Competition Prep Tricks
Freaking out about your upcoming competition? Here are some ways to prepare.
Use real collars because they change the feel and sound of the bar slightly.
Load your weights just like they’ll be loaded in competition.
Train in different gyms, on different platforms, or even just facing a different direction.
Warm-up for snatch and clean & jerk exactly how you will in competition.
Use variable rest times—ideally have a buddy tell you to go at unpredictable intervals.
Don’t listen to your choice of music, or any at all, on heavy attempts.
Don’t avoid or eliminate distractions in the gym—practice lifting with them.
Limit the number of misses you allow—get mentally ready to make lifts when you need to.
Rest 10 minutes between snatch and clean & jerk to practice staying warm and focused.
Finally, practice different ways to buy time between heavy attempts—waves, pulls, lighter lifts, powers, or combinations of these.
Another one to consider is training in your singlet if it’s not something you’re comfortable with—it’s a chance to get used to it, see if you need a shirt under it for clean & jerks, and figure out how to manage your fruit basket or prevent showing the whole warm-up room your personal business when you bend over (ladies: most singlets are pretty much sheer when stretched).
In short, try to replicate competition conditions as much as possible, especially the fact that you won’t be in control of your environment.
Comp video by Barbellstories
Use real collars because they change the feel and sound of the bar slightly.
Load your weights just like they’ll be loaded in competition.
Train in different gyms, on different platforms, or even just facing a different direction.
Warm-up for snatch and clean & jerk exactly how you will in competition.
Use variable rest times—ideally have a buddy tell you to go at unpredictable intervals.
Don’t listen to your choice of music, or any at all, on heavy attempts.
Don’t avoid or eliminate distractions in the gym—practice lifting with them.
Limit the number of misses you allow—get mentally ready to make lifts when you need to.
Rest 10 minutes between snatch and clean & jerk to practice staying warm and focused.
Finally, practice different ways to buy time between heavy attempts—waves, pulls, lighter lifts, powers, or combinations of these.
Another one to consider is training in your singlet if it’s not something you’re comfortable with—it’s a chance to get used to it, see if you need a shirt under it for clean & jerks, and figure out how to manage your fruit basket or prevent showing the whole warm-up room your personal business when you bend over (ladies: most singlets are pretty much sheer when stretched).
In short, try to replicate competition conditions as much as possible, especially the fact that you won’t be in control of your environment.
Comp video by Barbellstories
