Getting Ready for a meet what to do in the proceeding Week.

Your first competition or any competition can be a daunting experience and an experience if not handled right can sour your experience of the sport.  It is important to be prepared so you can concentrate on making your lifts and enjoying your day.  To make sure you can achieve this practice of the competition environment is essential the week before to allow you to settle as quickly as possible.

To provide some structure to your week proceeding the competition I have included a workout calculator that will show you the workouts you should complete in the build up to the comp.  It will allow you to practice the movements but will ensure it's light enough to allow you to be fresh for the big day.

If you just want to get to the money bit the competition calculator is here.  Just enter your openers and the spreadsheet will do the rest.  However here is a quick guide to performing the workout.

1. Wear your singlet and equipment for all the lifts! Its important to practice how you play wearing all the right gear will help you acclimatise to it and get comfy.
2. Warm up as you intend to on the day! take exactly the same jumps your going to take on the day of comeptition you want this process to be as robotic and rehearsed as possible.
3. Do every single meaningful lift to the rules! When your done warming up then get someone to give you the correct commands and judge you as strictly as possible.  Let them form nazi the hell out of you.  Listen and go on the commands many a lifter's day has been ruined by a missed squat command.
4. Take your time and get everything perfect! Get your set up nailed in every lift take your time and just like the warm ups be as robotic as you can with your set up.  You should set up with and empty bar the same way you intend to set up for you new personal best.
5. Open Light! - Your not going to win the meet with your first lift but can very well loose it, bombing is a horrible experience don't let it happen to you.
6. Finally Have Fun! Its a good day out and a chance to challenge yourself after all that training so take your time and soak up the atmosphere. 

Marc.