Competition Lifts 1st 2nd and 3rd reps from E1RM

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Never competed before, and I have a competition in 2 weeks. Assuming I am feeling 100% that day, what should I choose for 1st / 2nd and 3rd reps based on my E1RM numbers? How should I warm up to my first set for each? Below are the highest E1RM numbers from the low intraset fatigue program:

Squat: 452lbs
Deadlift: 479lbs
Bench: 326lbs

Notes:

  • I’m on week 14 of the low ISF fatigue
  • Have never attempted a true 1RM on any of the lifts, and have always lifted with at least 1-2 in the tank on each of the lifts.
  • My meet is on the 20th, and I want to absolutely give everything I have
2

Howdy! Congrats on signing up for your first meet. That’s huge!!! Also, nice numbers after this run through the Low Fatigue program.

The goal of a powerlifting meet should be to put together the highest total you can that day. To do so, it’s obviously important to make your lifts, which involves both technical proficiency and good attempt selection.

With respect to attempt selection, you could do a lot worse than the below:

  • Opening attempt- best set of 3 you’ve done in training, 95% of the best 1 @ 8 you’ve done, or ~90% 1RM.
  • Second attempt: 100-105% of the best 1 @ 8 you’ve done in training, or ~ 97% of your 1RM. Should be ~ 7.5 to 12.5kg more than your opener if things are feeling good for squat and deadlift, and 5-10kg more than your opener for bench.
  • Third attempt- 105-110% of the best 1 @ 8 you’ve done in training, or 100-102.5% of your 1RM. Should be ~5 to 7.5 kg more than your 2nd attempt for squat and deadlift, ~2.5-5kg on bench press.

I think it’s fine to go into a meet with a game plan for all attempts, but the one that should really be concrete is your opener. From there, you’ll have to feel out your 2nd and 3rd, all while trying to build your total. In this regard, it is better to leave 2.5kg OFF the bar, rather than go up too much and miss.

I’d favor having a set of A and B attempts, where A represents a larger jump if you’re feeling good, and B represents a more conservative jump if you’re unsure. Again, the sport of powerlifting is not just lifting heavy weights. Rather, it’s maximizing your total on a given day to the best of your ability.

I think e1RM can be used as a target 3rd, but your opener and 2nd attempts will quickly inform you if that’s realistic that day.

Lastly, I can appreciate that you want to crush this meet. I want that for you too! However, your peak PL performance is likely years (and many meets) away. Your target should be to go 9/9, leave ~ 2.5-5kg off an absolute 10/10 death grind for third attempts for at least squat and bench press, and maybe send it a bit on the DL if you’re feeling it. Other than that, have fun, meet people, and be a good sport!

-Jordan

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Hey, cool! Having just popped my meet cherry last month: everything Jordan said rings true. I am not an overly anxious person, but the nerves can play with you and is a new factor. How I experienced it was that they give you maybe an extra push in your early squat attempts, but as the hours go by they can drain you a bit. I’m not saying this to nocebo you, one of my judges was Kjell Bakkelund, and he is notorious for being able to outlift his training lifts at a meet, so I think the extra excitement can be positive if you got the mindset for it, but:

Remember to try to take breaks when you can! Between warmups and attempts I should have been better at just get a rough overview of the timing on stuff and try to take a big breather, stress down, let the body digest whhatever you try to eat and try to not let the adrenaline kick in until it has to. I believe I could have gotten my third attempt deadlift at least had I not just been so frazzled from the nerves all day. I went in with ambitions of hitting 240kg deadlift, or as plan B: 235kg. As you see I ended up attempting 232,5kg and missing. It’s one thing to set up in a quiet gym at your own pace when you feel your best, and attempting to perform after lifting on command all day.

With that said: Good luck! Remember, the first meet is probably the only meet in your life where every white lighted lift is by necessity a new PR! Gym PRs don’t count!

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4

Cheers Jordan, this is exactly what i was looking for. This is my second time on the low fatigue program but I stopped at 10 weeks last time. Also following your recomp recommendations in “To be a beast” article. Been slowly cutting ~100-200 calories a day for the past 14 weeks while getting enough protein. I lost about 14lbs while also gaining strength and feel my best ever. Week 6 definitely kicked my ass though. You’re advice is always legendary. Thanks a million!

5

Thanks for the kind words.

Last bit of info I’d add, is to NOT warm up too early. For the squat, I would recommend starting your warm up about 20 minutes prior to when you expect to take your first attempt. If you’re in the 2nd or 3rd flight, this will be about midway through the 1st attempts of the flight before you. If you’re in the 1st flight, I’d plan on starting ~ 20 min before the start of the meet.

For bench press and deadlift if you’re first flight, there’s typically a 10-minute break between the final attempt of the different discipline, e.g. between squats and bench press and bench press and deadlift. They start the 10-minute clock once the appropriate equipment is in place. I usually start warming up on bench during the final attempt or two of final flight of squats, and ~ midway through the final flight of bench presses for the deadlift. If you’re second or third flight, don’t worry about this.

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@Jordan_Feigenbaum 440 deadlift, 425 squat, 315 bench

Failed a 440 squat by accident. I will definitely get it next time, attached a video of the failed attempt

I went 8/9 but technically 7/9 because I took my head off the bench on my 1st. I probably had slightly more in the tank for bench + deadlift. Either way I felt fantastic afterwards. The E1RM from the template were very spot on. The other coaches at the meet gave me some guidance on warmup timing. This was a total blast, thanks again!

(numbers are slightly off bc of KG)

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7

and here’s my final reps on DL + bench

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8

Great job, dude! Looks like you had a great time.