink.
- Have your warm-ups planned and practiced and stick to them.
- Don't compete in the warm-up room.
- Have your handler watch the lifter order.
- Don't watch the meet, turn your chair around and focus on you.
AFTER THE MEET
- Eat, sleep and rehydrate.
- Get a massage or stretch to aid in recovery.
- Take time off completely,
- Enjoy your success for a while.
- Spend time with your family.
- Then, plan your next meet.